My workplace is using a horrible consultant

[Anonymous]

In my workplace, we are being encouraged to work with a consultant. The colleague who is encouraging us to work with this consultant is highly respected and could potentially end up being my supervisor in a few years. Currently, this colleague and I have the same supervisor.

This consultant is awful, in so many ways. Fortunately most interactions with the consultant are voluntary, but we are required to attend some trainings that the consultant delivers. This consultant is very overbearing and antagonistic, and "recommends" in a very aggressive way for us to do our work in a way our supervisor (or our supervisor's supervisors) would not approve of. The consultant dismisses concerns we express and seems to not really understand our work and the contraints we operate under. The colleague that is encouraging us to work with the consultant has made clear that complaining to our supervisor about the consultant would be offensive to her. She wants us to come directly to her with any concerns, but in the past she generally dismisses or ignores concerns we express because she believes she knows better.

I really don't have anything nice to say about this consultant. Maybe the nicest way I could say it is that the consultant's approach does not work for me. But I don't want to antagonize my colleague who could be my supervisor in the future, and I anticipate any conversation I have with this colleague would result in her "convincing" me to give the consultant a chance and me feeling more angry. Would you keep your head down or try to speak up?

[Anonymous]

Head down. Smile, nod, get clear direction from your boss on what they want you to do and how they want you to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Head down. Smile, nod, get clear direction from your boss on what they want you to do and how they want you to do it.

Thanks, you are right. I think this is what everyone else is doing. Ugh, what a waste of time, money and energy.

[Anonymous]

Can't you just attend the training, smile, and then go do your own thing?

[Anonymous]

I agree with the approve. Smile, don't be antagonistic in the sessions, just check the box and move on. You don't want the consultant reporting back that you are a problem.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. I have no advice but can commiserate after going through this more than once with different CEOs. It's astonishing what they will spend money on and who they will spend it with, and most of it is a huge waste of time and money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I have no advice but can commiserate after going through this more than once with different CEOs. It's astonishing what they will spend money on and who they will spend it with, and most of it is a huge waste of time and money.

Another plus 1. Just the title was like "oh yeah, been there, done that"

[Anonymous]

Smile, nod, ignore. Sorry, I’m sure that’s infuriating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I have no advice but can commiserate after going through this more than once with different CEOs. It's astonishing what they will spend money on and who they will spend it with, and most of it is a huge waste of time and money.

Another plus 1. Just the title was like "oh yeah, been there, done that"

Yup! And, the consultant may be looking at who to fire/ layoff. So...go along...to get along.

[Anonymous]

So don’t go with concerns, go to your supervisor with perky ideas that in fact demonstrate the stupidity of the consultant’s ideas. “Boss, Connie the Consultant had an idea for us to blah-blah-blah as a way to streamline things. What do you think of that?” Or “Connie the Consultant recommends XYZ. That hasn’t been done here before but do you want us to try? We’re paying a lot for her ideas so do you want us using them?”

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why this colleague who is not your supervisor has so much power over you. They shouldn't have any responsibility with regard to the consultant and what you do or don't do. That seems really odd to me.

Does your boss know? Could you offhand mention to the boss, "Colleague seems to have some very strong feelings about the consultant and wants me coming to them first - is that correct, or should I be coming to you about the consultant?"