Generally speaking, when potential clients want to work with you, they’re right that there’s a problem.
BUT, more often than not, their diagnosis of what the true problem really is, is wrong. Or at least, it’s incomplete.
If all you do is solve the problem they ask you to solve, you’re not doing consulting. You’re taking orders.
Which is fine if you work at McDonalds, but it’s not fine if you’re in the business of creating valuable business outcomes.
As a consultant, your job is to find the root cause of the problem. The bigger issue that led to the symptoms they ask you to help solve.
If all you do is solve those symptoms, you’re not doing a service. You’re ignoring the real underlying issues, which means they will reoccur.
So don’t let clients hire you purely on the basis of what they ask for. Expect there to be other things. There always is.
Be their advocate and plan for this in advance.