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Dynamics

How to Tell a Good Consultant from a Great One

I started consulting 14 years ago. It’s not always been easy. Most times I’ve been good, a few times I’ve been mediocre, and on occasion I’ve done great work with my clients. I’ve worked with other consultants, some of whom have been consistently good, some great, and some… not so much. I’ve taught consulting to others – I’ve seen their struggles and their successes, and just how challenging it is to do great work for their clients.

As I aspire to be consistently great, it is helpful to differentiate good from great. Here is how I define the difference…

Goals

The Spirit of the Season – All Year Long

How would you be different if the spirit of this season lasted all year long? As you pause, cease your paid labor, gather with friends and family, take a moment to reflect on the messages that this time of year brings, and determine what parts of this holiday you’ll carry forward. You can be a light in the darkness, you can bring hope to those in despair, and by caring for others you’ll find you’ve cared for yourself.

It’s Contest Time!

Blogging can be a lonely endeavor… write, post, get a few comments. It’s hard for me to tell what posts resonated, which ones caused you to pause and consider, or which ones spoke to you.

I want to know what you liked – and what areas I should spend more focus on in the coming year – and need your help. I’m conducting a simple contest. Weigh in on these top 10 posts based on web stats, and tell me which post is your favorite. If you’re feeling prolific, you might add why, but that is not required.

The poll will be open until Friday, January 23rd – so vote now! I’ll randomly select three people from all those who respond – and they’ll get a signed copy of my book, The Leader’s Guide to Turbulent Times.

Is Faster/Better/Cheaper Always Best?

We seem, in our personal and professional lives, to want to speed things up, maximize value, and do it with fewer and fewer resources and less money. And I’m not immune to that thinking. I challenge students in my Entrepreneurship class to find new ways to solve problems people have, to imagine ways to create a business that can do something faster or better, although I warn against competing on price alone (the cheaper). My change management practice aims to help clients implement change faster and better – and with less drama and resistance. Yet I wonder if faster/better/cheaper should really be our north star for all things and for all situations.

Change

The New Normal: Unrelenting Change

As some level, I think every one of us knows that the old notions of stability are fiction. That the pace of change is breakneck, coming so fast and furious that we can’t assimilate and accommodate or make sense of it all. That the longevity of our position, our career, our company, our product, or our gadgets are measured at best in years, more likely in months and very seldom in decades. Love it or hate it – we need to reconcile that unrelenting change is the new normal.

Just Ask

This week I was reminded of the power in asking for something you need or want. On Monday, Abby, a summer intern, started to work with me. And it’s a great example of taking a risk to ask.

To hear Abby’s story and to explore why we hesitate to ask bold questions, read on.

Goals

The Fastest Route Might Not be a Straight Line

I think we can learn something about reaching our goals by throwing out the geometry lesson of shortest distances and using the metaphor of sailing.

Dynamics

A Minute to Get It: How to Get Your Audience’s Attention and Action

In our last post, Myra Cocca discussed ways leaders can communicate in times of change. Today, I explore a related topic – how to get a share of the attention when people are bombarded with information – at work, home, in the car, and in the community. In a message-saturated world, how do you get someone to read your email, open your letter, spend time on your website, peruse your blog, listen to your presentation – and then take appropriate action?

Challenges

The Facilitation Challenge

The Challenge – Facilitate a one hour session to identify group values and begin to shape a future vision. No problem, except that 45 of the participants only spoke Tamil and I only speak English.

Business Plan vs Business Model Canvas: A Shift We Can All Learn From

Last week I had the chance to attend a 3 day workshop on Lean LaunchPad at Stanford, in which I learned the latest thinking on how to successfully launch a new business. Even if you are not an entrepreneur, there are great lessons for anyone navigating today’s fluid environment.

Evergreen Leadership Blog