We like to do things a bit differently at CMC.

We don’t believe that a one size solution fits all the needs of our clients. And we don’t believe that one size fits all when it comes to our people. We positively encourage and embrace the diversity of thought, backgrounds, educations, and industries that shape our team, and which bring different and valuable perspectives to both our company and our clients. 
 
To celebrate our talent and showcase that you don’t need to have a traditional management consultancy background to be a successful management consultant, meet one of our Senior Consultants, Sam Brian. 
 
Sam started his career in very different industries before joining CMC, and here he shares how his experiences and skills have shaped his personal and professional growth, along with the difference this makes to our clients.  

What was your industry before joining CMC?

I’ve been lucky enough to experience a wide range of industries and sectors, all of which I now bring aspects from into my role at CMC. I have been everything from an English teacher in Vietnam, a touring sound engineer, a software trainer with Apple, a marina manger and even a coastguard rescue officer.

Safe to say my working life so far can be described as “eclectic”, and maybe not one you would first associate with consultancy. But the golden thread running through all my previous roles, is a passion for understanding and working alongside great people to solve complex problems.

What made you change career direction?

The transition into CMC and consultancy was an obvious one for me. I have always had a strong affinity and desire to work with public services and the defence sector. CMC is fortunate enough to be able to work with some incredible public sector client organisations, and this was big draw for me.

Also, looking back on my previous roles, I was “managing projects” in them all, just without knowingly applying a formal methodology. CMC offered the chance to add structure and rigour my project management to benefit our clients. 

How has your background shaped where you are now?

I like to think that adaptability is a bit of a strong point of mine. Having grown up in a military family, uncertainty is part and parcel of everyday life. You don’t get much choice but to get comfortable with embracing change on a regular basis.

How have you grown since joining CMC?

I joined CMC as a graduate trainee and have grown exponentially since joining to become a Senior Consultant. Having undergone all the formal training in our core services on the trainee pathway, I have also been given the opportunity to specialise in the P3M space with more formal training like Agile PM and Certified Scrum Master and also exposure to a whole range of clients.  

When did you first start having an interest in P3M?

One of my first engagements with CMC was with Cabinet Office as a PSO. The overall programme manager fostered the desire to work in this space. They nurtured the importance of P3M has a vital heartbeat of the overall delivery team, enabling the other talented people to do what they do best. 

What 3 things have you learnt about P3M?

1. No plan survives first contact. Be prepared to respond to the unknown. 

2. Its okay to be methodology agnostic. It’s not stupid if it works. 

3. Projects are people. Effective communication > plans and process. 

How has your experience benefitted our clients?

I am fortunate to get to deploy a broad range of skills and experiences in my role. It’s the favourite part of my job being able to not only use the skills drawn from all the CMC service lines, but also be able into my multimedia production and graphic design experience to bring added value. Our clients benefit from this diverse skill set with CMC “T-Shaped” consultants. 

If you want to hear more about Sam’s story, you’ll find him diving head first into projects, sailing out at sea or tracking down the perfect cup of coffee.

Or you can drop him a message on LinkedIn.