Elevators are a significant part of a consultant’s life. He probably works, lives, parks, exercises, eats, and parties at places with elevators. Therefore, it is the rule of thumb that one must always be prepared for a sudden encounter with one’s boss, co-worker, friend, enemy, lover, etc. When these sudden encounters occur in confined public areas (such as in an elevator), it can get superbly awkward. And folks, if there’s one thing consultants hate the most, it’s being caught off guard. So it follows naturally that consultants would spend time rehearsing these potentially embarrassing moments and develop a term called “elevator pitch.” A one or two minute summary about your firm, your project, your vision, or your career. These templates are actually written on note cards and are usually passed out during new-hire orientation. Now, it’s important to emphasize that these handy dandy 3x5s are for business purposes only, if you run into girlfriend #1 when you’re out with girlfriend #2, then you’re really on your own buddy.

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