By guest blogger Christine Couture, M Squared Consulting

A recent Schumpeter column in The Economist entitled The Will to Power caught my eye, especially with its subtitle, “Why some people have power over companies and others don’t.”  Though this article was seemingly written for ambitious corporate climbers, its advice applies directly to enterprising consultants as well.

For this discussion, it is important to define what ‘power over a company’ means within the world of consulting. Power could mean everything from choosing the projects you work on, to the flexibility of compensation leverage.  Yet, when the economy is slow and companies are cutting back on spending, initiatives and programs which would normally require the services of a consultant are put on hold, and there is little room to be picky — which feels anything but powerful.

The article suggests taking the advice of Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford Business School, author of the book, Power: Why Some People Have It—and Others Don’t.  He believes that above and beyond competence and self-confidence, “the best way to increase your chances of reaching the top is to choose the right department to join: one that is on the rise.” In consultant terms, a “department” would be the industry or service in which you choose to specialize, which has sustainability through an economic downturn.

Another interpretation of a “department” would be your agents or recruiters, such as M Squared Consulting, with whom you can partner to a) land projects which build your resume or CV, b) work with clients who expand your experience, and c) negotiate the rates which will best compensate you for your expertise.

The article’s last three “tips for the top”, which are helpful in both the employment and consulting worlds, include:

1. Manage upwards – In addition to the skill of being earnest in your efforts, Pfeffer advises mastering the art of flattery, which, according to research, there is no point at which it becomes ineffective.
2. Network – Turn yourself into a node with professional connections branching out in every direction, either within the organization, or through your external connections. Later, you not only can leverage the opportunity for mobility within the organization, but the ability to partner with others whose skills and knowledge complement yours — not to mention more references for your consulting business.
3. Loyalty – A fact: “Four out of every five CEO appointments go to insiders. Those insiders last almost two years longer in their jobs than outsiders.” For consultants, loyalty means repeat business and income security.

Perhaps the most powerful advice in this article comes in the form of a question: How do you keep your power once you have it?   The response is actually a note of caution: “The key to keeping power is to understand its corrupting effects. Powerful people need to cultivate a combination of paranoia and humility—paranoia about how much other people want them out and humility about their own replaceability.”

Unfortunately, the consulting marketplace is not invincible to the competition and capriciousness of the corporate world, so the sooner a consultant chooses to work his network, manage up, and have loyalty to his clients, the more powerful and effective he or she will be at the client site.