There are many types of Consiglieres and true advisors. But what makes a GOOD consigliere or advisor.
To answer this question, you must ask yourself what type are you looking for? What is it you are trying to get help with? You see there are:
the war conciglieri
These people are rough, tough, and take no bullshit. These people have been in the trenches, have suffered significant losses, and bounced back. These individuals have the scars of business and life to be able to point out the blind spots for you.
When do you hire these people? Well, when you have a hostile acquisition. Your business suffering and you need help immediately – corporate triage of sorts. Do you need to make an significant expansion or contraction?
This is where these people come in. These people don’t know how to operate in a “regular” healthy environment. They are very resilient and know how to get shit done.
The business as usual consigliere.
These individuals are mostly for companies and CEO’s who need help for ongoing businesses. For leaders who are looking for blind spots on how to grow the business or make changes but NOT drastic changes within the company. These individuals thrive in putting together long-term plans and make sure that the targets take time in nurturing and achieving goals.
So, before you go out and look for one, make sure that you understand what it is you are looking for. Failing to understand the type of consiglieri or advisor you need will not only lead to a failed relationship but also the potential for business failure too.