Stop trying to be the best.

Start being the only one who can:

• Connect multiple domains

• Speak different languages

• Bridge separate worlds

• See invisible patterns

Specialists get jobs.

Polymaths create categories.

In a world that rewards deep expertise, the real game-changers are those who can cross boundaries, blend disciplines, and shape entirely new ways of thinking.

The future belongs to those who don’t just fit into existing roles but redefine them.

Which one are you?

After decades of consulting, I could easily write a post titled, “The Top 10 Lessons I’ve Learned.” But I’m not here to do clickbait.

My intention isn’t to gain followers, generate leads, or chase some fleeting boost in engagement. Instead, I want to share practical insights from my journey: what has worked for clients, what hasn’t, and how I’ve approached challenges. My hope is that this offers you something useful and enlightening. I know some prefer the list format so I will include them as well.

A Reluctant Start to Consulting

A couple of decades ago, I was offered an opportunity to step into consulting. My initial reaction? “I’m not the consultant type.” Here’s why I hesitated:

1. Imposter Syndrome: I doubted whether my knowledge and experience were well-rounded enough to serve as a trusted advisor who could jump into any project and deliver value.
2. Bad Examples: I’d seen consultants who overestimated their abilities but couldn’t deliver. Many were learning on the job, which didn’t align with my personal standards of integrity.
3. Profit-Driven Models: The traditional consulting model—focused on billable hours and revenue—clashed with my belief that consulting should prioritize the client’s success and long-term outcomes.

Back then, and even now, I see many consulting firms and agencies that prioritize profit over meaningful partnerships. After reflecting deeply on my experiences and accomplishments, I realized I had something unique to bring to the table. That realization gave me the confidence to dive in fully.

The Turning Point

My first consulting engagement was supposed to last two weeks. The client had a time-critical problem, and I was tasked with finding a solution. Within the first week, I tackled the issue with an out-of-the-box approach that worked where others had struggled. The results spoke for themselves: the client extended my engagement for over seven and a half years, involving me in every major project.

Why did they keep me around for so long? Here’s what I brought to the table:

1. Creative Problem-Solving: I quickly identified solutions that had eluded the client.
2. Ownership: I fully embraced responsibility for every project I was assigned.
3. Respect: I valued the client’s time and adhered to their organizational structure.
4. Active Listening: I sought to understand their needs and asked meaningful questions that addressed both immediate concerns and broader contexts.
5. Holistic Thinking: I connected the dots to identify and address potential blind spots beyond the immediate scope.
6. Clear Communication: By blending technical and functional language with a touch of humor, I reduced tension and improved collaboration.
7. Client-Centric Approach: I prioritized their success and long-term partnership over short-term metrics like billable hours.

The Results

Since then, I’ve worked with numerous clients and always maintained this approach. Here’s what I’ve observed:

1. Corporate Politics: Allowing internal politics or drama to seep into client relationships almost always leads to tension and failure. Maintaining integrity and focusing on shared goals fosters trust and collaboration.
2. Leadership by Example: Demonstrating accountability, respect, and positivity creates a ripple effect. It not only strengthens client relationships but also elevates team dynamics and corporate culture.
3. Creating Safe Spaces: Encouraging a supportive and transparent environment empowers teams and builds deeper connections that transcend the “job” mentality.

Final Thoughts

There’s so much more to say, but I’ll leave it here for now. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read. I hope these reflections inspire you to think about your own approach and offer ideas you can apply to your success.

If you find this helpful, feel free to like, comment, share, and repost it to help others who might benefit from it.

As someone who works in multiple verticals and various team structures and corporations, I see firsthand how misinformation is altering discussions. Even more so on social media and online interactions. It’s becoming harder to distinguish real people from algorithm-driven voices, and this fuels division. But beyond these digital conflicts, I hope we remember that each vote and viewpoint has merit. Regardless of who won or lost in the election, both sides are filled with people / Human beings / whose voices deserve respect.

The growing wealth gap, divisiveness, and dissatisfaction with the government reflect the frustration many feel. People need to be educated to see beyond the misleading actions the people in power leverage to maintain and gain more control. People want change not out of loyalty to a party but because they crave a leadership/government that serves them and their loved ones. Our shared struggles and dreams unite us far more than politics and opinions divide us.

Through my travels and interactions across diverse cultures, I’ve learned that, beneath the surface, we are all remarkably similar. We all laugh, hurt, and care. If we could see beyond our differences, we’d realize that most of us want the same things: happiness, stability, and connection.

So, let’s approach disagreements with empathy, whether online or in person. We gain nothing from tearing each other down. If you find yourself debating politics or life online, ask if it’s improving your life in the long term and not just a quick boost. I believe in graciously respecting both victories and defeats and recognizing humanity on the other side.

Take care of each other, spend time wisely, and remember that we’re all in this together.

#humanbeings #respecteachother #gracious #inthistogether

hashtag#chatgpt hashtag#AI hashtag#artificialintelligence hashtag#biologicalintelligence

hashtag#thoughtoftheday hashtag#hrairtcholakian

10 Traits Of Highly Affective Leaders:

1. They maintain eye contact.

2. They speak with a steady, calm voice.

3. They don’t feel the need to brag.

4. They listen more than they speak.

5. They aren’t afraid to say “I don’t know”

6. They don’t need validation from others.

7. They embrace challenges and failures.

8. Practice Active Listening.

9. Network Strategically.

10. Reflect and Adjust.


#traits #effective #leaderships

Why work with Eksperts when there are those larger consulting firms?!

Eksperts try harder to build long term relationships and not driven by stock prices and profit margins!

#clientadvocate #clientsuccess #clientrelationship #consulting #humuor

We’ve been working on a few things.

New product Coming this summer. Hopefully sooner!

#new #product #integration #implementation #software #comingsoon #announcement #transformation

We’ve been working on a few things.

New product coming this summer. Hopefully sooner!

#new #product #integration #implementation #software #comingsoon #announcement #transformation

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – Rolling Stones

Oh no, not again! There goes Hrair going on about music/songs again…

Here’s why I thought of those lyrics:

A potential client called us via a recommendation from another happy client. This potential client wanted us to provide a project manager for their HCM implementation project.

I sat in on the call with our salesperson to listen in and provide support as needed.

They seemed to be in a rush and wanted the PM to start quickly. This is fairly common as most clients start a project thinking that they can take it on with their current staff. However, soon realize that they still have their daily tasks and responsibilities to perform.

After a few minutes of introductions and listening to them talking about what they wanted, I started asking questions based on the information so far. My intuition kept nudging me that there was something still that had not surfaced in our conversations. So, I kept digging further and asking questions to see things from their perspective. I always strive to put myself in the client’s seat to better understand everything. I was able to identify another gap, besides the PM they wanted.

At this point, I started to explain that they needed a Time Module resource to help them with the client-side activities which are heavy lift client-side tasks, towards the end of the project cycle.

The client was silent for a few and then said that they were so glad that I was on the call and engaged with all these details. They had no idea that was a blind spot and a huge gap.

Needless to say, the project went very well, and they could not stop talking about that first call they had with me. They said that they would come to me for anything they wanted and needed going forward.

Sometimes, you get what you want AND what you need.

Music #want #need #project #implemenation #clientadvocacy #HCM #sales #storytime