In between engagements consultants may find themselves on the bench. Time on the bench offers time to support the business internally and to polish skills for increased value on future client engagements. It’s a time to improve, refocus and reflect. Using bench time effectively is one of the core skills for consultants.

Here are some things every consultant should reflect on between engagements.

1. What did I deliver and what impact did I have?

Think about the deliverables you have submitted in your recent engagements and how successful they were. Could they have been improved? Were they successful and have they had a sustainable impact on the client? How did you manage the handover and is the client able to build on top of the things you have delivered?

Think about the impact you had on the team. Did you help the team grow and made them more self-sufficient? Did you help improve processes? What were reasons for why you couldn’t impact the client more?

2. How did I fit into the team – how could I have adjusted differently?

Think about how your team was shaped and how you fit in. Should you have adjusted differently? Should you have filled a different role in the team? Should you have led, supported or challenged more? Were you able to build bridges across siloed teams? Did you contribute to a positive work environment?

3. Did I encounter any conflicts and how can I reduce them in the future?

Think about conflict you have encountered. Could you have done anything to reduce it? Is there anything you can do to prevent it in the future? Do you have tools at hand to identify and address these types of situations?

4. What did I learn and what lessons can I share?

Think about the things you encountered and learned on your previous project. Keeping confidentiality in mind, of course, what is knowledge you can share with your colleagues? What are challenges you faced and how did you address them? What new tech features did you encounter, and can you demonstrate them to your colleagues? Did you use any processes that could help other teams?

5. What do I want to do next?

Think about your path ahead, this is a good time to take control of your future and drive your career in the direction you want it to go. What are your desired areas of personal development? What skills do you want to explore? What focus areas would you like to have on your next project? Are there any courses you want to take?

6. What is my personal Unique Selling Point?

Think about you and what distinguishes your profile from other consultants. What is your personal Unique Selling Point? Why should a client pick you over someone else? What is the profile you want to have and what’s your core area of expertise? What do you need to do to get from your current profile to the profile you want to have?

7. What does my professional network look like?

Think about your professional network. The bench is a great point in time to reach out and interact with them. Are you happy with the size of your network? What can you do to increase your number of connections? When was the last time you have reached out to your network ? What networking events could you attend that might help you? What has your network been up to and what are things you can learn from them?

Final thoughts

Taking the time to reflect on these points can help consultants grow as professionals and sets them up to bring even more value to clients on their next projects. Identifiying skills, strengths and weaknesses by reflection enables paths forward toward continuous learning and growth.