5 canny shortcuts for taking on multiple projects or clients successfully

It’s fair to say there’s a lot more projects out there than Change Managers to support them. So there might be times when you’ll have to work on multiple projects, and if you’re consulting like me - multiple clients at a time.

When I was a contractor in Change Management, I’d rarely work on multiple projects at the same time because usually I’d be supporting such big transformations that I’d be the sole Change Manager without capacity to help on anything else. Sometimes, I’d be working with other Change Managers or Change people on a big transformation but we’d all be dedicated for that period. In between major projects, I’d pick up little bits and bobs but the next massive transformation wasn’t far away so I never really juggled major projects two or more at a time.

As a consultant, it’s a bit different. I do tend to work with multiple clients at a time and this means I have to have tools up my sleeve to manage my capacity. Here are 5 canny shortcuts for taking on multiple projects or clients successfully.

Shortcut #1: Focus on advising and coaching

Working with clients, I’m not doing all the level of detail on a change as I normally would. Instead, I’ll set the change up for success with strategy and planning, build capability, and coach other people in the project or business to do more of the doing of the change, leaving me to be an advisor and review it.

Shortcut #2: Be ruthless with value-adding work

Regardless of whether I’m employed or consulting, it's really about discerning what's fit-for-purpose. What, in this moment, is going to add the most value? A good example is that I was working on a project as a contractor that had stalled for a while. I was still representing on it, but then another little project popped up that needed support. I met the stakeholders, understood what was going on, and advised them: “Oh, this is what you need.” All they needed was a pair of hands to go and figure out what the process changes were and put them into a quick guide. And that's all I did. I was like, “You don't need all this other stuff in Change Management. You don't need a Change Plan, you don't need comms. You've got all that stuff covered. I’ll work this out for you and I’ll create these simple process guides and we’ll be done.” So I did that and the feedback that I got from that project was out of this world. My Change Lead was like, “Good job, Lata!!”. And I was like, “Are you kidding me? That was the simplest little task!” But regardless of how easy or simple it was, it added value for that project with what they needed at that time. Instead of trying to over-engineer it, I just went, “What’s going to add the most value right here, right now?” Sometimes, it's less about following the process or making sure that you are ticking the box on using particular change templates or activities and more about chunking up and going, “We want a great people experience, what needs to happen to get there? How do we just make sure that the right things happen?”

Shortcut #3: Be mindful about meetings

When you're working on multiple projects or with multiple clients, you have to be mindful of your time and capacity and prioritise what you do for which projects. If you’re on two massive projects as a Change Manager and you’re having to do double sets of all the project meetings, communications and the like, it can push you past the brink of available time. If it's getting to the point where you’re over capacity, that's where you can go to your Head of Change and say, “Hey, I can't do all of this,” or you can go to your projects and go, “Hey, I can't come to every single one of your meetings, but can you let me know which ones are the priority and I will commit to coming to those?” And I do exactly the same with my consulting clients, right? I just go, “Cool, you don't need me on everything, but when it's something important, I’m happy to be there. I’m happy to be involved.”

Shortcut #4: Charge for extras

It’s harder to do this as an employee (but not impossible), but as a consultant if you set up as a Statement of Work package rather than a Day Rate, it’s easier to charge for extras. If your clients want you on ALL the project meetings and even the ones where you won’t add value, so be it… but they can pay for it! Decide what’s in and out of scope for your package and you can better manage your capacity for multiple projects and multiple clients, because you’re not just a bum in a seat and a pair of hands. It positions you as the expert rather than “everything to everyone” and your projects and clients will start to only use you when it’s really critical and provides a good escape for getting involved in things that aren’t Change-related or Change-focused.

Shortcut #5: Plan out your client pipeline

The other beautiful thing about being an independent consultant is that the client doesn’t own your schedule, you do. You give them your availability, which means you can balance and flex your pipeline and let them know when you will and won’t have capacity. Because you’re a trusted change advisor and an expert, they’ll appreciate it when you can open up and make time for them dedicated to helping them on their change.

As an independent consultant, I love being able to work with multiple clients at a time. It gives me variety, helps me feel like I’m making a bigger impact, and lets me share my Change expertise far and wide. It’s a really different way of working and I’ll be sharing my tips and tricks for attracting ideal clients, managing client relationships, schedules and availability, and doing win-win pitches and proposals for consulting work in my live in-person retreat in November. 

The Early Bird offer for my Instant Change Consultant Retreat ends Wednesday 31 July, so if you’d like to save $2,000 AUD off the retreat investment and learn how to start or grow your own independent change consultancy, come join my Instant Change Consultant Retreat before the price goes up. 

CLICK HERE to find out more and get the Retreat Early Bird Offer >>

All my belief,
Lata