Seriously, how many times do we hear this phrase: "We placed a consultant on a mission", or even worse, "We need to place this consultant quickly". Place? Like an object? Like a pawn moved on a chessboard without much thought?
This word is unsettling. It speaks volumes about how some perceive the profession. A consultant is not something that you "place" to fill a slot. It's a professional who starts a project, who commits, who brings expertise and who sometimes completely transforms a team's dynamics. Saying that we "place" a consultant denies all this.
Of course, some will say it's just a word, a language habit. But words shape mentalities. An ESN (IT consulting company) that talks about consultants as elements to "place" sends a message, even unconsciously. A message that says: "What matters is to fill the missions, no matter the rest."
We can do better. We must do better. Saying that a consultant "starts a project", that they "join a team", that they "take charge of a mission", is not just a matter of vocabulary. It's acknowledging that they have an active role, that they are at the center of the action and not just a number to be moved around.
And your organization, where does it stand?
The CoAct diagnostic allows evaluating your onboarding in five dimensions.