Practice of Professional Consulting

Informationen zum Autor THE AUTHOR Edward Verlander is chairman of Verlander, Wang & Co., LLC, an international management consulting firm that delivers services in strategy, organization change, leadership development, and executive coaching. Clients are world-wide and embrace the Fortune 500, numerous European technology companies and, most recently, the public and private education sectors in China. He also teaches MBA-level business consulting at Long Island University and has taught management at Columbia and Hofstra Universities, as well as in the business schools at Jilin University and Nanjing University in China. Klappentext Despite the size of the consulting industry and its attractiveness to business school graduates, there is a dearth of agreement about what constitutes "professionalism" in consulting. The Practice of Professional Consulting provides the most comprehensive introduction to the field of consulting, including a complete system of guidelines, and all the tools, templates, techniques, case studies, competencies, and assessments to become a professional consultant. Broad enough to be useful to anyone starting any kind of consulting business, yet specific in explaining typical client situations, this guide offers new and aspiring consultants with a perspective of the rules, roles, values, methods, and techniques used across firms in the consulting industry. Zusammenfassung Despite the size of the consulting industry and its attractiveness to business school graduates, there is a dearth of agreement about what constitutes "professionalism" in consulting. Inhaltsverzeichnis About This Book xii Preface xv Acknowledgments xviii Part One: Setting the Stage 1 1 The Nature of Consulting 3 It's an Industry 4 Types of Consulting 8 Scope of Consulting 10 Trusted Consultant and Advisor 12 Consultant Qualifications 14 What Is Professional Consulting? 16 2 Why Companies Hire Consultants 19 Why Consultants Are Needed 19 Fast, Bigger, Better, Cheaper Outcomes 21 Forces That Drive Business Consulting 25 Expectations of Consultant Services 30 Changes in Client's Business and Organization Needs 31 Future Challenges 34 3 A Model for Professional Consulting 38 What Do We Mean by "Process"? 38 A Framework for Consulting 39 The Four Stages of Consulting 44 The Four Roles of Consulting 46 Consulting Competencies 48 Part Two: Applying the Model 53 4 Stage One: The Developing and Designing Process 55 Stage One Competencies: Winning the Business 56 Understanding the Client's Business and Industry 59 Making a Good First Impression 61 First Meeting Dynamics 63 5 Stage One, Continued: Assessing Client Needs and Managing Expectations 70 The Purpose of Conducting a Needs Assessment 70 Types of Questions: The Fundamentals 72 Conducting a Needs Assessment: A Question Strategy 74 Needs Assessment: Listening Actively 79 The Proposal Development Process 82 Managing Expectations 91 6 Stage Two: The Mobilizing and Aligning Process 96 Stage Two Competencies: Mobilizing and Aligning 96 Work and Project Plan Reviews 97 Risk Assessment Factors 106 Project Launch Meetings 108 7 Stage Two, Continued: Turning a Consulting Group into a Team 116 Defining a Team 116 Stages of Team Development 119 Diagnosing Project Team Performance 121 How Team Building Is Conducted 122 Special Problems in Building Project Teams 123 Characteristics of High-Performing Teams 126 The Project Leader Style Needed for Team Building 127 8 Stage Three: The Building and Producing Process 130 Stage...

List of contents

About This Book xii
 
Preface xv
 
Acknowledgments xviii
 
PART ONE: SETTING THE STAGE 1
 
1 The Nature of Consulting 3
 
It's an Industry 4
 
Types of Consulting 8
 
Scope of Consulting 10
 
Trusted Consultant and Advisor 12
 
Consultant Qualifications 14
 
What Is Professional Consulting? 16
 
2 Why Companies Hire Consultants 19
 
Why Consultants Are Needed 19
 
Fast, Bigger, Better, Cheaper Outcomes 21
 
Forces That Drive Business Consulting 25
 
Expectations of Consultant Services 30
 
Changes in Client's Business and Organization Needs 31
 
Future Challenges 34
 
3 A Model for Professional Consulting 38
 
What Do We Mean by "Process"? 38
 
A Framework for Consulting 39
 
The Four Stages of Consulting 44
 
The Four Roles of Consulting 46
 
Consulting Competencies 48
 
PART TWO: APPLYING THE MODEL 53
 
4 Stage One: The Developing and Designing Process 55
 
Stage One Competencies: Winning the Business 56
 
Understanding the Client's Business and Industry 59
 
Making a Good First Impression 61
 
First Meeting Dynamics 63
 
5 Stage One, Continued: Assessing Client Needs and Managing Expectations 70
 
The Purpose of Conducting a Needs Assessment 70
 
Types of Questions: The Fundamentals 72
 
Conducting a Needs Assessment: A Question Strategy 74
 
Needs Assessment: Listening Actively 79
 
The Proposal Development Process 82
 
Managing Expectations 91
 
6 Stage Two: The Mobilizing and Aligning Process 96
 
Stage Two Competencies: Mobilizing and Aligning 96
 
Work and Project Plan Reviews 97
 
Risk Assessment Factors 106
 
Project Launch Meetings 108
 
7 Stage Two, Continued: Turning a Consulting Group into a Team 116
 
Defi ning a Team 116
 
Stages of Team Development 119
 
Diagnosing Project Team Performance 121
 
How Team Building Is Conducted 122
 
Special Problems in Building Project Teams 123
 
Characteristics of High-Performing Teams 126
 
The Project Leader Style Needed for Team Building 127
 
8 Stage Three: The Building and Producing Process 130
 
Stage Three Competencies: Building and Producing 131
 
Data Gathering 132
 
Performance Management and Coaching 137
 
Coaching Consultants 139
 
Motivating Consultants 146
 
Progress Review Meetings 151
 
Navigating Organizational Politics 155
 
Project Management Issues 161
 
9 Stage Four: The Implementing and Deploying Process 168
 
Stage Four Competencies: Implementing and Deploying 169
 
Managing Change 171
 
Implementation Strategies 175
 
Skills Transfer 180
 
Measuring Customer Satisfaction 186
 
Satisfaction Assessment Metrics 190
 
PART THREE: THE BIGGER PICTURE 195
 
10 Improving Consulting as a Professional Practice 197
 
A Reality Check About Consulting 198
 
The Need to Professionalize Consulting 200
 
Professional Capabilities of Consultants 205
 
Building Block One: Client's Business Focus 208
 
Building Block Two: Business Management 210
 
Building Block Three: Technical Requirements 214
 
Building Block Four: Interpersonal Attributes 215
 
Building Block Five: Effective Leadership 217
 
11 Lessons of Experience 222
 
How to Grow in Professional Capability 223
 
Lessons from McKinsey 225
 
The Pain and Joy of a

Product details

• Authors: Verlander, E Verlander, Edward Verlander, Edward G Verlander, Edward G. Verlander, Verlander Edward G.
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 16.11.2012
• EAN: 9781118241844
• ISBN: 978-1-118-24184-4
• No. of pages: 320
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Management; Consulting, Business & management, Wirtschaft u. Management