What Makes a Good Advisor?

By Chris Paxton, RGS HR Project Advisor

A question I’ve been asked recently is “What makes a good advisor?  How do I know I’ll be successful in this field?”

As with any field of endeavor there is not one trait or one skill that makes a successful advisor.  Rather it is a combination of skills, traits and personal attributes that provide the foundation for success.  And while each assignment may call for a different set of skills, there are some elements which would be considered essential.

Expert knowledge is certainly one key element to advisor success.  It’s important when RGS sends an advisor into an organization to manage a department or complete a project, that the advisor knows the subject matter intimately.  The advisor should be up to date on all the best industry practices and have all the knowledge necessary to complete assigned tasks.  To ensure such expertise, advisors should be constantly reading about the latest developments in their field and attending any available training.

But knowledge is only one part of the puzzle.  Everyone knows a brilliant person who knows virtually everything about a subject but who struggles to lead a work group or to explain a project to bosses or constituents.  Clearly the person has the knowledge, but lacks the capacity to communicate that knowledge and is consequently rendered ineffective.

Communication skills, both written and verbal, are therefore another vital element in the advisor’s gear bag.  To be a good advisor you must be able to distill all your knowledge about the subject at hand and be able to impart that knowledge to others in such a way that the audience understands the problems and issues and can work together in finding solutions.

An essential part of communication is the ability to listen to those with whom you’re working.  In the course of an assignment, advisors will meet with a variety of people at different levels of the organization.  The ability to genuinely listen to people leads to a better understanding of the organization in general and the tasks at hand in particular.  It helps ensure that the advisor understands exactly what the issues are and what is expected of them.  Good listening skills are therefore essential to help an advisor successfully navigate an assignment.

Advisors are professionals and are expected to exhibit professionalism daily, both in acting and looking the part.  Advisors dress appropriately for the work environment and also behave professionally in everything they do.   They are on time, responsive and trustworthy.  A good advisor also makes sure that relationships with those in the organization are professional in nature.  A professional understands that as an advisor they are not an employee of the agency to which they are assigned, and therefore resist the temptation to become engaged in organizational politics or employee squabbles.

Related to professionalism, a good advisor clearly understands the roles and responsibilities related to an assignment.  Prior to the first day of an assignment, the scope of the work and the role an advisor is expected to play should be fully understood.  Once working in an organization, advisors make sure those with whom they are working also understand these roles and responsibilities.  If a conflict arises or there are instances of “mission creep” a good advisor knows to call time out and refocus the duties of the assignment.

A successful advisor is not a “Lone Ranger”.  While advisors are expected to use their knowledge, skills and abilities to largely be self-sufficient when on an assignment, no one is expected to know everything about all subjects.   Therefore, it is important for advisors to know their limitations and to seek guidance when appropriate.  When asked for advice that is outside the advisor’s base of knowledge or experience, a savvy advisor knows not to “wing it” or make an educated guess.   Instead, they look to others with greater experience or knowledge for advice.

Another key element of advisor success is flexibility.  When on assignment, an advisor must realize that environments are fluid.  This is especially true in public agencies.  Work priorities may shift, work locations may be reassigned, there may be staff changes or any number of other complications and distractions.  A good advisor learns to take these challenges in stride and make adjustments without letting the work suffer.

An ability to get along and work well with others is another key ingredient for advisor success.  Advisors will meet and may work side by side with a number of people while on assignment.  These people will come from different backgrounds, have differing skill sets, motivations, work habits, work ethic, etc.  Advisors must be able to recognize these differences and find ways to work successfully with all of these individuals to get the job done.

These are general skills and traits which make for a successful advisor.  There are many others which may be helpful but which are assignment specific.   The overall key is to know what is being asked of you as an advisor, and then being able to put all of your knowledge and skills to work to accomplish the organizational goal.  Each advisor should know their strengths and weaknesses and be constantly looking for ways to improve, ensuring good results for both yourself and the agency you are assisting.