What Are We Trying to Accomplish Have you ever read an email and gotten upset, thinking the person was being offensive and rude? Then, when you bring it up to a coworker, expecting them to agree, they took the email in a whole different meaning. Communication is hard. We don’t always say what we mean. We don’t always mean what we say. Putting thing…

Most consulting work is project based. Whether a consultant is in charge of a project or simply a member of the project team, he or she needs to know what to do when a project goes bad to help the client get back on track. In this week’s podcast, we will discuss the various causes and effects of bad projects and how consultants can help a client de…

When a consultant begins working with a client, he can face significant resistance to the changes he has been hired to implement. It becomes a balance of diplomacy and change management when this occurs. In this week’s podcast, we will explore the types of resistance a consultant can face and some strategies for dealing with it. What types of resis…

One of the age-old debates for a consultant is whether to specialize in certain industries or areas of study, or to be a generalist across many industries and/or technologies. In this week’s podcast, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and discuss the balance between them. What are the areas of specialty that a consult…

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 of aspects of breaking bad news that need…

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 client. What does a consultant ne…

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 a consultant in particul…

Looking Back In this episode Lew and I look back over the previous 49 episodes of this podcast sharing some thoughts on the genesis of the program based on my narration of Lew’s Book, Consulting 101: 101 Tips for Success in Consulting and some of the recurring themes that have come up in our consulting conversations. One of the most common themes h…

As a consultant moves further up the ladder in his or her consulting career, the ability to sell the firm’s services becomes more important. It’s difficult to develop trusting relationships with potential clients without having spent time getting to know them. In this week’s podcast we will discuss the importance of developing a professional networ…

In the course of a consulting career, sooner or later you will end up giving a speech or presentation to a group of people – and probably many more after that. People who work in consulting and professional services increase their chances of success if they have sharpened their skills in public speaking. In this week’s podcast, we will discuss why …

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 the client to help you advance in …

Consultants are brought in by a client for many reasons and one of the key reasons is their expertise and methodology. Most firms have their own standards and the consultant needs to develop a balance between following the client’s standards and the firm’s standards that the client may want to adapt. What are the types of standards where you run in…

The nature of consulting and professional services generally requires consultants to work at the client’s offices. Even if it is not a full time commitment, meetings and part-time work often require the consultant to be at the client site. When a consultant is on-site, it’s important to act with respect as though you are a guest. In this week’s pod…

One of the most prominent aspects that we promote on this podcast is the need for consultants to be client minded. And while it’s true that those of us in any professional services firm should strive to put the client first and dedicate ourselves to the client’s success, we should also make sure that we keep our own firm’s interests in mind. Last w…

In this weeks podcast, we discuss the importance of protecting client confidentiality in a consulting and professional services environment. What are some of the ways that a client’s confidential information can be exposed? There is really any number of ways. I once heard a story of a consultant who was privy to inside information of a client’s mer…

Consulting and professional services firms thrive by hiring top level high performers. But it doesn’t stop there. Once a consultant becomes part of a high powered team, he or she needs to continue to develop and learn. There are few better ways to do that than to work with a mentor within the firm to increase their knowledge and productivity. Why i…

When someone joins a consulting firm, it creates the inevitable day when they will leave the firm. It may be after just a few months or several years. We wanted to speak in this week’s podcast about the steps a consultant should take to leave professionally on good terms. What are the major considerations a consultant should think about when leavin…

In the business world, organizations regularly implement and redefine processes as a response to various issues. This is usually done in an effort to have standardized approaches so that stakeholders know how to address various situations in a consistent manner. In this week’s podcast, we’ll address the delicate balance of applying process and enco…

Confidence is one of the critical aspects of being a consultant. Many consultants cross the fine line of confidence and develop an arrogance that turns a client off and hurts their chances for advancement in their consulting career. In this week’s podcast, we will discuss the difference between confidence and arrogance and how to avoid crossing the…

As the world economy continues its slow and jagged recovery, people are slowly reentering the job market. As they attempt to find work, many are trying consulting either in a firm or going independent. In this week’s podcast, we will discuss the trend towards consulting and the pros and cons of this trend. Is everyone really becoming a consultant? …

Two weeks ago Lew and I discussed some of our favorite books that relate to Consulting and Professional Services. We couldn’t get through the list in one episode so we held over the second half to this week. Here is the balance of that list, or (Click here to read the first half) (Lew) The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and …

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 the best of it and limit…

In addition to being an enthusiastic and passionate problem solver, a good consultant has a great thirst for knowledge. We’ve never known a good consultant that wasn’t also a voracious reader. We’ve often been asked to recommend books for consultants to read and have available in their personal libraries. This week Lew and I will discuss some of ou…

In our podcast we talk every week of some of the basic skills and attributes that a consultant needs to be successful. This week we will discuss the need for flexibility in a consultant’s tool kit. What do you mean by being flexible? Well I’m not talking about yoga, but I wouldn’t rule that out either. I hear it’s a great way to stay loose and flex…

One of the key traits of consulting is the ability to deal with adversity. This often comes from clients but it could just as easily come internally from your own firm. This week we will talk about the ability to take criticism and deal with it in a positive way. What do you mean by having a thick skin? We talk of consultants having a thick skin me…