Showing posts with label Consulting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consulting. Show all posts

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used Review






Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used Overview


The second edition of the "consultant's bible" is here!

For over fifteen years, consultants--both internal and external--have relied on Peter Block's landmark bestseller, Flawless Consulting, to learn how to deal effectively with clients, peers, and others. Using illustrative examples, case studies, and exercises, the author, one of the most important and well known in his field, offers his legendary warmth and insight throughout this much-awaited second edition. Anyone who must communicate in a professional context--and who doesn't?--will use the lessons taught in this book for years to come!

"Who would have thought the 'consultant's bible' could be improved upon? Count on Peter Block--the consulting profession's very own revolutionary--to push us to confront and struggle with the paradoxes inherent in our work."
--Candace Thompson, organization development consultant, First Chicago NBD--A Bank One Company

"Block has distilled years of experience into a wise, down-to-earth, and eminently practical guide to excellence in consulting. If you are new to the practice, Flawless Consulting will chop years off your learning cycle. And even if you're an old pro, Block's insights will elevate you to new levels of effectiveness. Flawless Consulting is not simply about becoming a better consultant; it is about using consulting as a path toward becoming a better person."
--Barry Oshry, president, Power & Systems, Inc.; author of Seeing Systems and Leading Systems


Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used Specifications


The second edition of Peter Block's Flawless Consulting gracefully updates what many consider the best resource of its kind. New chapters on implementation, "whole-system" strategies, and ethics are included, but in general it simply fine-tunes Block's proven advice to match the transformations that business and society have undergone since initial publication two decades ago. "The days of long studies and expert-driven answers are passing," the author proclaims in his new preface. "The task of the consultant is increasingly to build the capacity of clients to make their own assessments and answer their own questions." He then subtly modifies his established recommendations accordingly for every step, from the initial client meeting and problem diagnosis through data collection and the execution of solutions. In the section on "Conducting a Group Feedback Meeting," for example, he advises: "Treat the group as a collection of individuals.... Ask each person what he or she wants from the meeting. This will surface differences and force the group to take responsibility for some of the difficulties that may arise." --Howard Rothman

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!




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Monday, September 27, 2010

How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms: A Surefire Case Interview Method - 2nd Edition

How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms: A Surefire Case Interview Method - 2nd Edition Review



Overall, I think the book is a great resource for MBA and undergraduate students preparing for case interviews. In fact, it is one of the resources we recommend to the members of our MBA consulting club at the Ross School of Business (University of Michigan).

"How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms" addresses the science behind the consulting interview process, making it a great companion to Marc Cosentino's "Case in Point". While other books focus mainly on case interviews, Tim does a great job delving into all aspect of the interview process (fit, networking, resume, cases, etc.). While it isn't as rich in frameworks as Case In Point, I like the fact that Tim presents one framework that can be utilized for 80% of cases and then provides a deep dive into the application of this framework for different types of cases (pricing, M&A, new product/market entry). He also offers an approach to striking "a balance between structure, creativity and flexibility" - which is something that trips up many consulting candidates.

The example cases are a great resource to practice the lessons learned throughout the book. They are mock interview friendly and offer an appropriate level of increasing difficulty.

Since recruiting start so early at the MBA level (September/October), I recommend getting reading "How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms" and "Case in Point" over the summer to get a head start.




How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms: A Surefire Case Interview Method - 2nd Edition Overview


- "What are the main drivers in determining the price of a new medical device?"
- "Should a beverage company acquire another producer?"
- "How should a manufacturer respond after a competitor introduces a breakthrough new product?"

While you could memorize answers to the most popular case interview questions, what happens when you encounter an issue that's outside of their reach?

In How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms, management consultant Tim Darling offers a holistic approach for solving problems in 30 minutes or less. By showing how to break an issue into its core components, he simplifies case interviews by illuminating them from the perspective of the consulting firms.

13 interactive cases are included with detailed data, charts, and solutions. This second edition contains over 50% revised and additional content.


Available at Amazon Check Price Now!




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