The Consultant's Handbook : Fast-Track Your Career with a Set of Proven Techniques.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Parikh, Samir.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Business consultants.

Consulting firms--Management.

Consulting firms.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (290 pages)

Edition:

2nd ed.

Place of Publication:

Newark : John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2025.

Summary:

Good news. Consulting skills aren't just for consultants anymore! This best-selling book reveals proven techniques to boost your career--from sharp problem-solving and persuasive arguments to high-performance meetings and ambitious projects. Based on the experience of working with Fortune 500 companies in more than 50 countries this comprehensive handbook pinpoints the fundamental skills required to consult effectively, irrespective of your experience level. Built around ten core themes it untangles the variables that increase the performance of projects, organizations and people. Providing proven techniques that the author has taught to some of the world's top executives, it's an ideal springboard for ambitious career professionals, MBA students and corporate leaders. This new, second edition will equip you with: The tools to consult effectively towards clients and internal stakeholders The ability to maximize your credibility in a variety of situations The arguments required to launch new ideas and win the acceptance of others Techniques to handle people-related obstacles such resistance and political agendas A rich library of examples to guide you in the application of these methods Embark on a journey to accelerate your career and differentiate yourself from others. Learn from a broad base of experience: What works well, what doesn't work well, and winning strategies that have evolved into best practices!.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Acknowledgments

About the author

Introduction

Chapter One Embracing the Consulting Mindset

Understand the basic consulting proposition

Do you understand your own consulting proposition?

Who typically embarks on a career in consulting?

What are the principal domains in consulting?

Eight principal skills are needed to work in consulting

Who's qualified to be a consultant?

How should you represent your consulting firm?

Keep client expectations front-of-mind

Provide deep expertise and experience

Demonstrate a business-minded approach

Be proactive. Act like a partner

Bring fresh perspectives. An external view

Drive efficiency through well-developed organizational skills

Facilitate the transfer of knowledge

A question of ethics: The good guys vs. the bad guys

How are consulting and selling different?

How should consultants sell their services?

Chapter summary

Next steps

Chapter Two Preparing to Consult

Three types of client preparation

Basic preparation addresses the "must-knows"

Detailed preparation provides an in-depth understanding

Engagement-specific preparation homes in on an upcoming discussion

A wide range of resources can be used

A preparation example

Basic preparation

Detailed preparation

Chapter Three Establishing Credibility

Credibility begins with a well-crafted introduction

A compelling introduction embodies four characteristics

How should early career professionals build credibility?

Corporate credentials play an important role

Using the "hook" technique

Capabilities form your competitive edge

Chapter Four Managing Client Meetings

First things first - Do we need to have a meeting?.

Mastering meetings: six essential steps

1. Set your meeting objectives

2. Assemble the team. How many people do you need?

3. Define the team strategy

4. Put the logistics in place

5. Structure your meeting interaction

The setup: Get your meeting off to a good start

The meeting body varies in structure, depending on its purpose

The closure: Final agreements and next steps

6. Conduct a post-meeting debrief

The Consultant's Handbook: Case Studies

Case Study I: Exploring a New Opportunity

Meeting objectives

Composing the team

Defining the team strategy

The setup phase

Planning the meeting body

Exploring an opportunity requires a systematic approach

The systematic approach embodies an important logic

The client dialogue

1. Understand client objectives

2. Agree on the scope

3. Collect specific requirements

4. Identify other stakeholders

The closure phase

Summary

The meeting outcome

Case Study II: Presenting a Solution Approach

The use of navigation is important in any consulting presentation

Knowing when to challenge your client

There's a time and a place for giving pushback

Challenge your client when doing so adds value to the relationship, drives better outcomes, or helps to mitigate risks

But make sure that you don't erode the relationship in the process

A good advisor also knows when to back down

Concede when client insights or preferences outweigh your recommendations

Case Study III: Scoping a Study

Case scenario: A passenger airline

Assembling the team

Meeting objectives.

Using a logic tree

What is a logic tree?

Step 1: Building the logic tree

Step 2: Using the logic tree in a client meeting

The meeting body

Chapter Five Preparing a Proposal

An executive summary plays an important role

Set the scene in an introductory chapter

Describe your approach in a way that creates confidence

Proposal mechanics: Time plan, deliverables, and responsibilities

Explain your pricing model and why it's appropriate

Provide a clear indication of the expected business benefits

Credentials and references. Why should your firm be selected?

Be clear on the terms and conditions

Practices to avoid. Where do proposals go wrong?

Over scoping. An apple or a pumpkin?

Unrealistic commitments. Promises, promises!

Define any vague terms in a glossary

Chapter Six Introducing the 50:50 Rule

The 50:50 rule is essential to successful project delivery

Chapter Seven Delivering the Result

Consulting methodologies provide structure and governance

The project organization can be built in different ways

Working remotely increases flexibility

Working on-site fosters greater client collaboration

Your chosen engagement model also impacts the client experience

The internal launch meeting should be a springboard for the project team

Secure the client cooperation you need for a successful delivery

Different issues call for different approaches

Internal issues require facilitation

External issues often require client involvement

Issues that can be anticipated are managed as risks

Unforeseen issues are handled as they occur

Chapter Eight Optimizing the Client Experience.

Client relationship management is essential

A transactional relationship requires minimum effort

Characteristics of a transactional relationship

A partner-oriented relationship creates longer-term value

Characteristics of a partner-oriented relationship

Good relationships must be maintained

Respect the boundaries of professional distance

Communication around issues requires particular care

Chapter Nine Handling Client-Related Obstacles

Adaptability enables us to work with a wide range of people

Formal behaviors require a disciplined approach

Informal behaviors call for patience and may require additional time

Unstructured behaviors require directional guidance

Distracted behaviors require re-engagement

Dealing with resistance is an essential human skill

So, what's the problem with change?

Three steps to bring down the wall of resistance

Stakeholder conflicts require either facilitation or escalation

Consultants are often well positioned as facilitators

Define clear escalation paths. You might need them.

Chapter Ten The Skill of Advising

Deductive reasoning embodies horizontal logic

Building the argument

Defending the argument

Inductive reasoning embodies vertical logic

The two methods deliver subtly different conclusions

When making complex recommendations, the methods can be combined

Documenting a recommendation

When should presentation slides be used?

Five things to consider before presenting a recommendation

The Consultant's Handbook: Completion Checklist

The Consultant's Handbook: Training Resources

The Ultimate Guide to Storytelling in Business: Further Reading

Index

EULA.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-394-35426-6

1-394-35425-8

OCLC:

1528398424