Consultants Books

This updated guide was a big improvement on the previous version. The information was current, accurate and really helpful in my decision to apply to the company. I especially like the "day in the life" section and the interview preparation tips. A worthwhile investment.

If you're interested in BCG, then i'd say this is a must-read. This guide really gets into the nitty gritty of what's going on at BCG, how they got to where they are, and where they're going in the future. I got a good feel for what it's like to work there. The liberal use of quotes and insider data made it feel like Wetfeet had really done its homework--which is great for me and lets me focus on learning the stuff rather than having to scramble and search to find all of this valuable info. i'll be sure to use it when i go after a job there. i've also had a look through your other company guides--Booz, Bain and McKinsey--and am glad to say that I got a lot out of all of them. this is definitely not marketing/PR .... i appreciate the strong point of view injected in these guides. and the fine balance struck between the good and bad in every company.

What does Alaskan author Steve Wolfe have in comon with Mark Twain and Jack London? Well, like those two well-known authors, Steve Wolfe is an outstanding storyteller. He may not have the fame of the other two, but he should. Wolfe, a high school teacher and wrestling coach who just happens to live and work in Homer, Alaska, shares with his readers some of the most entertaining and fun stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Call Us Champions happens to be his second book and perhaps he's done himself a disfavor by subtitling the book More Alaska Wrestling Stories. DO NOT let that subtitle scare you off. This book is so much more than stories about high school wrestling. You don't have to be a fan of wrestling, know anything about Alaska, or even enjoy sports to absolutely love the stories in this book.

Like Call Me Coach his earlier book, Call Us Champions again provides the reader with wonderfully entertaining stories of life in Homer. Sure many of them center on wrestling, but the book overflows with great stories of life in this small Alaska town. And Wolfe tells those stories with such spirit and humor you can't help but be drawn in. Now, Wolfe readily admits that some of the stories are embellished pictures of the truth and others are just plain made up. You can't really tell which is which as the stories introduce us to a myriad of characters and circumstances that can't help but have us laughing.

A big part of what makes Wolfe's stories so enjoyable is the fact he seems capable of finding the humor and fun in just about every situation. It makes no difference whether he's discussing the harrowing drive hundreds of miles to an wrestling tournament in the harsh Alaskan winter or finding himself roped into being head football coach of a losing team or trying out for the teacher in space program, he sees the humor in it all. Reading of his experiences it's hard to tell what Steve Wolfe has enjoyed more: teaching or coaching. Over the years he's found himself stuck teaching Spanish, serving as a scoutmaster, and being head couch of two major sports, football and wrestling, simultaneously. Through it all, Wolfe retains a unique ability to share those experiences from a humorous outlook. In doing so, he draws his reader in so well, it's almost like being there.

Bob Davis, a member of the National Book Critics Circle, is the owner of Bob Davis Editing, Live Oak, TX.

Steve Wolfe's two books *Call Me Coach* and *Call Us Champions* are engaging and thought provoking reads with humor, poignancy and excellent descriptive. For those interested in writing on day to day life with emphasis on (though not solely about) the challenges of coaching highschool sports in small town America (and even more specifically Alaska) these books are a must read. I found myself stopping and reflecting alot during my readings of these works as I related so much to them. For those who have read and enjoyed Tom Bodette's essays on life in Homer, Alaska one will find Steve Wolfe's writing comparable in many ways to Mr. Bodette's.

Saturday, January 26, 2008 hyperboleprattle.blogspot.com
"Call Us Champions"


BOOK REVIEW by Stan Harrington


"Call Us Champions" authored by Steve Wolfe is now available on the Internet and at most of the local bookstores. This is the second book that Coach Steve Wolfe has written pertaining to his career as a wrestling coach and football coach at Homer High School. Although his first book was good, a reader that was not familiar to the stories it was difficult to navigate since fictitious names were used. However, his latest book, "Call Us Champions" is well written and actual names and times were used to enhance the story lineFor those not familiar with Coach Steve Wolf, he has a long history in the sport of wrestling, not only as a coach but also as a national champion in a variety of styles, and weight classes of wrestling. He is a dedicated wrestler as well as being a dedicated coach. Throughout his writings, he also gives you a glimpse into his personal life as a husband and father. The trials and tribulations of living, teaching school, and coaching in the small town environment of Homer, Alaska.

The book cover is a picture of the one of his wrestlers, John Neland, following the winning of his State Championship in his senior year at Homer High School. The book is fille

A little bit of advice: if a favorite author releases a series of limited-edition hardcovers in an "author's cut" version, do not simply buy the first and tell yourself you'll pick the rest up later. I ended up spending way too much on this, once I finally found it, though not quite as much as I spent on The Cat and the Jack of Spades.

Johnny Diamond is the headliner at the Crystal Phoenix hotel & casino in Las Vegas. Think Wayne Newton, but younger. He's been receiving threatening notes, so to protect him, the Fontana brothers (nine of them, brothers of Nicky, who owns the hotel) move him to a random suite (which turns out to be 713, the sealed, never-used suite of notorious mobster Jersey Joe Jackson that figured strongly in the previous book).

But Johnny's getting bored, and the Fontanas' ideas to keep him entertained with a string of ladies-of-the-night isn't working. So they hit upon the idea of getting gambler Jill O'Rourke to teach him poker. For security's sake, they don't tell her who Johnny is, and they keep her blindfolded until she's in the suite.

Jill lives out in the desert with her grandfather and his cronies, looks like a teenager, dresses like a boy, and despite the fact that she's been hanging around with the chorus girls since she was a child, she's not at all practiced in "the feminine arts."

Johnny thinks she's just another version of the prostitutes they've brought him, but at least she looks different, so he lets her stay, but just to talk. Jill doesn't understand his reluctance to play poker, but she needs the money they're paying her to help support her grandfather, so she doesn't ask questions.

You can pretty well tell where it's going from there, right? There's still the stalker to deal with, and their hidden identities and vastly different stations in life. And of course helping with all of this is Midnight Louie, the ladies' cat and detective.

I loved this precursor to the Midnight Louie series. It has the same feel, and some of the same characters--primarily, the denizens of the Crystal Phoenix. The romance between Jill and Johnny may be predictable, but everything fits just right, and it's very sweet.

I think what made it stand out for me is that Jill may be naive at some things, but she's not weak, and she's not stupid. And she doesn't end up turning into something she's not--that is, she doesn't get a makeover from the chorus girls and discover that her appearance is now her new vocation. Too many times in this sort of plot, the heroine's previous self who's unconcerned about appearance and relationship games is tossed away, with the unspoken assumption that a woman's value lies only in her appearance and her ability to manipulate men. Jill gets dressed up, but she goes back to her jeans and boots, and she remains too honest for her own good.

This story originally appeared, in abridged format, in Crystal Nights.

Long before Midnight Louie adopted Temple Barr, or as much as this womanizing cat can settle down with anyone, he made his home at the Crystal Phoenix. Nicky Fontana and his wife Van von Rhine own the classic Vegas small hotel and casino and are making it a must go to place in Las Vegas. Inside the hotel is the Crystal Curtain Music Theatre where Gentleman Johnny Diamond sings the tunes that have made him the heartbreaker of millions of women.

Someone stalks Johnny, sending him letters threatening to kill the performer. Nicky beefs up security to the point that the crooner begins to go stir crazy and needs a taste of diversion. Professional gambler Jill O'Roarke is hired to teach Johnny how to play poker. They fall in love, but each of them conceals secrets that could tear them apart.

Superstar Midnight Louie's role in this delightful prequel from his seafood salad days is that of watcher. He studies the strange behavior of humans as if he is a social anthropologist struggling to understand an alien race. His witty, ironic observations entertain the audience as few charcaters can. Still, he also plays a pivotal role in the superbly designed romantic suspense. Louie proves why he is such a favorite of readers, as Carole Nelson Douglas leaves her audience purring for more.

Harriet Klausner

The day I discovered how much consultants on my project were being paid for doing the same work as I was doing, I decided to be a consultant myself. Higher income is just one obvious attraction of consulting; there are many others. On the other hand it's definitely not for everyone. Alan Canton's book will help you decide for yourself. Here, in one well-written and candid package, are all the things you have to consider, from honestly assessing your job, people, organizational skills and self-discipline to the practicalities of establishing your small business *in your area* (that's an important point that other books I've seen fail to consider). In short, Computermoney answered all the unknowns in the back of my mind that were holding me back and gave me a clear and, as it turns out, accurate set of expectations of the consulting lifestyle. I have given copies of this book to six people over the years since it was first given to me. Four of them reached the same conclusion I did and are now well paid computer consultants. Good luck with your decision!

I think that anyone who considers becoming an independent consultant should read this book first. It honestly talks about risks and negative sides of contracting as well as the money that you can make as a reward for taking these risks. The style is "tongue-in-cheek", and may even seem offensive at first, but after a few pages you get a feeling that you talk to a buddy who shares the secrets of trade with you. It's fun to read, gives you a great confidence boost if you are serious about independent consulting, and is full of practical advise. I found a lot of parallels with my own consulting experiences. Definitely recommend.

At first I found myself reluctant to start yet another consulting manual. And yet, within the first page, I was captured by the fact that Payn had managed to take what can seem a dry subject and turn it into artistry with his little gems of wisdom. And reading it one can soon feel, very deeply in your bones, that Payne has done this consulting business in many ways, for many reasons, and for many years. The truth rings through in so many of the thoughts. As a consulting futurist myself I know how hard it is to convince my clients of the importance of what I am saying. I hope Payn doesn't mind and I do promise to give credit when it's due: I AM going to start quoting him a bunch!

I will end with my favorite:

Consultants be forewarned: You cannot manage CHANGE, it manages you. Respond and anticipate its flow. RULE 211

Happy reading!

Mr. Payn has done a great job of embracing some of the core principles of consulting and managed to convey them clearly, concisely, and in a manner that encourages thought. The author's style and panache lend to the words on the pages. These lessons keep the pages turning and people learning; in that alone, it is a success. I enjoyed the book so much, that I found myself carrying it with me and opening it to random pages; every one of them inspiring with new and unique lesson.

In respect to technology and where we as professionals stand, Mr Payn is right when he says that "we are already behind." In my practice as an Internet Technology Consultant, I find that more time is spent on keeping abreast of new technologies in order to better help my clients keep up with their customers. Many of the passages in the "Consultant's Advanced Instruction Book - 303 Rules to Guide Consultants in the Internet Age" helped to remind me of lessons long since learned and forgotten, as well as inspired many "ah-ha's" that were truly needed. This book is inspiring, witty and intelligent. At the same time it provokes thought and embodies the spirit of what we as professionals do, advise to the best of our ability.

This book is for consultants who want to learn beyond the usual methods, techniques and how-to's. Merron focuses on change consultants: those who "aim to change organizations as a whole in some significant way." He delves into what makes a masterful consultant. The qualities he has discovered, through his own experiences and interviews with others, are the subject of this insightful, absorbing book. Strong relationship to the client (ultimately viewed as the whole organization), potent application of knowledge, and strong character are key qualities. But a few words do no justice at all to the substance and value of this work.

The book closes with some guidelines for those seeking to achieve the masterful level, which is a life-long journey. This is a terrific book; one that delves into the deepest levels of what makes for consulting mastery. As consultants ourselves, we feel Merron fully succeeds in conveying the spirit and inner-most realities of what is masterful consulting. Very strongly recommended.

As stated in the preface, "This book is directly aimed for serious consultants committed to improving their craft.", and I found that the author's aim is right on target.

Not only is the material well thought out, useful, and relevant, the author also practices his style of consulting in the book by calling into question deep assumptions about the process of consulting and focuses on what will make the most difference. To read this book is to get an experience of hearing a deeper truth about consulting that goes beyond the techniques and tools, just as he recommends that consultants stand for in service to their clients.

I am seeing this book as a deep and influential compass that I will keep returning to in my practice to hone my inner stance to work, family, community, and life. Well worth the investment in time and money if you are serious about stepping up to the challenge.

I am quite thankful for this book and its many valuable tips. I recently had liposuction and feel that had I not reviewed some of the information for recovery, I might have been in greater discomfort. You don't really understand what it will be like until you become a patient, but I can tell that the author is a patient as she is extremely thorough with her realistic and helpful explanations. I highly recommend this book.

With all of the hype about cosmetic surgery I have found it very difficult to get impartial and informative assistance on selecting a physician who best meets my needs. I had also never considered the importance of selecting an accredited surgical facility-but as I researched the horror stories and read the book, I realized this decision can be as important as selecting the right physician. The detailed information on what to expect before and after surgery was very helpful. A must read if you are considering cosmetic surgery!

This book explains how simple it truly is to pull data from an industrial PLC on the factory floor. In additon to teaching you how to display your data using graphs, the book shows you how easy it is to make a recipe management application.

The book proves there's an economical alternive to the big buck solutions. It's a good place for any novice to start.

I'd easly recommend this book!

This is an outstanding book, that lets you make an industrial application (HMI), with the use of Microsoft Access. This is for the person that does not have much money, but wants to be an Industrial Programmer for HMI development.

I highly recommend this book!

A nice new size for this edition. Any older editions are obsolete. Many changes in the Rules of Golf for the Golfer to study. Don't buy any of the older editions listed as they are out of date and inaccurate.

An extraordinarily informative and detailed book. The Book answers almost all the questions you might have about the application of the Rules. The Rules of golf often seem simple, but their application can be difficult. Additionally, some of the rules are quite arcane, verbose, and difficult to understand. Yet, Decisions on the Rules of Golf contains actual questions from actual players, and actual answers from the USGA -- over 600 pages of questions and answers! All of which are divided according to various rules and their subparts. A very helpful index makes it easy to find quickly any answer to any question you might have. Additionally, the book sets out each pertinent rule verbatim at the beginning of each chapter. All of the definitions needed to understand the Rules are set forth and all Rulings on what each definition means are included as well. The strangest thing about this book is not only that it is informative and detailed, but that it can also make quite entertaining reading. It doesn't take too long before you realize that the almost all of the questions concern actual events that actually happened to some unfortunate soul, along with the USGA rulings about what the correct application of the rule should have been in those circumstances. For example, Greg Norman was recently disqualified for hitting a provisional ball after he hit his drive into a water hazard, found his first ball playable when he got to the hazard, and then played his first ball -- all perfectly acceptable if a provisional ball were allowed to be played after hitting your ball into a water hazard. Reading the rule on hitting into a water hazards and the rule on playing a provisional ball (I don't have my Decisions on the Rules of Golf by my side when I'm writing this review, they are in my golf bag where they should be, so I can't tell you what the specific Rule numbers are), a normal person could eventually discern the fact that provisional balls can be played only in certain circumstances, and that those circumstances do not include water hazards. But rather than having to page back and forth between two or three different rules, you could simply have looked up this question in the index to the Decisions on the Rules of Golf, and found that it forms the basis for several questions and answers in the book. Let me give you another example. Let's say you're playing to an elevated green where you cannot see the green's surface, but you can see the flagstick. You hit to the flagstick only to discover when you climb to the green that some joker has taken the flagstick out of the hole and jammed it into the other side of the green 50 feet from the hole. Do you get relief? Read the book and find out. Many even stranger events form the basis of the questions and answers, along with the questions and answers to more common questions. I highly recommend this book, and although it is approximately an inch and a half thick, it fits easily into most golf bags. It ought to be a required possession of every clubhouse.

I wish this book was available for purchase. You can drop the book and what ever page falls opened exposes a great technique that anyone could use.

Among the many group facilitation guide books that I own in my personal library, this one is my most treasured copy. It comes in a large binder format, spring bound for easy handling & quick reference.

Unlike most conventional books on facilitation, practically evey page out of the some 350 pages is beautifully illustrated with graphics/iconic language. Reading and referencing are therefore a breeze, as well as a visually appealing experience.

This wonderful guide book is produced by the one and only David Sibbet and his great team of people at Grove Consultants. I consider them to be one of three industry heavy-weights, and pioneer/innovator in the field of embracing group genius through visual-graphic facilitation processes. They have really come a long way in providing visioning/strategy/team performance/meeting consulting and training to businesses, governments and community organisations.

In addition to the fundamental principles of effective facilitation (in the traditional sense), principles for leading group process through graphic facilitation are extensively elaborated in this book, even though they are based on the Grove model. On top of these, the book is packed with easy-to-use graphic templates, keyboards and formats (that go beyond flip-charting!). As far as I know, there isn't any other facilitation book in print today that has such a complete and comprehensive coverage.

However, the best part of the book is the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model, which has been artfully dove-tailed to suit group facilitation. Each of the seven stages of this model(Orientation, Trust Building, Goal/Role Clarification, Commitment, Implementation, High Performance, Renewal) has been logically structured with a series of strategic conversations. With this unique repertoire of field-tested instruments, any facilitator can be empowered to transform group process with the power of visual thinking and listening.

From the perspective of change management methodology, not just graphic facilitation, I consider this book, with the embodiment of the Grove model, to be the best in the genre.