I have an aunt who up until the age of 93 drove herself to the doctor for each visit. At each of those visits, the doctor would to tell her to stop smoking. She didn’t heed his advice and her life was cut short at 95 years of age. We tend to look to doctors … Continue reading How to Help the Client Make Decisions →
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I was recently at a client that had a lot of issues. Business was great. They had a lot of customers. They were experiencing a lot of growth. But because of that growth, they were beginning to hit the limit on their ability to serve their client base. Their servers were starting to hit their … Continue reading Critical Consulting Role: Prioritizer →
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Sergie is a mechanic that I trust with my cars. When I take it in for a problem, he’ll suggest an inexpensive adjustment to see if that solves the problem. If that doesn’t work, he’ll try something more. I know that he has my best interests in mind rather than thinking about how much money … Continue reading 6 Ways to Help the Client Make Decisions →
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“I’m just a programmer. I’ve only been brought in here to write code for this client.” That’s the general attitude I’ve gotten from many consultants on past projects. Some consultants just seem to forget that their really outsiders. There is a double standard. Employees have their assignments. Their employers have expectations for them. When employers … Continue reading Client Relations for Consultants →
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I’m intrigued with the popularity of vampires and zombies these days. Just doing a simple search for vampires on Amazon.com provides over 51,000 book titles. A search on zombies provides another 24,000. Netflix offers many titles under each category as well. It might have started with the Twilight series, but I think that just fueled … Continue reading Consultants are Vampires, Clients are Zombies →
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In my twenty years of consulting, I’ve seen many consultants come and go. Some decide that it’s not for them. For others, the decision is made for them. A client may kick the consultant off the project, or the firm may remove them as a form of damage control. Every consultant struggles to some degree … Continue reading 7 Reasons Young Consultants Fail →
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:00 — 37.4MB) | Embed
Fresh off of the last podcast on reporting status to the client, we thought we would delve in a little deeper with the concept of reporting bad news to the client. There are definitely some dos and don’ts involved with this delicate situation and we will explain it from several vantage points. What are some […]
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One of the critical skills a consultant must have is the ability to communicate. Those skills are put to the test frequently, but rarely as much as when the consultant reports project status to the client. This week we will discuss some of the specific approaches a consultant should use when reporting status to the […]
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Consultants often work with multiple clients at the same time. Even when they work with a single client, they deal with a myriad of documents information and schedule issues. In this week’s podcast we will discuss why it is imperative for one’s consulting career to be organized and to stay that way. Is it more important for […]
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We have discussed the importance of developing relationships with the client to become a client’s trusted advisor. One of the most awkward of situations is when you finally have to sit down and enjoy a meal with the client. In this week’s podcast, we’ll discuss some of the do’s and don’ts involved with dining with […]
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Considering the project-based nature of consulting, it’s nearly inevitable for a consultant to find him or herself between projects. This time is traditionally referred to by the industry as being ‘on the bench’. This week we will discuss what it means to a consultant to be on the bench and the various strategies for making […]
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One of the great benefits of consulting is the variety of different projects and different clients. Since much of consulting is project-based, consultants tend to work with a client for some period of time and roll off the project in anticipation of their next client. In this week’s podcast, we will discuss the etiquette and […]
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Whether we’re talking about sales or simply service delivery, one of the biggest keys to success in consulting is about the relationships we build with our clients and prospective clients. And just like in our personal lives, the only way to build a strong and productive relationship is by developing trust. In this week’s podcast, […]
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Let’s jump right into it Lew. What do you believe are the four keys to success in consulting? Well Jeff, it’s what I call the four C’s of consulting. That seems to fit well since consulting starts with C. First and I believe the most important is Communication. I think it’s very difficult, if not […]