Consultancy Books

Book SynopsisBeside talent and a sterling portfolio, what can world-class consultants like Deloitte & Touche, Societe General and Towers Perrin boast has helped them achieve success in our entrepreneurial economy? They all have the inside track on the indispensable Trusted Advisor model for client relationships, created by renowned experts Charles Green and Robert Galford. Now Green and Galford have teamed up with the acclaimed David Maister in order to help their latest high-profile, fast-forward client: you. In this straightforward guide, Maister, Green and Galford show readers that the key to professional success goes well beyond technical mastery or expertise. Today, it''s all about the vital ability to earn the client''s trust and thereby win the ability to influence them. In these high risk times, trust is more valuable than gold. With this critical, highly detailed and accessible resource, readers will learn the five crucial steps for developing, managing and improving client confidence. For

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Book SynopsisAnother extraordinary business fable from the New York Times bestselling author Patrick LencioniWritten in the same dynamic style as his previous bestsellers including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni illustrates the principles of inspiring client loyalty through a fascinating business fable.Trade ReviewAuthor, speaker and management consultant Lencioni (The Three Signs of a Miserable Job) preaches a business model that may seem antithetical to many, which he calls "getting naked": being unafraid to show vulnerability, admit ignorance, and ask the dumb questions when dealing with clients. Lencioni's central argument is that by focusing on sales, rather than communication, consultants miss the key part of their job-consulting-and therefore lose out on valuable long-term client relationships. Presented mostly as a parable about a management consultant trying to reconcile two firms in a merger, Lencioni's latest is entertaining as well as informative, with a message that sticks (heavy-handed though it may be). Straightforward and widely applicable, Lencioni's advice should prove useful not only for business consultants, but anyone trying to build long-term client relationships. (Feb.) (PublishersWeekly.com, February 22, 2010)Table of ContentsIntroduction vii The Fable Part One: Theory 3 Part Two: Practice 17 Part Three: Research 69 Part Four: Testimony 119 The Model The Origins of Getting Naked 195 Naked Service Defined 197 Shedding the Three Fears 201 Broader Applications of Nakedness 214 Acknowledgments 215 About the Author 219

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Book SynopsisIf you have experience growing a small business and want to leverage that experience to build a six, seven, or even an eight-figure coaching business, Coach Builder will give you a step-by-step playbook to make it happen.

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Book SynopsisThis is the autobiography of one of the most influential management consultants of recent times. Herbert Henzler grew up in the German village of Neckarhausen during the Second World War. Starting his career as a sales apprentice with Shell, he went on to study at the universities of Saarland, Ludwig-Maximillian and California, Berkeley, where he received his PhD in economics. In 1970, Henzler accepted an offer to join McKinsey & Company, a rapidly growing firm that would eventually become the world's leading consultancy group. Working in its German office, Henzler quickly rose to Partner in 1975 and then Director in 1978. His spectacular rise continued when, in 1985, Henzler became head of McKinsey's German office and one of the most powerful management consultants in the world. Honest and at times direct, this book provides a rare insight into the world of management consultancy and how one man made it to the top by constantly pushing the boundaries.

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Book SynopsisThe story of McKinsey & Co., America’s most influential and controversial business consulting firm, “an up-to-date, full-blown history, told with wit and clarity” (The Wall Street Journal).If you want to be taken seriously, you hire McKinsey & Company. Founded in 1926, McKinsey can lay claim to the following partial list of accomplishments: its consultants have ushered in waves of structural, financial, and technological change to the nation’s best organizations; they remapped the power structure within the White House; they even revo­lutionized business schools. In The New York Times bestseller The Firm, star financial journalist Duff McDonald shows just how, in becoming an indispensable part of decision making at the highest levels, McKinsey has done nothing less than set the course of American capitalism. But he also answers the question that’s on the mind of anyone who has ever heard the word McKinsey:

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Book SynopsisIs this the right book for me?If you are a consultant in any field, working for any size organisation from ''one man and his dog'' to a massive multinational, or thinking of moving into consultation, then this is the book for you! Coverage includes:What makes a successful consultantSetting a clear vision Assessing resources How to write reports and give presentationsBuilding up your customer facing skillsDealing with difficult clientsBalancing your work with the rest of your life.Containing lots of practical advice, this book also features interviews with successful consultants who have a wealth of experience to share. Written in an accessible style, it will give you the confidence to shine in consultancy.Successful Consulting includes:Chapter 1: What do you want from this?Chapter 2: Consulting excellence at workChapter 3: What makes a successful conTrade ReviewThis highly practical, effective self-teach book is a good read for the newcomer to consulting. Business Adviser Teach Yourself Consulting Page 36 34 visit our website www.teachyourself.com small Business n Property Small Business the series From setting up a small business to grappling with your tax return and setting up your PC network to evaluating your performance, this series of targeted titles will give you all the information you need to make your business a success. Content Hot tips and advice especially for small businesses Straightforward, no-nonsense approach Information for every aspect of running a small business EXPERT AUTHOR Martin Roberts is the well-known presenter of Homes under the Hammer and Wish You Were Here. He is also a successful property and travel journalist for BBC Good Homes, Woman magazine, Tesco magazine and others. A highly successful property developer in the UK, Europe and Canada, Martin is a regular expert contributor on property to a cross section of other TV and radio programmes, including BBC Breakfast, BBC News 24 and BBC Radio 5 Live. A clear, lucid guide to a field that for the first timer can be baffling and time consuming... a must for every sole proprietor. The Independent Teach Yourself Small Business Accounting A welcome addition to the vast library of published books on tax... I would recommend this book to any individual. The Independent Teach Yourself Understanding Tax For Small Businesses EXPERT AUTHOR Sarah Deeks is a Chartered Accountant with many years experience of dealing with real life tax cases. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the Faculty of Taxation, with a degree in law, she is now one of the UK's leading tax writers. small BusinessTable of Contents : Chapter 1 What do you want from this book? : Why this book is different : Using this book as a self employed consultant : Using this book as a corporate consultant Chapter: 2 Consulting excellence at work : Voices of three successful consultants : Common success factors Chapter 3: What makes a successful consultant? : Putting yourself in the client’s place : Client concerns when hiring : The worst sins a consultant can commit : Definitions of success Chapter 4: Setting a clear vision : The power of belief : Creating a compelling goal : Testing your outcome Chapter 5: Bringing power to your aim : Will I really achieve my outcome? : Finding your commitment strategy : Moving from thinking to making it happen Chapter 6: Assessing your resources : Do you value what you already have? : Do you treasure your resources? : Do you know what you are good at and how to increase your choices? : Obtaining feedback : Receiving feedback : Chapter 7 Tools to make it happen : Acting as if : Using positive energy : Check your language : Sight, sound or feelings? : Knowing your learning style : Taking the best from role models : Finding good mentors : Chapter 8 Client Project Management : The Project Manager : Scoping the Project : Setting the Specification : Creating the Project Framework : Chapter 9 Managing Client Expectations : Over commitment : Project Delays : Meeting Deadlines : Handling Client Delays : Agreeing Completion : Chapter 10 Avoiding project pitfalls : Agreeing the specification : Contract renegotiation : Contract cover : Reading the signs : Prevention plan : Chapter 11 Image : What is image? : Matching the client : The image consultant’s view : Image from the inside : Chapter 12 Writing a client report : Your attitude to report writing : An easy method : Your readers : Structure : Mind maps : Chapter 13 Giving a client presentation : Dealing with nerves : Knowing your audience : Style of delivery : Use of language : Creating images : Structuring content : Getting good feedback : Chapter 14 Running A Client Workshop / Project Meeting : Assembling the right people : Briefing the essentials : Facilitating a discussion : Dealing with awkward questions : Winning commitment : Chapter 15 Building Client Relationships : Listening : Creating rapport : Filters and styles : Chapter 16 Handling client politics : Political structure : Political intelligence Chapter 17 Influencing: & Negotiation : Elements of influence : The win/win approach to negotiation : The other party’s interests : Chapter 18 Dealing with difficult clients : Insecure : Angry : Obstructive : Antagonistic : Abusive : Chapter 19 Dealing with internal relationships : Working alone on site : Working in a team : Working with other contractors : Chapter 20 Marketing Your Services : What are you selling? : The lure of the brochure : The value of personal contacts : Review of marketing tools : Chapter 21 Starting & Running Your Own Business : Three success stories : Critical success factors in running a consulting business : Start-up case histories : Finance, tax and legal status : Choosing an accountant : Minimising set up costs : Setting fee levels Chapter 22: Balancing your work with the rest of your life : Recognising the pressures of your role : Pushing back on clients : Creating personal balance : Analysing your time : Chapter 23 Going Forward : Key messages to take with you : References : Index

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and frank overview of the mindset and the practical steps needed to become a consultant. It is written for trainers, learning professionals, and human resource experts, but the advice is applicable to people in any profession. Written in a conversational tone with a touch of humour, shows readers how to land their first client, set up a home office, develop sales and marketing materials, draft agreements, and more.

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Book SynopsisThis is the practical approach I wish I had come across much earlier in my career. Cynthia Pexton-ShawWhether you are just starting out, considering or already working as a consultant this book is essential reading, enabling you to understand the needs of your client and to get the result they want.There are more factors to consider in order to be a successful management consultant than simply subject matter knowledge. Problem solving and solution delivery have to be accomplished in usually tight project timescales while keeping clients happy. This book, based on the experience of training thousands of consultants, provides insights into the key processes of selling and delivering consulting services, together with the essential underpinning tools and techniques, and the commercial imperatives for running a successful consulting practice.This book contains the tools, tactics, secrets and attributes to develop and become a successful management consultant. The contents include chapters on the key processes such as: The business of consultancy Marketing and selling consultancy projects Overview of the delivery process Entry, Contracting, Diagnosis, Intervention and Closure And the essential underpinning skills such as: Analytical tools and techniques Reporting and Influencing clients Designing, delivering training sessions and workshops The practice environment ''This is the practical approach I wish I had come across much earlier in my career. Calvert provides a strong guiding framework for delivering consultancy projects from beginning to end. His writing makes consulting easily accessible for anyone who wishes to deliver their particular expertise into a client organisation.'' Cynthia Pexton-Shaw, Elevation Learning''A book that gets to multiple editions is clearly a classic of its sector. Calvert's is in its seventh and will probably go on to many more. It achieves a threefold feat: of being useful to the expert and to the recently qualified and to the student. Even those of us who have spent decades in this profession need a consultancy bible to refer to. Calvert shows how to be rigorous and systematic, but the book is packed with practical advice from one who is both an academic expert and a senior practising consultant. This is both The Art and The Science of Consultancy.'' Ian Watson Immediate Past Chair ICMCI''This book explains in plain English the role and daily challenges of life as a management consultant, and has been an excellent source of reference in building our business. Calvert presents a practitioners view covering the requisite soft skills as well as the mechanics of solving the client's business problems.'' Martyn Evans, Consulting Director, Altus

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Book Synopsis Louise Wickham has over 35 years of business experience, both within companies and as a consultant, working for a wide range of consumer-facing businesses and the not-for-profit sector.    Jeremy Wilcock is Lecturer in International Marketing at the University of Hull. He has 27 years of industrial experience with a major multi-national where he worked on numerous internal consultancy projects. He has lectured regularly in subjects including strategic management and business analysis at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and has supervised student consulting projects. Table of Contents Part 1: Management consulting in context and how it adds value 1 The nature of management consulting and how it adds value 2 Consulting: the wider context and consulting process 3 Consulting across borders and cultures Apollo Tech Solutions case study: Part One Part 2: Project proposal and start-up 4 Selling the project 5 Defining the destination and developing a strategy 6 Evaluating client capabilities and business opportunities Apollo Tech Solutions case study: Part Two Part 3: Undertaking the project 7 How to work with clients and teams 8 Managing the client during the project 9 Creative approaches for developing solutions 10 Managing the project tasks Apollo Tech Solutions case study: Part Three Part 4: Delivering the product to the client and beyond 11 Communication skills and presenting your ideas 12 Post project and consulting as a career Apollo Tech Solutions case study: Part Four Appendix: Example of a consulting report

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The hard-learned wisdom laid out here is a road map for success that anyone can benefit from." -- John Varvatos, from his foreword for Me, Inc. "You literally can turn to any page, pick a random sentence and likely find potent words of wisdom." -- Wall Street Journal "Underneath Kiss bassist Gene Simmons's makeup is a shrewd businessman. In this advice book, he doles out tips for entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to get ahead." -- Parade "The only time it's acceptable to take advice from someone in Kabuki makeup and a metal plated codpiece is when he's sold more than 20 million albums and has 10 platinum records. And let's not get started on the thousands of Kiss licensing deals Simmons helped bring to the band." -- Fortune "Why should we do what Simmons says? Well, for starters, Simmons-a notorious rock star, raconteur, and business maven-has a global cultural recognition just a few pegs below Mickey Mouse, Coca-Cola, and Superman." -- Men's Health "Brutally honest business advice ... Simmons ... distills 40 years of leading the global-phenomenon rock band, which has franchised into a billion pieces of merchandise, including everything from comic books to a coffee shop." -- New York Post

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Book SynopsisGrantwriters often have little or no training in the practical task of grantseeking. In Storytelling for Grantseekers, Second Edition , Cheryl Clarke presents an organic approach to grantseeking, one that views the process through the lens of the pleasures and rewards of crafting a good story.Table of ContentsExamples ix Foreword xi Preface xv Acknowledgments xix The Author xxi Introduction: Why Storytelling? 1 One: First Steps: Getting Ready for Grantseeking 5 Two: Research and Relationships: Finding and Cultivating Your Audience 17 Three: The Short Story: Writing Letters of Inquiry 37 Four: The Proposal Narrative: Introducing the Characters and the Place 47 Five: The Need or Problem: Building Tension and Conflict into Your Story 65 Six: Goals, Objectives, and Methods: Making Changes by Addressing the Problem 87 Seven: Evaluation and Future Funding: Writing the Epilogue and Planning for a Sequel 101 Eight: The Budget: Translating Your Story from Words to Numbers 113 Nine: The Summary, Titles, and Headings: Preparing Your Marketing Copy 131 Ten: Packaging: Publishing Your Proposal Story 141 Eleven: Site Visits and Beyond: Interacting with Funders 159 Twelve: Beyond Grants: Applying the Storytelling Method 169 Afterword 177 Appendix: The Final Manuscript: Two Letter Proposal Samples 179 Index 185

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Book SynopsisEssential Tools for Management Consulting is a series of three books based on the successful publication of The Essential Management Toolkit. The three volume collection focuses on organizational performance, management consulting, and business management.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. Foreword by Dr Malik Salameh. About the author. Introduction. 1. The Profession of Management Consultancy. 2. Developing Management Consultancy. 3. The Management of Consultancy Projects. 4. Consultancy Delivery. 5. Top-ten Consultancy Tools. References. Websites. Addresses. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Consultant''s Manual If you''re serious about starting your own consulting practice, there''s something you should know . . No matter how knowledgeable you are in your field.. No matter how expert your advice or impressive your credentials.. If you don''t bring an air of consummate professionalism to every phase of your practice--from proposal-writing and fee-setting, to drawing up contracts and issuing reports--you''ll almost definitely lose out to the professional who does. But don''t worry, because with Tom Greenbaum and The Consultant''s Manual in your corner, you can make sure that never happens! Growing out of the author''s Harvard consulting course, this book offers level-headed, expert advice on virtually every practical aspect of starting, building, and marketing your consulting practice. Centered around the theme of developing and working an exhaustive business plan for your firm, it leads you step-by-step through the research, planning, and problem-solving stages. PositiTable of ContentsPLANNING. Marketing Your Consulting Service. Should You Enter the Consulting Business?. The Business Plan. Defining the Business. Developing a Company Identity. Planning Your Company's Finances. IMPLEMENTATION. Building Awareness of Your Business--Direct Methods. Building Awareness of Your Business--Indirect Methods. Developing a Brochure. Selling Your Consulting Services. The Consulting Proposal. Handling Objections. Service in a Consulting Business. The Ethics of the Consulting Business. Index.

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Book SynopsisWhile finding and keeping a core group of clients remains the breadand butter of any consultant''s business, doing so is far fromsimple in a field that''s becoming increasingly crowded andcompetitive. Today, as the result of drastic shifts in thelandscape--information technology, virtual organizations,telecommuting--targeting and attracting clients is a greaterchallenge than ever. To help you meet that challenge head on,Marketing Your Consulting and Professional Services, the bible forconsultants and professionals worldwide, has been thoroughlyrevised and expanded. This brand new Third Edition gives you thetools and the know-how to survive and thrive in today''s toughmarket. Beginning with a comprehensive overview, this updated resourcekeeps you abreast of current trends and issues. In addition, you''llfind complete coverage of Dick Connor''s innovative--and highlyeffective--Client-Centered Marketing (CCM) approach, a practicaldeliverables-driven system for penetrating specifiTable of ContentsPartial table of contents: FOUNDATIONAL MATERIAL. The Client-Centered Marketing Process. The Client-Centered Marketing Process Model. MARKETING FACTORS ANALYSIS. Evaluating Your Current Clients. Managing Your Current Leverage Relationships. Building Your Firm's Strategic Profile. TARGETS. Managing Your Targets of Attention. Selecting an Industry for Special Attention. AN INSIDER'S UNDERSTANDING. Developing an Insider's Understanding of the Industry. SERVING THE NICHE. Building Marketing into the Fabric of the Firm. Preparing Value-Adding Solutions. DEVELOPING AND CODIFYING YOUR MARKETING PROCESSES. Positioning Your Business. Writing That Works. Selling the Value-Adding Solution. MANAGING THE CLIENT-CENTERED MARKETING PROCESS. Wrapping It All Up. Bibliography. Glossary. Appendices. Index. About the Authors.

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Book SynopsisThe expert guide to effective internal consulting This book guides internal consultants through the steps necessary to bolster their credibility, build relationships within the organization, develop internal marketing abilities, and apply proper methodologies to their work. Alan Weiss, an experienced consultant, provides practical techniques the internal consultant, internal human resources practitioner, and any other internal change agent can use to excel at work, advance their careers, and become valued assets to their organizations. Some of the major subjects covered include setting up the proper environment for success and establishing peer-level interactions. Alan Weiss, PhD (East Greenwich, CT), has consulted with hundreds of organizations around the world, including Mercedes-Benz, Hewlett-Packard, Merck, and Chase. He lectures widely and appears regularly on radio and television to discuss productivity and performance. He is the author of twelve books, including Getting Table of ContentsIntroduction. PART I: THE ENVIRONMENT. If It Walks Like A Duck: What Constitutes an Effective Internal Consultant? Creating Peer Relationships: How to Be Perceived as a Credible Partner by Line Management. Tools of the Trade: What You Must Possess to Avoid Being Thrown out the Door. PART II: THE INTERACTIONS. The Role of Conceptual Agreement: The Absolutely Best Way to Establish a Win/Win Project. Formulating the Proposal: How to Ensure that You and the Buyer Meet Each Other's Expectations. The Value Proposition: Why Every Client Knows What's Wanted but Not Necessarily What's Needed. PART III: THE INTERVENTION. The Pros and Cons of Living There: How to Maximize Strengths and Minimize Weaknesses. The Politics of Terror: How to Reconcile Tough Issues without Being Drawn and Quartered. Knowing When to Stop: How to Disengage, Give Credit, and (It's Allowed) Take Credit. PART IV: THE AFTERMATH. Assessing Value: How to Follow-Up and Leverage Your Success. The Ethical Quandaries: When to Put Up, Shut Up, and Give Up. More Suggested Rea dings. Index. About the Author.

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Book SynopsisThis is a timely revision of the first complete resource guide for individuals seeking a job in management consulting. It includes new information about consulting to the burgeoning high-tech industry, as well as a discussion about how the increasing competition for graduating MBAs is changing the recruiting and hiring process for consulting.Table of ContentsIntroduction. The Management Consulting Industry. The Consultant's Work and Lifestyle. The Emergence of E-Consulting. Perspectives on Consulting. Planning Your Consulting Career. Mastering the Case Interview. Negotiating Your Offer. Epilogue. Appendix I: Fifteen Essential Frameworks. Appendix II: One Hundred Case Questions and Ten Sample Answers. Appendix III: Directory of One Hundred Consulting Firms. Notes. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe practical toolbox for readers of Million Dollar Consulting This useful guide provides specific checklists, guidelines, templates, and actual examples for every step of the consulting process. It covers marketing, sales, meetings, implementation, follow-up, invoicing, practice management, insurance, equipment, subcontracting, and scores of other elements. Thousands of people have bought Weiss''s Million Dollar Consulting and started their own consultancy. Now, this handy resource goes hand-in-hand to provide all the tools new consultants need to enact all the recommendations and ideas in Million Dollar Consulting. Alan Weiss, PhD (East Greenwich, RI), has consulted for hundreds of organizations around the world, including Mercedes-Benz, Hewlett-Packard, Merck, Chase, American Press Institute, and the Times-Mirror Group. He is the author of 12 books, including Getting Started in Consulting (0-471-47969-1) and Organizational Consulting (0-471-26378-8).Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xiii Introduction xv Section 1 Office and Practice Management 1 Equipment Checklist and Commentary 1 Client File Checklist and Commentary 4 Insurance Checklist and Commentary 6 Professional Assistance Checklist and Commentary 9 Time and Space Allocation Checklist and Commentary 12 Section 2 Sales and Marketing 17 Web Site Checklist and Commentary 17 E-Mail Checklist and Commentary 20 Press Kit Checklist and Commentary 22 Sample Biographical Sketch 24 Sample Character Reference 26 Proposal Checklist and Commentary 26 Proposal Template 28 Proposal Cancellation Clauses Templates 33 Simple Letter of Agreement Template 34 Cold Call Telephone Script Checklist and Commentary 35 Cold Call Telephone Script 38 Cold Call Letter Checklist and Commentary 39 Cold Call Letter 40 Meeting Preparation Checklist and Commentary 41 Networking Checklist and Commentary 43 Networking Follow-Up Note 44 Advertising and Listings Checklist and Commentary 45 Sample Advertisement 46 Fee Setting Checklist and Commentary 48 Closing the Sale Checklist and Commentary 49 Section 3 Self-Development 53 Reading Materials Checklist and Commentary 53 Associations Evaluation Checklist and Commentary 55 Rebutting Objections Checklist and Commentary 57 Learning from Setbacks Checklist and Commentary 60 Section 4 Travel 63 Clubs Checklist and Commentary 63 Transportation and Lodging Checklist and Commentary 66 Road Warrior Support Checklist and Commentary 69 Section 5 Project Delivery 73 Sponsor Checklist and Commentary 73 Interview Checklist and Commentary 75 Focus Group Checklist and Commentary 77 Template for Focus Group Rules 80 On-Site Observation Checklist and Commentary 81 Coaching Checklist and Commentary 84 Coaching Rules of Engagement Template 86 Section 6 Debriefings Checklist and Commentary 87 Report Checklist and Commentary 89 Client Satisfaction Survey Template 91 Forms 93 Invoices 93 Invoice Template 94 Expense Reimbursement 95 Expense Reimbursement Template 95 Overdue Payments 95 Overdue Payments Template 97 Writing an Article Checklist and Commentary 98 Template for an Article 100 Letter to Magazine Editor Template 100 Subcontracting 101 Subcontracting Contract Template 102 Follow-Up Letters 104 Follow-Up Template for New Prospects 104 Follow-Up Template for Failure to Make Contact 105 Section 7 Financial 107 Taxes Checklist and Commentary 107 Investment Checklist and Commentary 109 Retirement Checklist and Commentary 111 Credit Line Checklist and Commentary 113 Bookkeeping Checklist and Commentary 115 Payroll Checklist and Commentary 116 Section 8 Legal 119 Incorporation Checklist and Commentary 119 Trademark, Service Mark, Registration Checklist and Commentary 122 Copyright Checklist and Commentary 124 Contracts Checklist and Commentary 126 Section 9 Advanced Marketing 129 Publishing Articles and Columns Checklist and Commentary 129 Inquiry Letter Template 132 Template for an Article 133 Book Publishing Checklist and Commentary 134 Template for Book Preparation 136 Template for a Book Proposal 138 Letter to a Literary Agent Template 146 Interview Checklist and Commentary 147 Interview Response Template 150 Radio Interview Request Template 151 Professional Speaking Checklist and Commentary 151 Speech Development Template 154 Speech Evaluation Template 155 Promoting Public Speaking Template 157 Speakers Bureau Inquiry Letter Template 161 Letter to Trade Association Director Template 162 Letter to Visitors or Convention Bureau Template 163 Speaking Contract Template 165 Advance Speaking Requirements Template 166 Speaking Requirements Sheet Template 167 Speech Introduction Template 168 Newsletter Checklist and Commentary 169 Newsletter Format Template 171 Newsletter Subscription Offer Template 172 Forecasting Checklist and Commentary 173 Forecasting Template 175 Qualifying System Template 175 Referrals Checklist and Commentary 177 Referrals Request Template 179 Repeat Business Checklist and Commentary 180 Repeat Business Suggestion Template 181 Passive Income Checklist and Commentary 182 Teleconference Template 185 International Business Checklist and Commentary 186 Alliances Checklist and Commentary 188 Retainers 191 Section 10 Maximizing Success 193 Life Balance Checklist and Commentary 193 Reinvention Checklist and Commentary 196 Selling Your Firm Checklist and Commentary 198 Appendix Example of Trademark Registration 204 Example of Web Site Home Page 206 Bibliography 207 General Business and Consulting 207 Cold Calls 209 Publishing Assistance 210 101 Questions for Any Sales Situation You’ll Ever Face 211 Sample Position Paper or White Paper 222 Index 227 About the Author 237

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Book SynopsisThe critical analysis presented here evaluates what management consultants offer as well as analysing the emergence of their industry as a contemporary social phenomenon. * Presents the latest research from the most influential researchers in the field.Trade Review"...an important and theoretically innovative book highlighting the power games and discursive strategies that consutlants used to legitimise their knowledge claimes". Denis Saint-Martin, Universite de Montreal "This book represents an admirable resource for learning about current consulting practices, about their historical roots, and their underlying assumptions. The case studies are rich with concrete illustrations and informed by sound scholarly research." Chris Argyris, Harvard Business School "Management Consultants are unloved - perhaps even by their own mothers - and they are misunderstood. This splendid volume tackles the latter problem with considerable success; now we understand why management consultants are unloved." Stuart Macdonald, University of Sheffield "With contributions from the leading researchers in the area, this book provides fresh insights into the growth of the management advice industry and a valuable addition to the critical literature in this area". Dr Christopher Wright, University of New South Wales "This book is a landmark that will set the parameters for future thinking about the role of consultants." Professor Stephen Hill, London School of EconomicsTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables. Notes on Contributors. Introduction: The Emergence of Critical Perspectives on Consulting: Robin Fincham (Stirling University) and Timothy Clark (King's College). Part I: Setting the Scene: The Nature of Management Consultancy and Management Advice:. 1. Consulting: What Should it Mean?: Edgar H Schein (MIT Sloan School of Management). 2. Trapped in their Wave: The Evolution of Management Consultancies: Matthias Kipping (University of Reading). 3. The Rise of Consultancy and the Prospect for Regions: Peter Wood (University College London). 4. On Knowledge, Business Consultants and the Selling of TQM: Karen Legge (University of Warwick). Part II: The Contexts of Management Consultancy and Management Advice:. 5. Virtual Stories of Virtual Working: Critical Reflections on CTI Consultancy Discourse: Peter Case (Oxford Brookes University). 6. The Vision Thing: Constructing Technology and the Future in Management Advice: Brian P Bloomfield (Lancaster University Management School) and Theo Vurdubakis (Manchester School of Management). 7. Front-Line Diffusion: The Production and Negotiation of Knowledge Through Training Interactions: Andrew Sturdy (University of Melbourne). 8. Knowledge Legitimation and Audience Affiliation Through Storytelling: The Example of Management Gurus: Timothy Clark (King's College) and David Greatbatch (Independent Social Scientist). 9. A Fantasy Theme Analysis of Three Guru-Led Management Fashions: Brad Jackson (Victoria University of Wellington). Part III: Critical Reflections on Management Consultancy and Management Advice:. 10. Charisma versus Technique: Differentiating the Expertise of Management Gurus and Management Consultants: Robin Fincham (Stirling University). 11. On Communication Barriers between Management Science, Consultancies and Business Companies: Alfred Kieser (University of Mannheim). 12. Professionalism and Politics in Management Consultancy Work: Mats Alvesson (Lund University) and Anders W Johansson (Jonkoping International Business School, Sweden). 13. Understanding Advice: Towards a Sociology of Management Consultancy: Graeme Salaman (Open University). 14. What Next? More Critique of Consultants, Gurus and Managers: Frank Heller (Centre for Decision Making Studies). Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about gaining influence and becoming a key trusted advisor. It is for everyone who advises leaders and senior managers (accounting, finance, human resources, IT, law, marketing, public relations, security, and strategic planning) and for outside consultants in these functional staff areas. It's also for operations people yearning to finally be heard and heeded by their boss.Trade Review"the book offers smart and practical advice that will help advisors who want to have a real impact on their boss and the organization they work for." (About.com, January 14, 2008) "James E. Lukaszewski provides information explaining systematic processes for getting to and working at the highest levels and having maximum impact as a trusted adviser. Readers will find out how chief executives and other top executives think, understand what matters to them, and how they operate. The book's easy-to-digest lists, worksheets, and charts help readers understand how successful strategic advisers encourage operational people to do what it takes to be heard."--The Boston Globe, boston.com, April 20, 2008Table of ContentsPreface xiii My guess is that you picked this book up because you are in finance, the law department, public relations, human resources, strategic planning, security, marketing, IT, or compliance, and you deserve to be heard much earlier, more often, at higher levels. You hold in your hands the disciplines necessary to achieve your objective. Acknowledgments xxi About the Author xxvii Introduction: Leaders and Their Advisors xxix If you are going to advise bosses and leaders, you need to change your perspective. Having a better sense of the disciplined approach required and how these seven disciplines mold you into a strategic advisor will be essential to your success. Part One: The Realities of Advising Top Executives 1 How Leaders Think and Operate: The Pressures, What Matters, the Obstacles, and the Solutions 3 First, know whom you are advising, their environment, and what they care about. Here, I analyze the world in which leaders currently live, what is different today in what they do and what is expected of them, and how this applies to the trusted strategic advisor. This includes how leaders make decisions and spend their time, five reasons leaders fail, and five behaviors for leadership success. 2 What Leaders Expect 21 Meeting the expectations of those you advise is essential, but knowing what they expect can be mysterious. This chapter identifies seven key expectations executives have for advisors, five aspects of effective advice, questions to ask before approaching the boss, and the talents and abilities expected of advisors. 3 Achieving Maximum Impact 33 There is a lot of competition and many voices at these altitudes. If you want to punch through, you must constantly strive to have maximum impact. Know the nitty-gritty of what trusted strategic advisors do. This is the chapter that takes you there. You will walk through the self-energizing steps to gain the confidence of senior managers, and learn about the importance of speaking management’s language, annoying staff habits to avoid, and, most important, the five areas where leaders and bosses need feedback every day. Part Two: The Seven Disciplines 4 Be Trustworthy 49 Trust is the first discipline and the foundation for a relationship between advisor and leader or boss. This chapter offers five components of trust, six behaviors to establish trust, and ten ways to lose trust. 5 Become a Verbal Visionary 65 A leader’s greatest skill is verbal skill, and a leader’s advisor must also have powerful verbal skills. Explore the six verbal tools advisors have to provide advice, self-assess your verbal skill, find out what it means to be a visionary, and discover the seven behaviors and actions of verbal visionaries. 6 Develop a Management Perspective 87 Managers and leaders trust those who show interest in and are knowledgeable about operations and the work of leaders. To be a management advisor, you need to be able to talk more about your boss’s goals and objectives than about whatever your staff function happens to be. You need to be able to see the business or organization operationally and through the leader’s eyes. 7 Think Strategically 105 Leadership is always about strategy. This chapter discusses the concepts and ideas behind being strategic, including the seven virtues of a strategist, the four phases of strategic thinking, and five fatal strategic flaws. Find out how much of a strategist you are. 8 Be a Window to Tomorrow: Understand the Power of Patterns 129 The advisor who can forecast tomorrow with almost any level of accuracy will be invited back time and time again. One of the great insights into being a powerful forecaster is understanding how to learn from the patterns of past experiences. This chapter offers the five lessons of scenario pattern awareness and examples of the insights patterns can reveal. 9 Advise Constructively 149 Giving advice is an art that starts where the boss is and where he or she has to go. This chapter will teach you how to structure your advice to ensure that you are clearly understood and that the boss can act on what you are advising. It also offers pitfalls to giving advice, some strategies and techniques to help you structure advice, and three strategic tools to use. 10 Show the Boss How to Use Your Advice 165 One of the skills that management schools fail to teach is how to take advice from those whose advice one seeks. To see your ideas come alive, teach the boss how to take and to use your advice. You may be surprised at how receptive your boss will be. This chapter offers four elements of constructive advice, seven approaches to providing effective advice, and a way to assess your daily effectiveness. Conclusion: You Are the Table 181 The fundamental premise of this book is that you are the table whenever you are in the presence of those you are advising, even if you are the only one in the room with them. Forget searching for this mythical place, located somewhere in the vicinity of the boss’s office. Understand the leaders’ environment and thinking. Develop the disciplined approach this book offers, and the table will be full whenever you are there. This confident attitude, coupled with sensible, useful, and constructive advice, is what the boss expects, relies on, and respects you for in the process. Index 185

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Book SynopsisAt a time when consulting has increasingly come under scrutiny by governments and communities, Professional Management Consulting: A Guide for New and Emerging Consultants redefines management consulting and reinforces what it means to be a professional. With a focus on the importance of ethical practice and continuous personal development for building reputation, this easy-to-read book sets a new benchmark for aspiring consultants.Based on sound research and supported by the author's background in leadership, management consulting practice, research, business strategy, and academia over several decades, Blackman brings together a range of tried and tested theoretical models commonly used by successful consultants. Drawing on his own experiences as a director of the industry's peak body, the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes, he provides a clear explanation on what a management consultant is and how and why clients use consultants to help them s

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Book SynopsisGet the business funding you need to secure your success The issue of funding is one of the biggest pain points for small- and medium-sized businesses and one that comes up on a daily basis.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: Getting Started on Funding Your Business 7 Chapter 1: Preparing for Funding at Any Stage of Growth 9 Chapter 2: Recognising the Stages of Business Funding 25 Chapter 3: Preparing the Groundwork for Raising Funds 49 Chapter 4: Becoming Investment Ready 105 Chapter 5: Loving the Paperwork: Preparing Your Business Plan 107 Chapter 6: Creating a Winning Pitch 125 Chapter 7: Making a Successful Pitch 143 Chapter 8: Getting Help 161 Part III: Exploring Your Funding Options 175 Chapter 9: Finding Free Money 177 Chapter 10: Securing Early-Stage Funding 193 Chapter 11: Securing Accelerator Finance 211 Chapter 12: Considering Debt and Other Bank Funding 225 Chapter 13: Understanding Equity Funding 249 Chapter 14: Considering Alternative Finance 273 Part IV: Going for Growth 299 Chapter 15: Measuring Performance 301 Chapter 16: Getting a Mentor 325 Chapter 17: Exploring Strategies for Growth 339 Part V: The Part of Tens 363 Chapter 18: Ten (Plus One) Pitfalls to Avoid 365 Chapter 19: Ten Things Funders Don’t Tell You 375 Chapter 20: Ten (Plus One) Terms You Need to Know before Raising Start-Up Capital 383 Index 391

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Book SynopsisReal-world tools to build your venture, grow your business, and avoid mistakes Startup, Scaleup, Screwup is an expert guide for emerging and established businesses to accelerate growth, facilitate scalability, and keep pace with the rapidly changing economic landscape. The contemporary marketplace is more dynamic than ever beforeincreased global competition, the impact of digital transformation, and disruptive innovation factors require businesses to implement agile management and business strategies to compete and thrive. This indispensable book provides business leaders and entrepreneurs the tools and guidance to meet growth and scalability challenges head on. Equal parts motivation and practical application, this book answers the questions every business leader asks from the startup ventures to established companies. Covering topics including funding options, employee hiring, product-market validation, remote team management, agile scaling, and the busTable of ContentsPrologue ix 1 Persistence of Vision: Inspire team members, customers, and investors with a Product Vision: a mental image of your desired future 1 2 Stories of Your Life and Others: Discover the Business Lifecycle of startups and scaleups and reflect on exploration, execution, and Product/Market Fit 7 3 Picking Up the Pieces: Make a Business Quilt by remixing the Lean Canvas and Business Model Canvas and adding a dimension of time 21 4 The Persona Protocol: Better understand your target customers and their Jobs to Be Done by creating Lean Personas 35 5 Fortune’s Wheel: Figure out your Unique Value Proposition by investigating the customer’s Pains and Gains and making a Value Proposition Wheel 41 6 The Crowded Shadows: Learn about the benefits of Equity Crowdfunding and choose between the use of a crowdfunding platform or doing it all yourself 49 7 The Lunatic Cafe: Meet every day with your team for a Daily Cafe and Work Out Loud by sending each other Daily Updates 55 8 Streams of Silver: Visualize your work with Kanban Boards and optimize the workflow with Work in Progress Limits 61 9 The Invention of Everything Else: Discover the Innovation Vortex, which emerged by combining the Design Thinking approach with the Lean Startup method 67 10 The Terminal Experiment: Validate hypotheses with Lean Experiments so that you can Pivot, Patch, or Persevere on your way to Business/Market Fit 77 11 Fables and Reflections: Get together with your team for an Agile Retrospective to do some reflection and work on your Improvement Backlog 87 12 Kings of the North: Navigate your business in the right direction using a North Star Metric, with the help of Support Metrics and Check Metrics 95 13 The Entropy Tango: Keep a Product Backlog with Minimum Viable Features and Experiment Stories updated through ongoing Backlog Maintenance 103 14 A Pleasure to Burn: Keep an eye on your progress with Burn-down Charts, Burn-up Charts, or Cumulative Flow Diagrams 113 15 The New Recruit: Get your hiring process in order with a Recruitment Funnel, sourcing by the founders, and some Skills Tests and Work Samples 119 16 The Enigma Score: Start workforce planning and talent management in your business with Hiring Scorecards that help you avoid culture misfits 129 17 Standard Hero Behavior: Learn a good approach to Job Interviews using a combination of Behavioral Questions and Behavioral Tests 135 18 The Darkest Road: Manage the expectations of stakeholders with a Product Roadmap, created with experiments, outcomes, and a Rolling-Wave Planning 141 19 Ghost Writer in the Sky: Set yourself up for content marketing and e-mail marketing with a Content Calendar and a Content Backlog 149 20 Million-Dollar Gamble: Aim for Agile Funding of your business with small batches, small budgets, and keeping multiple options open 155 21 Spheres of Influence: Get insights into the creation of a Pitch Deck and learn about the essential and the optional slides 167 22 Heart Journey: Describe the optimal customer journey and user experience with a Journey Map and discover the Moments of Truth 177 23 A Pirate’s Tale: Find your way on the path to success, from awareness to revenue, measured with the Pirate Metrics 185 24 Test of the Twins: Learn about Growth Hacking and Conversion Rate Optimization with Split Tests, Multivariate Tests, and Cohort Analysis 193 25 Culture Clash: Identify Core Values, create a Culture Code, and use stories and rewards to prepare your business for scaling 201 Epilogue 209 Acknowledgments 213 About the Author 215 Index 217

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Book SynopsisAn action plan for working as a consultant Management consulting is a $250 billion industry and growing at a rate of over four percent annually. Many predict that more than 40 percent of the U.S. workforce will soon be contingent, freelance, or consulting members of the workforcemaking this book more relevant than ever. Individuals become independent consultants out of necessity or preference: necessity because they lost their job or the company offered an attractive exit package; preference because they want a career change, more control over their time, or an enriched, varied work situation. Consulting also appeals to the Millennial workforce who are searching for careers that offer a good salary as well as meaningful work. The New Consultant's Quick Start Guide: Serves as a companion to The New Business of Consulting Provides you with a place to plan your transition into consulting Helps you identify your niche, deveTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xv Introduction xvii 1 First Things First: Why Consulting? 1 Chapter Overview 1 Consulting: What Is It? 1 Why a Consulting Career? 3 Explore Your Experiences 4 Inventory Your Competencies 6 Assess Your Consulting Aptitude 9 Pull It Together: Your Initial Consulting Focus 11 Entrepreneur Attitude: Do You Have What It Takes? 13 Quick Start Action: Questions to Ask a Consultant 17 Quick Start Lists 19 2 Planning Your Consulting Future 21 Chapter Overview 21 Your Preferred Future 21 Will Consulting Lead You to Your Life Goals? 26 Professional, Financial, Personal, and Health Considerations 31 Identify the Changes You Will Need to Make 35 Quick Start Action: Create Your Personal Expense Plan 38 Quick Start Lists 40 3 Dollars and Sense 41 Chapter Overview 41 Establish a Start-Up Budget 41 Put a Price on Your Head 47 Calculate Required Revenue 50 Fill Out Financial Forms 57 Quick Start Action: Setting Your Fee 58 So What’s It Take to Get Off the Ground? 62 Quick Start Lists 63 4 Taking Care of Business 65 Chapter Overview 65 Getting Started 65 What’s in a Name? 66 Hire the Best Accountant and Attorney 70 Quick Start Action: Find an Accountant and Attorney 72 Determine Your Business Structure 73 Explore Your Banking and Insurance Needs 82 Check Local Zoning Laws, Licenses, and Taxes 87 File Legal Documentation 88 Quick Start Action: Your First To-Do List 89 Quick Start Lists 91 5 Your Business Plan 93 Chapter Overview 93 Are Business Plans Really Necessary? 93 Write Your Plan 101 Plan to Use Your Business Plan 109 Quick Start Action: Plan a Review 111 Quick Start Lists 112 6 Make the Switch Painlessly 113 Chapter Overview 113 Gain Consulting Experience Before Leaving Your Job 113 Determine Your Transition Plan 118 Quick Start Action: Plan with Your Family 124 Quick Start Lists 126 7 Setting Up Your Office—or Not 127 Chapter Overview 127 Office Location Options 127 Set Up Your Office 131 Paper, Paper Everywhere! 135 What About a Website? 146 Quick Start Action: The App Age 148 Quick Start Lists 150 8 Finding Clients 151 Chapter Overview 151 Determine Your Market Niche 151 Quick Start Action: Is There a Client Base? 156 Who’s Your Competition? 158 Identify Your First Clients 164 Land Your First Work 167 Quick Start Action: Make a Sale to Solve a Problem 176 Quick Start Lists 177 9 Marketing 179 Chapter Overview 179 What Is Marketing? 179 The ABCs of Marketing 180 Create Your Marketing Plan 181 Build Your Marketing Plan 185 Marketing on a Shoestring Budget 196 Quick Start Action: Grab Attention with Your Headlines 199 Write Winning Proposals 200 Track Your Clients 204 Tips to Become a Better Marketer 206 Quick Start Lists 208 10 Surviving the First Year 209 Chapter Overview 209 Take Care of Your Health 209 Manage Your Time 211 Establish Good Business Habits 215 Delight Your Clients 217 Balance Your Life 218 Take Advantage of Being Your Own Boss 222 Did You Hear the One About the Consultant . . . ? 224 Quick Start Lists 227 11 So, Now What? Year Two and Beyond 229 Chapter Overview 229 Assess Your Progress 229 Quick Start Action: Review Your First Year with Your Family 231 Plan Your Next Steps 232 Bring It All Together 239 Quick Start Action: Review Your First Year with a Colleague 244 ebb’s 13 Truths to Ponder 244 Quick Start Lists 248 Electronic Resources 249 Reading List 251 About the Author 255 Index 257

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsForeword Robert Herjavec, Shark Tank xi Preface: Pre-Game Pep Talk xiii Part I Prep Through Open 1 Chapter 1 Game-Time Mentality 3 Chapter 2 The Players, the Field, the Shot Clock 9 Chapter 3 My First Close 19 Chapter 4 All In with LA Real Estate and BRAVO TV 23 Negotiating Is All 24 Going Hollywood, TV Time 25 Chapter 5 Rules of the Game: First Impressions 31 Impressions Matter 32 10 Rules to Make a Positive First Impression 35 Chapter 6 The Dream Team: You Can’t Do It Alone 39 Chapter 7 Fresh Eyes on the Prize 45 Chapter 8 All About the Open 51 Know More than the ’Hood 52 Watch Your Back 55 Networking and Giving to Get 56 Chapter 9 Open Houses for Clients, Brokers, and Insiders 59 Don’t Tour, Sell 59 Broker’s Opens 61 Insider Opens and Strategic Alliances 62 Chapter 10 Create an In-Your-Face Brand, 24/7 65 Working the Web: Social Media and the Press 66 Give Expert Advice 68 Concierge Extraordinaire 70 Chapter 11 Golden Hammers and 20 Questions for Sellers 73 Shut Up and Listen 73 The Altman 20 (Questions for Sellers) 76 Chapter 12 Size Up the Property: Pricing and Timing 81 Reading the Property: Questions I Ask Myself 82 Let’s Talk Pricing 84 Chapter 13 Close the Open on Sellers: Talk Marketing, then Sign 89 Chapter 14 Close the Open on Buyers: The Altman 12 93 Chapter 15 Off to Work: Take a Breath First 99 Part II The Work 101 Chapter 16 Working with Buyers: Part Chemistry, Part Therapy 103 Assessing Personality Types 104 Analyzing the Buyer 105 Calming the Buyer’s Fears 106 Chapter 17 Strategizing with Sellers: Getting Ready for War 109 The Battle Plan 109 Managing the Troops 111 Chapter 18 Weapons: Listing Language, Interior Design, and Staging 113 A Killer Description 113 Killer Design 115 Staging for Battle 116 Chapter 19 The Killer Combo: Drone and 360° Photos Plus Staging 119 Chapter 20 On the Battlefield: More on Open Houses and Broker’s Opens 125 Who to Invite? 127 Work the Party 128 What About Neighbor(hood)s? 129 Sell Strong Points and Knowledge 130 Chapter 21 Price Drops Are Not Always Downers 133 Chapter 22 Go Win the War 139 Part III The Close 141 Chapter 23 Making an Offer 143 Settling on the Price 144 Inspections and Contingencies 149 More Deal Sweetener Details 152 As for Curve Balls: Play by Your Rules and Get the House 154 Chapter 24 Getting an Offer 157 Chapter 25 Multiple and Counteroffers 161 Negotiating on the Clock 162 No Rules? Use Hammers for Leverage 165 Chapter 26 Psyching Out Business Styles 171 Chapter 27 Putting on the Poker Face 177 The Anger Hammer 177 Know the Classic Hard-Baller Moves 182 Use Confidence to Grab the Hammer 184 Chapter 28 The Walk-Away 187 How to Walk Away 190 Chapter 29 Be a Shark: Eat, Swim, Devour 193 Part IV Plays from the Book 195 Chapter 30 Play #1: Damn, the Studio Head’s Pissed 197 Chapter 31 Play #2: Three Clients, One Property 199 Chapter 32 Play #3: The Middle Men Kings 201 Chapter 33 Play #4: The Most Expensive Garage Ever Sold 203 Chapter 34 Play #5: The Paramedics of Real Estate 207 Chapter 35 The Final Play: Confession 209 Acknowledgments 213 About the Author 215 Index 217

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction: Selling a Service Is Different (and Harder) Than Selling a Product 1 Part 1: If I’m So Smart, Why Do I Feel So Stupid about Selling? 1 Things Rainmakers Do That Most of Us Don’t: The Five Rainmaker Skills Universities Don’t Teach Us and Our Firms Don’t Train Us 7 2 How Clients Buy Understanding the Client’s Buying Decision Journey 17 3 Where Clients Come From Understanding the Key Client Pathways 25 4 Rainmaking for Introverts and People Who Don’t Want to Sell Winning Client Business While Being True to Yourself 35 Part 2: The Five Skills We Must Learn If We Want to Become a Rainmaker Skill 2: Create Your Personal Brand Identity 43 5 Decide What You Want to Be Known For and Who You Wish to Serve You Can Be Known for Anything, But You Can’t Be Known for Everything 45 6 The Power of Focus The Key to Being Remembered 53 7 Choosing Your Specialty Shrink the Pond Until You’re a Big Fish 61 8 You Can’t Sell Beyond Your Credibility Zone The Cautionary Tale of EDS 69 Skill 2: Demonstrate Your Professional Expertise 75 9 How Clients Tell Who the Real Experts Are Clients Need Clues That We Are Really Good at What We Do 77 10 How to Toot Your Own Horn without Looking Like a Jerk Proven Techniques for Demonstrating Your Expertise 85 11 Using LinkedIn to Build Your Credibility It Won’t Make the Cash Register Ring, So What’s It Good For? 95 Skill 3: Build Your Professional Ecosystem 101 12 The Two Hundred People You Need to Know The Closest Thing to Knowing Something Is Knowing Where to Find It 103 13 Does Cold-Calling Work? And What to Do if It Doesn’t Remember What Mom Said: Don’t Talk to Strangers! 109 14 Making Friends in a Natural Way How to Get an Introduction without Seeming Pushy 117 15 I Can’t See the Forest for the Trees Segmenting Your Ecosystem into Three Distinct Groups 125 16 Why Advertising Doesn’t Work for Us Leveraging Your Firm’s Brand Reputation and What to Do When You Don’t Have One 131 Skill 4: Develop Trust-Based Relationships 139 17 What Is Trust and Where Does It Come From? Do Clients Really Hire People They Like? 141 18 Conversation Skills for Introverts (and the Rest of Us, Too) Using Small Talk to Find Common Ground 149 19 The Art of Keeping in Touch Finding Opportunities to Be Thoughtful and Helpful 155 20 Transparency Is Good, Right? How and When to Be Transparent 163 Skill 5: Practice Everyday Success Habits 171 21 The Daily Habits of Successful Rainmakers The One Hour Each Day That Will Build Your Career 173 22 Making the Rainmaker Skills Stick 66 Days That Will Shape Your Future 179 23 Finding Your Rainmaker M.O. Building a Rainmaker System That Works for You 187 Part 3: The Rainmaker’s Journey 24 Thoughts on Becoming a Rainmaker Stop Trying to Be Wonder Woman or Superman 195 25 Finding the Work That You Love And What to Do When You Don’t 201 26 A High Road with a Long View Parting Words as You Begin Your Rainmaker Journey 207 Appendix A: The Rainmaker Skills Self-Test What Are My Rainmaker Strengths and Weaknesses? 213 Recommended Reading 217 Acknowledgments 219 About the Author 221 Index 223

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface xvii Section 1 Now 1 1 The Death of Business as Usual 3 It’s All Change 3 Truth, Knowledge, Vision 4 Constant Beta 9 Digital Assets and Liabilities 10 Digital Business Transformation: Why It’s More Than Just Technology 12 2 The Four Forces of Connected Change 15 Customer Behaviors 16 Technological Change 18 Business Models 23 Societal Change 26 3 What Is Slowing Down Established Businesses? Blocks, Brakes, and Behaviors 31 Top-down Decision Making 33 Organizational Silos 33 Legacy Technology 36 Short-termism 38 Talent Shortages 38 Values and Culture (and Purpose) 40 “Not Invented Here” 41 Section 2 Next 45 4 Characteristics of a Digital Business 47 The Inconvenient Truth 47 Decoding What Digital Companies Do Well 49 Decoding How They Do It 52 5 The Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) of Digital Business Transformation 57 The Two BHAGs of Digital Business Transformation 58 Goal 1: Developing the Muscle of Continuous Change (the PS How) 59 Goal 2: Building the Capability to Identify and Realize Value (SPEED) 61 6 Strategy 65 Swarm Intelligence 65 The Role of Strategy 66 Anchor Strategy on Your Customer, Not Your Competition 67 Determine “Where to Play” by Looking at Your Market Differently (the D-3 Model) 68 “How to Win”: View Your Transformation as a Portfolio of Moves 71 Build “Your” Capabilities: The Partner Ecosystem 73 Bringing Products to Market: The Elusive Product-Market Fit 75 7 Product 77 Operating in Constant Beta 77 The Relentless Hunt for Value 79 The Inconvenient Truths of Product 79 The Forces of Change in Product 81 Agile, Lean, and DevOps 82 Banking Case Study: Transforming Product 85 8 Experience 89 Everything in Your Business Contributes to Your Customer Experience 89 What Is Experience, Anyway? 90 Orienting to the Customer 93 Brand Is the Experience and Experience Is the Brand 95 Data and Computation 100 What Makes a Great Experience? LEAD (Light, Ethical, Accessible, Dataful) 104 9 Engineering 107 Technology as a Cost Center to Technology as a Value-driver 108 Spaghetti Tech: The Layers of Enterprise IT 110 Moore’s Law 110 Legacy Technology 111 The Impact of Product and Rise of Engineering 112 Technology and Engineering 114 Architecture: Cloud 115 Microservices 116 Ways of Working: Agile, Lean, DevOps 118 Engineers 119 Automation 120 It’s All About the Talent 120 10 Data 123 Data as an Asset 125 Getting Started with Data 126 Utility: How Do You Get Useful Data on the Right Audience? 128 Data Architecture: Is the Data in a Format and Structure That Are Accessible? 130 Data Science and Artificial Intelligence 131 Designing for Data: How Do You Design Your Products, Services, and Experiences to Collect Data? 133 Ethics: How Does Becoming Data-led Impact Your Ethical Responsibility? 133 11 Leading a Gryphon Organization 137 Learning to Think Differently 138 Characteristics of a Gryphon Organization 140 Section 3 How 147 12 Components of Successful Digital Business Transformations 149 1. Always Remember the Ultimate Goals of Digital Business Transformations (the DBT BHAGs) 149 2. Align the Team Around a Shared Vision 150 3. Get C-level Buy-In 151 4. Anchor in Outcomes 151 5. Seize Your Quick Wins and Communicate 152 6. Move Fast 153 7. Be Thoughtful About Your Governance Choices 154 8. Choose Partners Who Will Co-create and Are a Fit for Your Team 155 9. Keep Your Teams Small and Cross-functional 156 10. Consider New Approaches to Funding That Match the Way Projects Work 157 13 What Transformation Journeys Actually Look Like 159 They Are Never a Straight Line 159 They Require Treating Digital as More than a Channel 161 They Are Almost Always Driven by Uncertainty 163 Without a Clear Vision, Functions Get Disconnected Fast 165 The Many Paths to Transformation 166 14 The Beginning 169 Why There Is No “End” 169 Where Do We Go from Here? 170 What’s in Your Digital Moat? 173 What Are You Building? 173 Everyday Superheroes 174 Notes 177 Acknowledgments 185 Index 189

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Book SynopsisExplore why now more than ever the world is in a race to become data-driven, and how you can learn from examples of data-driven leadership in an Age of Disruption, Big Data, and AI In Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Lessons in Data-Driven Leadership in an Age of Disruption, Big Data, and AI, Fortune 1000 strategic advisor, noted author, and distinguished thought leader Randy Bean tells the story of the rise of Big Data and its business impact its disruptive power, the cultural challenges to becoming data-driven, the importance of data ethics, and the future of data-driven AI. The book looks at the impact of Big Data during a period of explosive information growth, technology advancement, emergence of the Internet and social media, and challenges to accepted notions of data, science, and facts, and asks what it means to become data-driven. Fail Fast, Learn Faster includes discussions of: The emergence of Big Data and why organizations must become data-driven to surviveWhy becoming data-driven forces companies to think different about their businessThe state of data in the corporate world today, and the principal challengesWhy companies must develop a true data culture if they expect to changeExamples of companies that are demonstrating data-driven leadership and what we can learn from themWhy companies must learn to fail fast and learn faster to compete in the years aheadHow the Chief Data Officer has been established as a new corporate profession Written for CEOs and Corporate Board Directors, data professional and practitioners at all organizational levels, university executive programs and students entering the data profession, and general readers seeking to understand the Information Age and why data, science, and facts matter in the world in which we live, Fail Fast, Learn Faster p;is essential reading that delivers an urgent message for the business leaders of today and of the future.Table of ContentsForewordThomas H. Davenport Preface Introduction: Fail Fast, Learn Faster 1. A Little History of Big Data 2. Think Different: Becoming Data-Driven 3. Insight and Knowledge: Data, Science, and Facts 4. The State of Data in the Corporate World Today 5. The Great Challenge: Establishing a Data Culture 6. The Rise of the Chief Data Officer 7. Data Responsibility: A Word on Data Ethics 8. Data, Disruption, and Innovation 9. A Glimpse of the Future: Data-Driven AI 10. Data-Driven Leadership: One Company’s Odyssey Conclusion: The Data Journey Acknowledgments About the Author Index

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Book SynopsisJulian Randall is Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the MSc in Management Consultancy at Aberdeen University Business School, UK.Allan J. Sim is Senior Lecturer in Business and Management at Aberdeen University Business School, UK.Bernard Burnes is Professor of Organisational Change at the Stirling University Management School, UK. He is one of the leading international authorities on organisational change.Trade ReviewThis textbook brings together management consultancy and change management, theory and practice and internal and external approaches to change agency. It does so in an accessible way, breaking up text and including practitioner accounts and regular ‘consultancy in action’ sections. The authors provide a wealth of teaching and consulting practice to address the contemporary challenge of achieving change through participation and learning. * Andrew Sturdy, Professor of Management, University of Bristol, UK *Speaking as a former internal consultant, and partner in my own consultancy practice, and as Chair in Strategic Management researching consultancy and change, this book provides detailed, rigorous, and very readable coverage of the field. * Bill Cooke, Professor of Strategic Management, University of York, UK *This book offers a comprehensive perspective on change agents and their role in facilitating change. Based on academic research and extensive change management practice, the book offers students and practitioners key insights into the practice of change agents and provides valuable tips how to develop your skills to facilitate change. As change is now ubiquitous, these are crucial skills for the future of work. The book is a valuable resource for students interested in consulting, change management and leadership. * Natalia Nikolova, Director UTS Advanced MBA, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Australia *Written by a mixture of practitioners and academics, this book provides valuable insights into both the theoretical and practical skills of being a change agent. There are clear learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter which set the overall context and ample 'stop and reflect' points which give structured opportunities to stop and consider the wider context of change and culture. Good vignettes help to conceptualise and bring concepts to life. Excellent for those wanting to guide and influence change as an internal change agent or considering a career within the wider management consultancy field. This book helps you to understand the skills and knowledge required to fulfil these roles. A well-written and wide ranging, comprehensive account of the role of the change agent. * Julian Bond, Senior Fellow and Director Nye Bevan Programme, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK *As a leading Data Governance Consultancy, we found the theories from this book to be well structured with a number of useful tips that our management consultants can use in their day to day work. The combination of theoretical and practical examples helps to realise the key factors for the successful implementation of any change programme. * Melanie Jenner, Director, DTSQUARED *Table of ContentsChapter 1 - In the Beginning There Was Change Chapter 2 - Consultants and Change Agents Chapter 3 - Consultancy Skills: Agreeing/Negotiating a Contract Chapter 4 - Culture and Identity: Exploring a Company’s Culture Chapter 5 - Changing the Culture: What is Feasible? Chapter 6 - Identifying the Role of Training in Achieving Strategic Outcomes Chapter 7 - Negotiating Successfully through Change Chapter 8 - Internal Change Agents and Participative Change Chapter 9 - Consultants, Ethics and the Law Chapter 10 - Organizational Development and Future Challenges.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a substantial re-write of the author''s earlier book on management consultancy that has established itself as a leading book on this topic. This re-write focuses upon the analysis of the impact of e-business on the consulting industry as well as examining the changing structure of the industry and emerging segmentation. It also includes recent material on the efforts of consulting firms to manage knowledge more effectively and includes new and more examples and interviews.Trade Review'There are stimulating ideas on virtually every page.' - David Maister, author of Managing the Professional Service Firm 'When economic historians come to write the final chapter of capitalism Fiona Czerniawska's entrepreneurial prowess will probably get a mention.' The GuardianTable of ContentsIntroduction Changes in the Client-Consultant Relationship Consultancy in the Next Decade Innovation: the Over-Production of Truth Managing Existing Intellectual Capital Alliances and Networks Branding Specialisation Changing Balance of People and Technology Globalisation The Polarisation of Consulting Styles From Advising to Doing

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Book SynopsisTransform your ability to lead others with an abundance leadership mindset In Abundance Leaders: Creating Energy, Joy, and Productivity in an Unsettled World, renowned management consultant and lecturer Laura Freebairn-Smith delivers a rigorous and practical discussion of energetic, joyful, and productive leadership. In the book, you'll learn what sets leaders with an abundance mindset apart from those with a scarcity mindset, and why the former creates work environments that generate superior performance when compared to those created by the latter. The author comprehensively explains the Abundance Leadership Model and convincingly demonstrates how it leads to immediate and tangible improvements in productivity and employee wellbeing. You'll also find: A list of 26 distinct behaviors that signal a manager or executive is working in an abundance leadership mindset Strategies for leading bravely, making big, impactful promises, and alTable of ContentsForeword ix Preface xiii Section I Abundance Leadership 1 My Journey to Abundance Leadership 3 2 How Abundance Leaders Think 19 Looking for Explanations 19 Optimism 25 Three Other Fields That Inform Abundance Leadership 30 3 Four Meta-Competencies 43 Visioning for the Greater Good 48 Visibility 56 Self-Awareness 58 Managing Well 60 Section II Organizational Health and Abundance Leadership 4 Improving Your Organization’s Health 65 5 Macrolevers 69 Charrettes 69 Four-Day Workweek 73 Workspace Design 75 Managing by Circadian Rhythm 77 6 Microlevers: Small Tools for Big Change 87 The Gong 88 The Annual Donation: Collective Competition for the Greater Good 89 Public Agenda: Speak Up and Get Heard 90 Community Wall: Life Outside of Work 90 Snow Globes and Collective Memory 91 Facilitation Rotation 92 Dream List: Imagining Our Ideal World 92 Section III the How-to Manual 7 Visioning 99 Visioning 100 Creativity 107 8 Visibility 113 9 Self-Awareness 117 Reflection and Affect 121 Interpersonal Adeptness 135 Morality 140 Ego Control 141 10 Managing Well 145 Team Building 146 Communication 153 Protection 157 Decision-Making 163 Epilogue 169 Appendix A: Additional Resources 171 Appendix B: Organizational Development Bibliography 173 References 181 Acknowledgments 187 About the Author 189 Index 191

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