What Makes A Great Consultant?

I was pondering this one day, and I decided to ask the question on Twitter.

Twitter Friends: What one skill separates good IT consultants from bad ones?

— Chris Poteet (@chrispoteetpro) January 3, 2013

I got some good responses.

@chrispoteetpro Fantastic communication skills and the ability to quickly understand the (business) need, the true outcome/goal.

— Sherman Woo (@SPSherm) January 3, 2013

@chrispoteetpro communication or social skills!

— Marrell Sanders (@TechRevMarrell) January 3, 2013

https://twitter.com/GloverKen/status/286922016475447297

@stacyDraper @chrispoteetpro How about just 'not being a salesman'. Goes along with the 'frankness' thing. Do what needs to be done.

— Jim Love ??????? (@jimmywim) January 3, 2013

@chrispoteetpro I say it's a terrible question. that being said, I guess I'd have to go with frankness.

— Stacy Draper (@stacyDraper) January 3, 2013

@mikegil @chrispoteetpro Applied curiousity –the ability to ask keenly insightful, engaging and stimulating questions

— Nancy Settle-Murphy (@nsettlemurphy) January 3, 2013

I’m interested what my other readers/subscribers think about this important question? If you asked me, I would say the answer lies in communication because as Marrell Sanders says: “a highly skilled jerk is still a jerk.”