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Full Description
Good news. Consulting skills aren't just for consultants anymore!
This best-selling book reveals proven techniques to boost your career—from sharp problem-solving and persuasive arguments to high-performance meetings and ambitious projects.
Based on the experience of working with Fortune 500 companies in more than 50 countries this comprehensive handbook pinpoints the fundamental skills required to consult effectively, irrespective of your experience level.
Built around ten core themes it untangles the variables that increase the performance of projects, organizations and people. Providing proven techniques that the author has taught to some of the world's top executives, it's an ideal springboard for ambitious career professionals, MBA students and corporate leaders.
This new, second edition will equip you with:
The tools to consult effectively towards clients and internal stakeholders
The ability to maximize your credibility in a variety of situations
The arguments required to launch new ideas and win the acceptance of others
Techniques to handle people-related obstacles such resistance and political agendas
A rich library of examples to guide you in the application of these methods
Embark on a journey to accelerate your career and differentiate yourself from others. Learn from a broad base of experience: What works well, what doesn't work well, and winning strategies that have evolved into best practices!
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
About the author xiii
Introduction xv
Chapter One EMBRACING THE CONSULTING MINDSET 1
Understand the basic consulting proposition 2
Do you understand your own consulting proposition? 3
Who typically embarks on a career in consulting? 4
What are the principal domains in consulting? 5
Eight principal skills are needed to work in consulting 5
Who's qualified to be a consultant? 7
How should you represent your consulting firm? 11
Keep client expectations front-of-mind 14
Provide deep expertise and experience 15
Demonstrate a business-minded approach 16
Be proactive. Act like a partner 16
Bring fresh perspectives. An external view 17
Drive efficiency through well-developed organizational skills 17
Facilitate the transfer of knowledge 18
A question of ethics: The good guys vs. the bad guys 18
How are consulting and selling different? 23
Chapter summary 27
Next steps 28
Chapter Two Preparing to Consult 29
Three types of client preparation 31
Basic preparation 31
Detailed preparation 34
Engagement-specific preparation 38
A wide range of resources can be used 40
A preparation example 41
Basic preparation 41
Detailed preparation 43
Chapter summary 44
Next steps 44
Chapter Three ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY 45
Credibility begins with a well-crafted introduction 47
A compelling introduction embodies four characteristics 48
How should early career professionals build credibility? 52
Corporate credentials play an important role 53
Using the "hook" technique 53
Capabilities form your competitive edge 54
Chapter summary 56
Next steps 57
Chapter Four Managing Client Meetings 59
First things first - Do we need to have a meeting? 61
Mastering meetings: six essential steps 62
1. Set your meeting objectives 63
2. Assemble the team. How many people do you need? 64
3. Define the team strategy 66
4. Put the logistics in place 68
5. Structure your meeting interaction 70
6. Conduct a post-meeting debrief 75
Chapter summary 78
Next steps 78
Case Studies Case I Exploring a New Opportunity 81
Case II Presenting a Solution Approach 103
Case III Scoping a Study 119
Chapter Five PREPARING A PROPOSAL 135
An executive summary plays an important role 137
Set the scene in an introductory chapter 137
Describe your approach 138
Time plan, deliverables, and responsibilities 139
Explain your pricing model 140
Provide a clear indication of business benefits 141
Credentials and references 143
Be clear on terms and conditions 144
Practices to avoid. Where do proposals go wrong? 144
Over scoping. An apple or a pumpkin? 144
Unrealistic commitments. Promises, promises! 145
Define any vague terms in a glossary 146
Chapter summary 147
Next steps 148
Chapter Six INTRODUCING THE 50:50 RULE 149
The 50:50 rule in project delivery 150
Chapter summary 156
Next steps 156
Chapter Seven DELIVERING THE RESULT 157
Consulting methodologies provide structure and governance 158
The project organization can be built in different ways 161
Working remotely increases flexibility 163
Working on-site fosters greater client collaboration 164
Your chosen engagement model also impacts the client experience 166
The internal launch meeting should be a springboard for the project team 167
Secure the client cooperation you need for a successful delivery 171
Different issues call for different approaches 174
Internal issues require facilitation 176
External issues often require client involvement 178
Issues that can be anticipated are managed as risks 179
Unforeseen issues are handled as they occur 181
Chapter summary 183
Next steps 183
Chapter Eight OPTIMIZING THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE 185
Client relationship management is essential 185
A transactional relationship requires minimum effort 186
Characteristics of a transactional relationship 187
A partner-oriented relationship creates longer-term value 188
Characteristics of a partner-oriented relationship 189
Good relationships must be maintained 190
Respect the boundaries of professional distance 193
Communication around issues requires particular care 194
Chapter summary 197
Next steps 197
Chapter Nine Handling Client-related Obstacles 199
Adaptability enables us to work with a wide range of people 200
Formal behaviors require a disciplined approach 201
Informal behaviors call for patience and may require additional time 202
Unstructured behaviors require directional guidance 203
Distracted behaviors require re-engagement 204
Dealing with resistance is an essential human skill 205
So, what's the problem with change? 205
Three steps to bring down the wall of resistance 210
Stakeholder conflicts require either facilitation or escalation 214
Consultants are often well positioned as facilitators 214
Define clear escalation paths. You might need them 216
Chapter summary 218
Next steps 219
Chapter Ten THE SKILL OF ADVISING 221
Deductive reasoning embodies horizontal logic 222
Building the argument 222
Defending the argument 225
Inductive reasoning embodies vertical logic 226
Building the argument 226
Defending the argument 228
The two methods deliver subtly different conclusions 229
When making complex recommendations, the methods can be combined 231
Documenting a recommendation 235
When should presentation slides be used? 235
Five things to consider before presenting a recommendation 239
Chapter summary 242
Next steps 243
Completion checklist 245
Training resources 251
Further reading 257
Index 259
