Many people I talk to overestimate the effort required to develop their IP.

They think it first requires a comprehensive indexing of all of one’s career steps and lessons learned before you can reach something definitive.

Others underestimate the effort.

They think they can wing their way into a block of text for their website or a just-in-time asset for a client meeting.

Effort-wise, developing a unique, durable consulting IP asset (a framework, process, playbook, etc.) is somewhere in the middle.

It requires time, thought, peer review, and iteration.

But the most effective consultants don’t consider the effort required for an individual IP asset.

Instead, IP development is built into their business as an ongoing practice.

Remember the C-EX Loop? It's continuous and requires active, consistent participation.

Just finish a client project? Take half an hour to jot down the 3 themes that led to the project’s timely delivery, and 3 rough patches to avoid next time.

Just out of a rough stakeholder readout? Who were the cast of characters around the table — what were their interests and motivations? Generalize those into a page of anticipated stakeholder challenges for a playbook on this type of engagement.

Just led a client to a breakthrough ‘lightbulb’ moment? Take a beat to dissect the ingredients that might have triggered it. Have you stumbled upon a repeatable unlock?

You’re gaining insights every day.

In fact, you're earning them.

Don’t let them float away.

💡

-Wes