Part 4 of 13 of my series on the profession of management consulting

One of the pillars of being a consultant is to act responsibly and think through decisions. In plain English, cover your butt. The last thing you want is to present in front of a board of directors and become vulture food as they pick at your solution and punch holes through your logic. A consultant must base every one of his recommendations on facts and sound reasoning. It is his obligation to his client to make the best decision possible based on the information presented to him and within the constraints of the situation. Despite this being a pretty simple concept to grasp, in practice, it is a bit more challenging to implement. To help you along, remember the following phrase:

From data comes findings. From findings come conclusions. From conclusions come solutions.
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Management Consulting 4 of 13, Mana 695E

Part 3 of 13 of my series on the profession of management consulting

Plan. Plan. Plan.

If I’ve learned anything from my years of working and MBA and project management studies, it’s to plan. The time you put into planning pays off in time, money, and stress saved later on. The best laid schemes of mice and men sort of thing. Read more…

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Management Consulting 3 of 13, Mana 695E

Part 2 of 13 of my series on the profession of management consulting

First impressions and building trust

When meeting a client for the first time, just like in dating, first impressions count. But making a good impression is more than about relying on how exactly to shake hands or how to wear a tie (and no, bringing flowers won’t help). Despite what consulting gurus say, there is no textbook approach to this. There are no set plans of action, nor a perfect recipe for success. Like snowflakes, no two clients are the same, so keep your antennae up and radars on at all times. Read more…

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Management Consulting 2 of 13, Mana 695E