The reason for looking for a subject matter expert is
- To cut the time frame of business building
- Not to re-invent the wheel when some one can offer the experience
- To ensure business delivery
While one would like to have the bread to be buttered on both sides, it may not be the case most of the time. For business to choose the right SME is a task, for an SME being accountable is a necessity.
We do have many SME’s who are known icons in their field and most of the time, they choose the client and clients do follow the norms laid out by the iconic SME. While most of them are capable of delivering, some tend to lead the client into the path they are known best to deliver irrespective of the suitability of the mode.
In most situations a SME doesn’t want to be tied down to a commitment of delivery, since he is not involved in the day to day business operations. This is seen by the business owners as a negative and expect him/her to be part of the delivery system. We use an auditor to give us guidance in tax planning do we make him part of the working team, then why expect a SME to be part of the team.
Yes, client can demand that the SME builds the right team, who can deliver. If an SME is not even willing to do that, probably client can keep him/her at an arm’s length. Most of the time clients do the scouting through known contacts and end up meeting people and then start getting to know about them. It is very important for a client to decide in which areas he needs to use the SME and accordingly search for him.
Tips on hiring a good SME:
- Has he been talked about or he is an icon
- Is he having good knowledge of the turf for which you are planning to hire him (a preliminary meeting might resolve this)
- Where all do you expect him to provide you the expertise and are you convinced that he has the required exposure in the said field (Ex: Exposure to rural markets, if you intend to sell something to a farmer/villager)
- Are you convinced that the time he is prepared to spend with you is sufficient for you to achieve your goals
- Agree upon on certain pre-set timelines for a given task
- Avoid people who can offer you solutions in all areas unless they have a very competent team which can deliver the package
- Do not feel embarrassed to grill the SME, if required, to understand his knowledge
- Be convinced of what is proposed, if required ask for case studies, please make sure you are totally with the proposed ideation
Areas where the client has to have an open mind,
- You and your team should be ready to accept the radical changes SME may propose
- Are you willing to spend the kind of monies that might be required as per the SME game plan or be clear to him on what is your budget?
- Make sure your team sees him as a benefactor and not a threat
- Be open with your business goals, so that he can provide you a workable plan
- Be prepared to pay the right professional fee to the SME whom you propose to hire, remember if an SME is compromising, his delivery too could be compromised.
- Business owner should always have an interface with the SME and not leave him to the executive to handle, and then it will only lead to a blame game.
Most of the time client looks for cheaper alternatives and might loose out on the business plan implementation and might burn up good cash too, pursuing ill formed strategies. To make accountability a pre-requisite, client’s are now a days willing to part with some equity in lieu of services, in case of new businesses. While this is something a SME has to decide if it makes sense for him in terms of effort hours and the given benefit, it may not be the most ideal model as client might have issued the equity at a very low value.
If the suggested care is taken a SME could be hired on a mutually acceptable remuneration and use him till the needs are fulfilled. Knowing that SME costs money the client might like to set short term objectives and once he reaches that goal post it might be a simple duplication and moving forward thereafter. That way client can demand action, Equity model can bring in complacency at both ends and in case the business is not moving forward the SME could simply stop showing too much interest, since for him it is any way a lost cause.
It is very important that the client gets to hire his SME with his eyes wide open and get the required result through him, as no business person can loose both time and money in today’s competitive world by choosing mediocre talent as an SME.
Right SME – in time delivery – early success
