Shamayun Miah discusses essential skills in the world of business and management consulting

Shamayun Miah is a high performing management consultant. His career has been built through hard work, dedication and zeal in the rough and tumble of the corporate world.

The veteran management consultant believes that work ethic, integrity, values, and passion have been the driving force for the success he has had in his career to date. “I’ve always tried to keep certain values consistent, always maintaining a deep purpose, irrespective of what role I was doing. Whatever success I have had in my career I believe comes down to these values.  They have also helped me become resilient in times of difficulties.  

Shamayun Miah says that he is a firm believer in personal development and thinks that good managers need to be conscious of their abilities and skills and their shortcomings. Self-awareness allows leaders to understand what they bring to their role and is a critical component of emotional intelligence (EQ). It also will enable leaders to assess their behaviour in terms of their values and priorities.  And it ultimately helps to better ourselves through development. 

“I have always focused on professional self-improvement and working for the development of others. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to develop myself and always appreciate helping others realise their full potential,” he adds.  I was fortunate to have talented leaders around me who have inspired me throughout my career. 

Elaborating on his passion for helping others, Shamayun Miah says that he is incredibly grateful for the great mentors who have helped him throughout his career.

“I aim to help consultants in the early days of their career wherever I can, whether through advice, mentoring, or just sharing knowledge. I always encourage strategic thinking, self-awareness, innovation and actions in my team,” he says. 

“I always attempt to create an environment to have a collaborative process when coming up with ideas with my junior colleagues so they can take that responsibility on and grow,” he adds.

He says that it is essential to create an environment where people can innovate and try new things safely. Our inclination, fueled by our culture, social background, life experiences, influences who we are and how we perform. “As a leader, my responsibility is to create the platform for people to be themselves, to harness their intellectual ability and passion.”

“I pride myself on my ability to foster a creative environment for all, and that takes ethics and civic-mindedness.”Practicing effective cross-cultural communication is another aspect of business that is crucial in today’s global market,”

Shamayun Miah says that some traits have aided him throughout his journey in the business arena. He says that he has always taken time to understand his clients – their challenges and aspirations. “Clients are our most important stakeholders, so I made it a practice to listen closely and try to absorb as much as I could from each interaction.”I think that by doing this, we can truly understand how to serve and provide exceptional quality services,” he adds.

Shamayun Miah says that things are bound to get difficult while pursuing goals and recommends young leaders to remain confident and action orientated. In difficult times ruthless prioritization and doubling down on positive actions is required.  Young inspirational leaders are value-driven, they are leading from a deep sense of purpose, and in difficult times, their values and work ethic will serve them well.

“I practice proactivity and have been data-driven. I think it pays always to look ahead and look at the best practices,” he adds.

Talking about data, Miah says that all the ideas he brings to his clients are based on facts, backed by data and statistics. All hypotheses are always based on data and analytics, this requires deep research, analysis and meticulous modelling and planning.”I take personal accountability and responsibility for any programs I run with my clients, and being accurate is key,” says Miah.

He goes on to say that trust is the most crucial ingredient for success. How a consultant builds and conveys, this intangible quality can determine winning or losing in the market. Your brand value is determined by trust. How your values resonate with your client will, in most cases, determine your client choice. People have always bought goods and services from people they trust and respect.

“As a consultant, it is a privilege to be a trusted advisor, and one must never take this for granted,” he adds.

Shamayun Miah says he had to develop many new skills to get into management consulting. He goes on to say that it takes time to break into the industry and become successful.

In the European Business Review, Shamayun Miah describes management consultants as having a unique skill set. It’s a combination of analytical horsepower and resolving business challenges. At the end of the day, you go home feeling that you have done something helpful for your client.

Having analytical skills is essential in business, not just in consulting. Shamayun Miah says that anybody who wants to break into the business world should improve their ability to interpret and analyse data.

At the same time, Miah says it’s essential to have various soft skills, particularly those that allow you to form and maintain new relationships. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are crucial skills, and over 90 of high performers have this attribute. 

Miah credits his success in consulting to his early days in business. He made a deliberate effort to connect with people and maintain relationships. It’s a great way of drumming up new work when you need it and finding new opportunities throughout your career.

There is a saying: “Your network is your net worth”, which is true in the case of management consultants and throughout the business world.

Expanding on his tips for building essential skills in the world of business, Shamayun says it’s imperative to understand the ins and outs of your industry. You should do your best to stay on top of industry trends and understand precisely how people within your field operate.

One thing that helped Shamayun Miah stay competitive and knowledgeable in management consulting is researching his competitors. He did much more than simply look into their backgrounds. Miah went as far as researching their products and offerings to compete with them. He also looked at the unique selling points each firm had.

“Some firms serve certain niche markets, and some work within the public or private sectors,” says Miah. Some have deep industry process knowledge, and some have long-lasting client relationships, understanding your competition is equally important as developing your proposition. 

Shamayun Miah says it’s vital for a consultant to know the ins and outs of their industry, no matter how successful they are or their role. You need to understand the entire landscape you are working in to navigate it effectively. Keep in mind that the industry is constantly changing due to digitisation, new entrants and market forces. 

For those who want to pursue management consulting, Miah recommends reading industry journals, reading blogs, articles, following industry analysts.  He also recommends connecting with other leading industry consultants via Linkedin and following their work.

Miah recommends that you identify your skills and strengths, network with other consultants and get a business degree, among other things, to increase your odds of finding work as a management consultant. Although having a business degree is not essential, it certainly helps given the foundational skills you  pick up in your academic programme.

Shamayun Miah emphasises the need to build contacts. He says start building your network of contacts – and start now.