This book covers general concepts and philosophy about consulting as well as useful techniques for implementation. It gives practical advice and insight into how consultants think and behave, what client companies expect of their consultants, use of specific consulting tools and techniques, real-world case studies and vignettes, and the personal qualities needed of outstanding consultants. Highlights include: A proprietary model of the complete consulting cycle A diagnostic instrument for assessing consulting roles Ideas of how to develop political intelligence to navigate and penetrate client organizations Tools for managing consulting meetings, risk assessment, and skills transfer Tools in communications such as emotional intelligence, making presentations, and listening Tools to conduct effective needs assessment and problem framing Concepts of trust needed to become a trusted advisor A general set of rules of consulting Rather than taking a project management view, this book adds to the readers understanding of how to deal with the rational and emotional, conceptual, and practical requirements of consulting. It describes, analyzes and presents consulting as delicate interplay of human interactions and motivations with the application of expertise and logic, all applied to solve real problems for people and client organizations. It is broad enough to be useful to anyone starting any kind of consulting business, yet specific in explaining typical client situations. Within consulting firms there is a great deal of training and development demanded of new employees. This book supplements that firm-specific development by providing new employees with a perspective of the rules, roles, values, methods, and techniques used across firms in the consulting industry.
