Download or read book When to Hire or Not Hire a Consultant written by Linda M. Orr and published by Apress. This book was released on 2014-03-01 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When to Hire—or Not Hire—a Consultant:Getting Your Money's Worth from Consulting Relationships is a hands-on, practical guide for anyone thinking about hiring a consultant to set strategy, solve problems, increase profits or revenue, develop new products, open new markets, or improve efficiency. Consulting is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. According to the U.S. government, there were 719,000 consultants in the U.S. in 2010, and you can expect an additional 274,000 by 2020. Cloaked in “expert” status, consultants might seem to be the answer to many business problems. You call someone in to solve a particular problem or develop new markets, then send them away once the job is done—while reaping the benefits of their expertise. Consultants sometimes do work miracles, but once in a while they wreck a healthy business. And far too often, the benefits gained by calling in consultants disappear far too soon after they leave. Yet as return on investment (ROI) and accountability for results become bigger and bigger issues, business professionals in search of answers to performance or strategy challenges are turning more and more to outside guidance for help. Indeed, few businesses do not use some kind of consultant at some point in their existence. But how can you leverage the skills consultants can bring to the table without adding undue risk to your operations? How can you effectively manage the consultant relationship to get the greatest benefit for the least cost? What metrics can support your decision to hire—or not hire—a consultant? When should you use home-grown talent to solve problems instead? That’s what this book is all about. While there are a multitude of books on how to be a consultant, this is the first to help an executive determine when to hire one. You will learn strategies to decide when a consultant is needed and how to support that decision with hard evidence, how to select the right consultant, how to set clear expectations, and how to know when a consultant is either a valuable resource or a hindrance to the company’s success. The authors of this book bring together two opposing perspectives. Linda Orr has served as a consultant in many companies and situations, while Dave Orr has hired consultants many times. Together, they can help you make the most strategically and financially sound business decisions. This books shows you how to: Work through ROI and other issues to support a decision to hire a consultant. Maximize the benefits consultants can provide. Explore options other than hiring a consultant.
Download or read book McKinsey s Marvin Bower written by Elizabeth Haas Edersheim and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-12-13 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I had the privilege of working closely with Marvin and McKinsey for many years. This book makes Marvin come to life and perpetuates him as a role model." -Peter F. Drucker "A wonderful book about a wonderful man. In many ways, Marvin's McKinsey framed the hypotheses in our own search for excellence-for example, passion for values, belief in people as the prime resource, and willingness to let people experiment. As well as I thought I knew Marvin, however, this remarkable book, drawing on the collective memories of those who worked most closely with him, taught me a ton about how extraordinary the man really was and what made him that way. Many have called Drucker the man who invented management; I think history will conclude that both he and Marvin Bower share that pedestal." -Bob Waterman, coauthor of In Search of Excellence "Marvin Bower became a legend, not just within McKinsey & Company, but within professional services and the business world more broadly. In everything he did and said, he embodied the professional approach and the importance of values. This book sheds remarkable insight on a remarkable man and on the power of constancy of purpose." -Ian Davis, Worldwide Managing Director, McKinsey & Co. "It is as Marvin would have wanted it-simple, honest, fact-based, wonderful stories with a long-term perspective. An insightful read about the father of management consulting." -Lois Juliber, retired COO, Colgate-Palmolive "This book provides fascinating insight into the early days of modern management consulting. It is an extremely enlightening look at the origin of one of America's most important professions and one of America's most innovative leaders." -Thomas H. Lee, founder, Chairman, and President, Thomas H. Lee Partners L.P.
Download or read book The Consulting Apprenticeship written by Steve Shu and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-07-16 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Consulting Apprenticeship is written for business professionals and consultants with a focus on nuances passed on during apprenticeship regarding consulting delivery. Business professionals can benefit with a jump-start approach to applying consulting principles to their business. Designed for the busy professional, The Consulting Apprenticeship is a book of forty, quick-read ideas. These forty, short chapters are divided into four sections: Consulting Mindset - This section covers consulting ways of thinking and can be adopted by both company personnel and consultants. Consulting Techniques - This section covers specific tactics and toolkit methods when using consultative approaches in the trenches as either a company- or consulting firm-practitioner. Consulting Mastery - This section covers advanced perspectives on consulting and may be more useful to either company personnel evaluating consultants or mid- to senior-level consultants. Consulting Special Situations - Whereas the prior sections are applicable to a wide variety of situations, this section covers more infrequent, specific business situations involving consultative approaches in the trenches as either a company- or consulting firm-practitioner. Each chapter of the book concludes with an optional, takeaway exercise. The exercises vary widely in terms of level of involvement. For example, in some cases you can refer to online material. In other cases, you can engage in deeper thinking or apply the concepts over an extended period of time. However you choose to use this book, consulting mastery is a lifelong pursuit. I hope this book helps you with your journey. Stephen Shu Praise for The Consulting Apprenticeship "When one of the companies I worked for needed help taking its consulting organization to the next level, I hired Steve Shu. His ability to drive our management team - all with different opinions on what we should or should not do - to a 'so-what' conclusion and pragmatic next steps gave us the jump start we needed. He is one of the best and deeply understands how consulting organizations should work. His book provides great techniques as well as tools you can use immediately." - Prakash Panjwani, CEO at WatchGuard Technologies, former President and CEO of SafeNet "Steve Shu has put together a comprehensive guide to the all-important nuts and bolts of being a great consultant. The information in Chapter 21, 'Eight Secret Weapons of the Modern Consultant, ' is worth the price of the book. If you're serious about being a more effective consultant, read this book." - Michael McLaughlin, Author of Winning the Professional Services Sale and Principal Consultant at MindShare Consulting LLC; former Partner at Deloitte "Steve Shu has written a hands-on, highly practical guide for new management consultants and internal corporate business strategists alike. So many projects fail because they do not practice the basic consulting project management hygiene Steve describes in chapter 11. If you are new to the trade and want to greatly increase your chance of delivering successful consulting projects, read this book." - Robert Reppa, Vice President Strategy at Johnson Controls and former Partner at Booz & Company "Steve Shu has written a Rosetta Stone for both new and experienced consultants. Filled with forty power-packed ideas and practical chapter takeaways, Consulting Apprenticeship is structured for busy executives to easily digest each concept. A must read for those who seek to go beyond the shallow bromides of the consulting profession, and hone their skills with deeper, more meaningful approaches." - Adrian C. Ott, Award-winning author of The 24-Hour Customer, and CEO, Exponential Edge Inc, called "One of Silicon Valley's most respected strategists" by Consulting Magazine"
Download or read book Rapid Results written by Robert H. Schaffer and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2005-10-05 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rapid Results! shows how to make large-scale changes succeed by using 100-day results-producing projects to develop this vital implementation capability. Written by Robert H. Schaffer, Ronald N. Ashkenas, and their associates—leaders in the field of change management—Rapid Results! describes an approach that has been field-tested by real organizations of every size and description to improve performance and speed the pace of change. Rapid results projects produce results quickly, introduce new work patterns, and enable participants to learn a variety of lessons about managing change. Step by step, the book describes how the use of rapid-cycle, or 100-day, projects will multiply your organization's power to succeed at large-scale change. Schaffer and Ashkenas specifically outline the concept behind 100-day projects and show you how to Set up the architecture to implement rapid results projects Improve operational performance and also attain hard results in the soft areas of management Build rapid results into major organizational change such as reorganization, acquisition integration, and international development Use rapid results to drive leadership development and culture change
Download or read book Great Application Essays for Business School written by Paul Bodine and published by McGraw-Hill. This book was released on 2005-11-15 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Expert guidance to help you write the essay that gets you accepted by the best business schools If you're applying to a business school these days, you need more than good grades, high GMAT scores, and an impressive resume. You need to write attention-grabbing essays that express your individuality, identify your goals, and play up your talents and strengths. Written by a renowned admissions consultant who has helped applicants get accepted into the nation's top schools, this all-in-one guide will show you what today's top-level admissions offices are looking for. Filled with clear guidelines, insider tips, and winning samples, it will lead you through every step of the application essay process. You'll learn how to organize and structure your writing, avoid common pitfalls, and market yourself like a pro. The book includes: The 8 most common essay questions--and how to answer them 22 actual essays by successful applicants to top schools Interactive exercises and self-quizes to guide you in the right direction Self-marketing strategies to highlight your individual talents Candid insights from admissions officers at top-ranked business schools
Download or read book Extract Value from Consultants written by Gordon Perchthold and published by Greenleaf Book Group. This book was released on 2010 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book empowers managers to take control of the consulting process in any business environment. Features: Insiders reveal the secrets of the consulting trade. Packed with firsthand observations, case studies, and valuable document templates, this book details a step-by-step approach to effectively selecting and managing any consultant. The authors explain how companies can take advantage of the increasingly complex world of global consulting; A guide for maximising return and minimising costs for companies hiring consultants. Too often consultants dictate where, when, and how they will deliver value. The book gives managers the tools they need to select and manage the right consultants at the right time and determine whether or not they are delivering the goods; Authors have global experience with major U.S. companies and consulting firms. The authors have built consulting practices around the world, working with companies such as Deloitte Consulting, Aflac, The Hartford, ING, Nationwide, New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, and Swiss Life.
Download or read book How to Get a Job in Consulting written by Stephen Pidgeon and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-08-14 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the fully updated second edition of the best-selling book that has helped hundreds of MBAs, undergrads and experienced hires get jobs in consulting. It gives candidates an in-depth, insider look at the entire process of recruiting, including how to get the most out of on-campus events, how to network, how to prepare for interviews, and how to succeed in interviews.
Download or read book Hearings Reports and Prints of the House Committee on Appropriations written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations and published by . This book was released on 1965 with total page 1996 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Executive s Guide to Consultants How to Find Hire and Get Great Results from Outside Experts written by David Fields and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2012-11-23 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maximize Your Return on Expertise Research shows a high proportion of consultants fail to deliver results on time, on budget, and on target. Rare is the project that exceeds your expectations. But help is here. The Executive's Guide to Consultants explains how to ensure that every project delivers measurable benefits every time. This book will help you find experts, invest wisely, accelerate change, and achieve your most important goals by tapping into the genius of others. The Executive's Guide to Consultants contains breakthrough ideas covered by no other book, including: Sophisticated new contract structures that maximize your ROI Essential methods for reducing project risk Cutting-edge techniques for making change stick after the consultant leaves You will also learn to: Spot "chameleons" and other low-quality consultants who peddle tired ideas and deliver disappointing outcomes Get better results faster, while lowering fees Find the ideal consultant, coach, agency, or advisor for your precise situation Enforce accountability with outside experts and your own internal team Imagine if you could collect the wisdom of dozens of the country's top CEOs, combine it with the experience of a hall-of-fame consultant, and add a bucketful of unconventional thinking. You'd have The Executive's Guide to Consultants. Easy to read and packed with examples, checklists, templates, and guidelines, this book is the ultimate toolkit for maximizing your ROI from outside experts. Get extraordinary results from every consultant you hire "An extraordinary book. Clear, comprehensive, and eminently readable, it is THE book on how you can extract true business value from outside experts." -- Scott Cotherman, Chairman, TBWA\WorldHealth, subsidiary of Omnicom Group, Inc. "This is the Master Class for those who are smart, innovative, ahead of the pack, and who intend to stay that way. If you're not yet in that league, you should read this book twice." -- Alan Weiss, author, Million Dollar Consulting and The Consulting Bible "A terrific guidebook, with much of the advice equally applicable in managing your organization's internal talent. It's an easy, engaging read with a wealth of insights and detailed action steps--I highly recommend it." -- Brian Walker, President and CEO, Herman Miller, Inc. "A powerful antidote to the strained relationship between consultants and clients." -- Garry Ridge, CEO, WD-40 Company "This book shows you how to make your consultants' work stick. No more major investments in experts or programs that evaporate after only a few months or years." -- De Lyle Bloomquist, President, Tata Global Chemicals "Fields's messages are delivered in the way that all executives would like our outside resources to do it: capably, with straight talk and incredible insight." -- Ralph Scozzafava, Chairman and CEO, Furniture Brands
Download or read book Topgrading revised PHP edition written by Bradford D. Smart Ph.D. and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-04-07 with total page 604 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Great companies don’t just depend on strategies—they depend on people. The more great people on your team, the more successful your organization will be. But that’s easier said than done. Statistically, half of all employment decisions result in a mishire: The wrong person winds up in the wrong job. But companies that have followed Bradford Smart’s advice in Topgrading have boosted their successful hiring rate to 90 percent or better, giving them an unbeatable competitive advantage. Now Smart has fully revised his 1999 management classic to reintroduce the topgrading concept, which works for companies large and small in any industry. The author spells out his practical approach to finding and managing A-level talent—as well as coaching B players to turn them into A players. He provides intriguing case studies drawn from more than four thousand in-depth interviews. As Smart writes in his introduction, “All organizations, all businesses live or die mostly on their talent, and any manager who fails to topgrade is nuts, or a C player. . . . Those who, way deep down, would sooner see an organization die than nudge an incompetent person out of a job should not read this book... Topgrading is for A players and all those aspiring to be A players.” On the web: http://www.topgrading.com/
Download or read book Million Dollar Hire written by David P. Jones and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-02-14 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tools for translating recruiting and hiring decisions into financial returns Even in a down economy, U.S. business and government make millions of hiring decisions every year. Every decision carries risk. Every hire is an investment. Ideally, every one pays a return. In today's demanding environment, companies no longer have room to get it wrong. Million-Dollar Hire shows how leading companies have re-invented themselves, beat their competition, and added millions to their bottom lines with re-engineered recruiting and hiring practices. Using practical, real world illustrations, it shows that there are tools to treat every hiring decision with the same focus a business applies in acquiring other high-value assets. Shows how new technologies and social networking tools are being used to spider the Internet and find the best candidates before the competition Explains how different approaches to candidate screening translate to different levels of financial return to a business Reveals how to estimate the financial payoff for every hire and how to avoid legal challenges This is an invaluable tool for CEOs, CFOs, COOs and HR professionals who want to revamp what is often one of the least sophisticated parts of a business-the ways it finds talent.
Download or read book Joan Garry s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership written by Joan Garry and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-03-06 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nonprofit leadership is messy Nonprofits leaders are optimistic by nature. They believe with time, energy, smarts, strategy and sheer will, they can change the world. But as staff or board leader, you know nonprofits present unique challenges. Too many cooks, not enough money, an abundance of passion. It’s enough to make you feel overwhelmed and alone. The people you help need you to be successful. But there are so many obstacles: a micromanaging board that doesn’t understand its true role; insufficient fundraising and donors who make unreasonable demands; unclear and inconsistent messaging and marketing; a leader who’s a star in her sector but a difficult boss… And yet, many nonprofits do thrive. Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership will show you how to do just that. Funny, honest, intensely actionable, and based on her decades of experience, this is the book Joan Garry wishes she had when she led GLAAD out of a financial crisis in 1997. Joan will teach you how to: Build a powerhouse board Create an impressive and sustainable fundraising program Become seen as a ‘workplace of choice’ Be a compelling public face of your nonprofit This book will renew your passion for your mission and organization, and help you make a bigger difference in the world.
Download or read book The So What Strategy written by Davina Stanley and published by . This book was released on 2017-07-19 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Communicate with greater impact. Have you ever been caught at the end of a presentation when your audience, perhaps a leadership team or a Steering Committee, looks at you blankly and asks this most uncomfortable question: 'So what?' How does that help? If you have been in that position once, you don't want to be there again. You want to know how to answer that question in one single, powerful sentence. Or, even better, set yourself up so nobody asks it. In this book, communication strategists Davina Stanley and Gerard Castles reveal their proven approach. It's all about using storylines to get to the 'So what' fast, and being able to make a case to back it up. You can unlock the power of the 'So what' strategy by taking five steps, which are outlined in this book: 1: Understand why mastering storylining is worth the investment. 2: Learn how to use a storyline to identify and harness the 'So what'. 3: Master the seven classic storyline patterns. 4: Use storylines to shape the communication you share. 5: Introduce storylining in your business. Packed with examples, stories, insights and practical steps, Davina and Gerard show you how to apply these strategies to stop your audiences asking you, 'So what? How does that help us?'.
Download or read book Hiring Right written by Susan J. Herman and published by SAGE. This book was released on 1994 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Managers who hire employees, human resource directors who train line managers and supervisors to do the hiring, and consultants will all benefit from this hands-on manual. The book takes readers through each step in the hiring process, including job definition, recruitment, interviewing, testing and checking references. Each chapter briefly outlines key concepts and includes several exercises and worksheets that will serve as a complete hiring strategy that can be customized to any manager's specific hiring needs.
Download or read book Developer Hegemony written by Erik Dietrich and published by BlogIntoBook.com. This book was released on with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It’s been said that software is eating the planet. The modern economy—the world itself—relies on technology. Demand for the people who can produce it far outweighs the supply. So why do developers occupy largely subordinate roles in the corporate structure? Developer Hegemony explores the past, present, and future of the corporation and what it means for developers. While it outlines problems with the modern corporate structure, it’s ultimately a play-by-play of how to leave the corporate carnival and control your own destiny. And it’s an emboldening, specific vision of what software development looks like in the world of developer hegemony—one where developers band together into partner firms of “efficiencers,” finally able to command the pay, respect, and freedom that’s earned by solving problems no one else can. Developers, if you grow tired of being treated like geeks who can only be trusted to take orders and churn out code, consider this your call to arms. Bring about the autonomous future that’s rightfully yours. It’s time for developer hegemony.
Download or read book Graduate Admissions Essays Fifth Edition written by Donald Asher and published by Ten Speed Press. This book was released on 2024-07-16 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fully updated fifth edition of the go-to guide for crafting winning essays for any type of graduate program or scholarship, including PhD, master's, MD, JD, Rhodes, and postdocs, with brand-new essays and the latest hot tips and secret techniques. Based on thousands of interviews with successful grad students and admissions officers, Graduate Admissions Essays deconstructs and demystifies the ever-challenging application process for getting into graduate and scholarship programs. The book presents: Sample essays in a comprehensive range of subjects, including some available from no other source: medical residencies, postdocs, elite fellowships, academic autobiographies, and more! The latest on AI, the GRE, and diversity and adversity essays. Detailed strategies that have proven successful for some of the most competitive graduate programs in the country (learn how to beat 1% admissions rates!). How to get strong letters of recommendation, how to get funding when they say they have no funding, and how to appeal for more financial aid. Brand-new sample supplemental application letters, letters to faculty mentors, and letters of continuing interest. Full of Dr. Donald Asher's expert advice, this is the perfect graduate application resource whether you're fresh out of college and eager to get directly into graduate school or decades into your career and looking for a change.
Download or read book Consulting 101 written by Lew Sauder and published by Lew Sauder, Inc.. This book was released on 2015-02-13 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn the fundamentals for a successful career in ConsultingFollow these 101 tips to become an expert consultant Consulting 101 is an instructional and easy to read book providing 101 tips for success in consulting. Using case studies in many of the tips, Lew Sauder provides the reader with real world situations that he has experienced and observed over his more than 25 year career. Consulting 101 provides advice on:How to develop strong relationships with clientsHow to develop a sales focus early in your consulting careerHow to become a better communicatorHow to develop your personal brand to advance your career fasterAnd much more
