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!

Table of 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