The secret of being a successful management consultant is to focus on the
genuine needs of the client. As a consultant, you must develop the skills that enable you
to understand these needs, deliver real value to your clients and help them get the
results they want.
The Management Consultantis your ultimate guide to success as an expert
professional consultant. It reveals the skills and attributes that make great consultants
and shows you how to develop these to provide genuine client centric consulting.
Whether you’re already working as a consultant, starting out on your own, or
just considering the profession - this book is essential reading. It will also help those
who train, employ or work with consultants regularly.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, DO AND DELIVER TO BE A GREAT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
Learn the answers to the critical questions you need ask to be a top management
consultant such as:
- How should you identify and define the services you will offer?
- Why do clients buy consultancy and what are they looking for?
- How can you bring maximum value to the client’s organisation?
- How do you engage clients and win work?
- How can you deliver results that will be sustainable for your client?
- How do you establish long-term relationships that bring you repeat business
with clients?
- When should you say ‘no’ to a consulting engagement?
- How do you navigate your way through potential ethical dilemmas that face
consultants?
DISCOVER THE CLIENT-CENTRIC APPROACH TO SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING
Richard Newton is a skilled executive with broad experience of both
line management and consultancy roles, in a range of sectors. He has worked for three
major consultancies – Coopers & Lybrand, A.T. Kearney and Ernst and Young. He
founded the company Enixus in 2005 to provide consultancy and interim management services
in the areas of projects and change. As part of his work, Richard has been employed to
consult to consultancies on improved engagement processes.
He has worked in the UK, Germany, Italy, Australia, USA, France, Singapore, Malaysia
and Kazakhstan.He has published five books so far, including The Project Manager; Project
Management – Step by Step and The Project Managers Book of Checklists
Richard has degrees in mechanical engineering and economics, and is currently studying
for a degree in philosophy. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, the Royal
Institute of Philosophy, the Association of Project Managers and the Institute of Business
Advisors.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Part 1 Understanding consultants and consultancy
1 Consultants and consultancy
2 Why does anyone buy consultancy?
3 Your consulting service
4 The three core processes of client-centric consulting
Part 2 Consulting engagements
5 Finding and winning work
6 Delivering consulting engagements and satisfying clients
7 The alternative approach – process consulting and facilitation
8 Closing engagements and sustaining results
Part 3 High-performance consulting
9 Developing long-term client relationships
10 The ethical dimension
11 The language of consulting
12 Knowing when to say no
13 Key consulting tips
14 The client’s perspective – buying consultancy
Conclusion
Part 4 Additional resources for consultants
A The tools, processes and materials of a consultancy business
B References
C Sample proposal letter
Index
320 pages, Paperback