Consultants Books

I bought this book 8 years ago and since that time it has been very useful in order to show value to my customers in our consultant assignments.

Phillips provides a good, general overview of the metrics to consider in evaluating the return on consulting engagements. However, the book could have been significantly improved by the addition of at least one complete example of an application of the suggested method for calculating ROI, including a more in-depth treatment of the many survey methods suggested. Further, some of the snippets of the quantitative examples are simplified to the point of being misleading. Finally, the concept of the scorecard, which was part of the title of the book, was not developed in the text.

As any consultant - and author Jack Phillips - will tell you, the days when a consultant could make a living by sharing the latest trendy approaches to business are long, long gone. Today's executives expect consultants to adhere to the same standards of accountability that consultants themselves have advocated for years. Therefore, the ability to determine a consulting project's return on investment is an important skill for both executives and the consultants they hire. Phillips offers a practical approach to ROI that somehow avoids consulting jargon and complex formulas. Although it lacks case studies that show how to overcome specific obstacles to data collection and interpretation, this is a valuable book that fills in an important piece of the consulting puzzle. Best of all, it does so in a common-sense way that can be understood by carbon-based life forms, therefore we [...] recommend this book to consultants and those who hire them.

Just like the soup, this book is mmmm...mmmm...good!

As a client, the book provided a very clear guideline to keep consultants accountable. I now feel that I will know when hiring a consultant is both a good idea and cost-effective. Knowing that I had read this book, our consultants were able to better communicate with us. Overall, incredible!

Thea Kozak is one of the most unusual female amateur detectives in existence. She is a consultant for private schools and often becomes involved in murder with her signigicant other, a policeman fearing for her safety. Bad things happen to the people in the book. The initial victim is a teenage girl with few scruples, but one the reader begins to warm to and sympathize with as Thea probes her background. Buy this book, but only after reading the three proceeding this title which are available in paperback. See the author's note and keep Thea in print.

Bucksport School, an elite private high school in Massachusetts, is the source of a tragedy when a senior is found dead in the midst of a cracked icy pond. The headmistress calls in renowned educational consultant Thea Kozak to assess the situation and to institute damage control measures to insure that the school does not lose any of its donations or students (especially the fees). Thea thinks that her latest assignment will be a straight forward job until she learns that the deceased was two months pregnant.

Once she learns that startling bit of news and questions several people close to the victim, Thea is convinced that the girl's death was neither an accident or a suicide. Thea's inquiries soon stir up a lot of people, including someone trying to kill her. That individual nearly succeeds, but instead of scaring off the tough Thea, she goes after the killer before another attempt on her life can occur.

Kate Flora is a very special author whose stories always are complex and compelling, never following any pre-set formula from the mystery genre. Ms. Flora's ability to write to her own drummer turns her novels into unforgettable works of art. AN EDUCATED DEATH is a multilayered who-done-it, starring characters that are very realistically drawn . On a scale from one to ten, this book is an eleven.

Harriet Klausner

I loved this book--not for the plot, which comes across as immature a good deal of the time--but for the interplay between the main characters. Yes, the author tends to make Thea describe her feelings too us way too much (we don't need half the details we get!), and yes, she ends up chosing having her way over listening to her boyfriend's VERY REASONABLE concerns for her, but I still loved it. Thea is bright, sassy, has a great sense of humor, and doesn't let anybody walk on her. Don't expect too much depth or heart string tugging, but a great read if you want to laugh a lot.

This book began well, with an intriguing chapter from the point of view of the murder victim, but rapidly went downhill, to the point where I wouldn't have finished it if I hadn't been traveling in Italy and unable to get my hands on anything else in English. As the murders pile up, the heroine behaves more and more like Nancy Drew, doing foolish and unprofessional things so that she has to be rescued - and with constant references to similar behavior in past books that put her in the hospital. Well, duh.... Ultimately, a real let-down.

The characters in GAME FOR ANYTHING are so very likable, and while the premise is nothing new - high school jock takes virginity of beautiful brainiac, crushes her fragile heart, the two are later reacquainted and she vows revenge - I'm pretty sure it hasn't been done this well. These characters each have issues and emotional baggage, the extent of which the other is unaware of. I highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy romance with sports figures. There isn't an overwhelming amount of football or locker room talk - just enough to bring the story to life - so don't be put off by the football subject if football isn't your thing.

Julie Spencer was an image consultant at the top of her game. She thought nothing could shake her until she found herself face to face with the boy who had broken her heart in high school, and taken her virginity. Ty Calhoun was one of the world's greatest quarterbacks in fact he just recently scored the winning touchdown in the super bowl. While he was a great athlete, his public reputation was abysmal. He was a bad boy, and the new owner of his football team didn't want any public relations nightmares like Ty, so he was forced to meet with the new image consultant they hired. Ty couldn't have been more surprised or pleased that his meeting was with none other than Julie. He had regretted his treatment of her his whole adult life, and dreamed of being with her again.

Julie's first instinct was to turn down this particular client, but when Ty threw a veiled challenge in her direction, she couldn't turn away. He had to be close to her. Now that he knew where she was, and had the opportunity, he was not going to let it pass him by. Ty was supposed to be acting like a choirboy, but if his plans worked as expected, he would be getting a lot closer to Julie. When the team owner saw the new photos of Ty in the morning paper, he was spitting mad, and summoned them to his office. After a comeuppance, Ty found himself with a new temporary home - Julie's home! He had to stay with her for the next couple of weeks where she was responsible for his every action. She was supposed to keep him out of trouble.

Ty wanted Julie. He wanted her in his bed most definitely, but more than that he wanted her in his life, and he also wanted her forgiveness for being a stupid kid so many years ago. He didn't want to scare her away, so he decided that going slow was the ticket. After spending only a few days together when they could stand it no longer, they gave into the passion sparking between them. Things were looking up, and Ty just hoped they could overcome all their obstacles to be together in the "real" world.

Ty and Julie are a very appealing couple. Their history adds a rich element to the story. Both are only coasting through life until they cross each other's path again. When they come together this becomes apparent to them both. He leads a shallow existence living his life as others expect him to while trying to forget his humble beginnings, and alcoholic father. She was raised in the lap of luxury, but is trying to live her life without relying on her family's wealth. Her family embarrasses her as her mother is an alcoholic, and her father is a womanizer. Can these two broken people heal each other, and find common ground to build a life on? They both learn a hard lesson that appearances are deceiving.

Ty Calhoun is on top of the world. As the star quarterback for the Outlaws, he already has women swarming all over him. Now he has won the Super Bowl... but he can't seem to forget that one girl from high school, the only one to not be impressed by his athletic ability. Meanwhile, his team has a new owner, one who wants Ty reformed and is willing to do anything it takes. Anything, including hiring an image consultant! Ty is horrified until he learns the image consultant is Julie Spencer, the girl he hasn't been able to forget. Can Ty convince Julie that he's the man for her?

Bella Andre writes a fun, sensual book about finding both lost love and one's own self. Neither Ty nor Julie has forgotten each other but misunderstandings have kept them apart. Their story is both bittersweet and steamy, as neither can resist the other.

Bella Andre puts a fascinating spin on image and just how deceiving appearances can be! It's hard not to fall in love with Ty and Julie as they both struggle so hard with the misperceptions they both have about each other's lives. On the surface, Julie is extremely straight laced while Ty is a pure playboy. But does the outside image really tell the full story?

GAME FOR ANYTHING is the first book I've ever read by Bella Andre but I certainly hope it will not be the last featuring the Outlaws. Several secondary characters simply screamed for their own story, particularly Dominic. And who can't help but love little Jack and want to see how things turn out for him? Bella Andre has written the sort of story that draws you in and makes you want to see more of the characters. GAME FOR ANYTHING is a hit!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

NFL superstar San Francisco Outlaws quarterback Ty Calhoun won the Super Bowl on the last play with an incredible run. While the accolades pour in especially for his amazing final play, public relations specialist Julie Spencer watched the game and its final play on TV and expected Ty to score the winning points. She never forgot his scoring with her when he took her virginity and heart without a look back ten years ago.

Behind his impish demeanor, Ty hides the fact he never forgot that high school graduation night that shook him to the core and made him flee like a coward. Now he would give away every trophy and his throwing arm for one more night of uninhibited sex with Julie; even the thought makes him hard.

The new owner of the San Francisco Outlaws believes professional athletes are role models and wants them to behave accordingly in public. For his star quarterback that means a PR remake starting with nuking his current image. Julie, known for her spin skills, is hired to the delight of Ty. Whereas she tries to avoid his efforts to sack her, she knows even mentally thinking about his touch leaves her feeling tackled; he has a game plan to win back her heart starting with her trust as he has a chance to make up the one errant pass of his life by blitzkrieging her heart.

Even no football fans will appreciate this fun second chance at love sports romance as the two stars are likable characters. Ty knows he must gain his beloved's trust which is off the board for taking bets as he has to overcome his desertion and ignoring her afterward. Fans will appreciate this fun lighthearted romp with the only quibble being a team named the Outlaws probably belongs in Oakland (at least at one time that is).

I have just started my own consultancy business and this book has provided me immense insight and confidence.

This book covers the basics for starting your own service based business; concept clarification, proposal development, promotion, entering into contracts, fincial record keeping advise. It was fun to read and I am going to systematically work my business idea through the steps before hanging my shingle.

This book is just poor. The information is just light weight, the suggestions on how to sell yourself will make you come across as either an amateur or scam artist. What should be the most important section on contracts is severely lacking. This book is not for people who are actually serious about going into contracting.

Due to deregulation, a national company holding a monopoly in the transportation industry requested my consulting services to prepare for this upcoming change. Using Dr. Cohen's book as my reference and bench-mark, I could easily follow and prepare a solid consulting proposal, and when accepted, to work it out and present it successfully. I strongly recommend this book to consulting novices and veterans alike.

Organizational Assessment: A Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Consulting (Purchased on 08/04/2008)
by Harry Levinson

Book was in condition as advertised and was delivered in a timely manner.

Particularly for those who are considering consulting work, or who are just getting started in the consulting field, this is a most
well-written,invaluable source of information on the "organizational assessment" process.

As consultants in the field of organization design and change, we have long valued this author's "Organizational Diagnosis," a classic work now out-of-print. The current volume brings this original volume back, but fully updated and highly streamlined. The book takes a diagnostic approach influenced by a psychoanalytical background and psychosocial framework. It is a robust manual for assessing an organization in depth, and outlines a mode for gathering information. Rather than plunge into some recipe for organizational change, this book shows how to understand an organization from many perspectives. Based on this knowledge, a strategy for change can be developed. In addition to examples of proposals, letters to employees, interview questions, and feedback reports, the book presents an excellent assessment outline for use on-site. The work is built on extensive research and is ideal for external and internal consultants and graduate-level students. This book is a gem!-a one-of-kind work that is extraordinary in its comprehensiveness and depth.

This is something i hate to say, but i really didn't know for who this book is written. I didn't mean it did not say who are the readers it intended for, but at least to me the book was written for the authour himself with a language he understand better than others. This book disappointed me at least in following three aspects: fristly, poor organization both chapters and sentences. Just like the authour said "The division into chapters is arbitrary and to ease the reading". (see pp191 of the book). Seondly , ambiguity of the meanings of cases taken in the book. some of examples and cases appear abruptly and almost without any interpretion or conclusions. Thirdly, the writting style of this book is not suit for students, or it's not student-friendly.

This guide was really helpful. It went straight to the point, gave a balanced, objective, and most of all honest view of the company from the inside out.

hey, wetfeet! tks a bunch for providing me with this great little guide. it's just what i needed. i was looking for something that would give me the quick & dirty on deloitte consulting--in other words, sometimes i come across guides that give page after page of info, but there's no point of view, no clear indication of what's important and what's not, and i think: "can you just give me the most important stuff? what are the essential things i need to know to get in the door here? that's it!" and that's what i got from your guide. i especially liked the 2-page cheat sheet at the front that gave me soundbites on what the company's looking for, what its strengths are, what i should think about going into the interview, and basic stats. tks again! i'm looking into a few of your other guides to get me up to speed on what i really need to know.

This report was fairly useful for job interview preparation. Also recommended is the report on Deloitte from Vault.com (the "Vault Employer Profile: Deloitte")

The author brings out the best in one of the most complicated and debatable subjects. Helpful in thinking very objectively and one can use it as a precursor to any strategy work one is doing. Would recommend it strongly to any MBA student and formulators of strategy who usually depend on "superior common sense" rather than objective analysis that Ohmae brings out. Top class work.

I have read much of Shenson's work since the late '70s, and still find value in them ('tho he's been dead for many years). His self-proclaimed title of the 'consultant's consultant' has now been assumed by others. But his ideas, such as the listing in this book still serve to provide value in themselves. As a practicing independent consultant,I find the greatest value of this list, however, is as a 'trigger' to thought that causes me to come up with additional ideas. It is for this reason that I rate it so highly.

As every business owner knows, one of the most frustrating aspects of being self-employed is finding potential customers and convincing them to buy from you. 138 Quick Ideas is a small book full of suggestions for how to network, track down, and lure customers to your door. They are laid out in a common-sense order, with good examples and straightforward text, making the book accessible to business experts and novices alike.

The only drawback to the book is that most of these ideas are by now well known, and many of them are included in the other reviews you'll see here. Plus, when the title says Quick it means just that - nearly all of these ideas occupy less than a page, so the book reads swiftly. So although I can heartily recommend you read this book, I'm not so sure the retail price is justified.

The authors start off by saying, "You can be the most terrific speaker, consultant, attorney, engineer or professional the world has ever seen, but to really succeed, you must successfully sell your services." The key element of this selling is summarized as " . . . to really succeed means to differentiate yourself from others." The authors go on to point out that the massive waves of downsizing are creating much more competition all the time, requiring consultants to improve their marketing continuously.

Here are some examples of the gems in this book:

-- "don't quit marketing" -- many consultants only market when they do not have enough business. You are advised to always spend 15-25 percent of your time in this area.

-- market only to decision-makers -- the gate keepers have to let you in before you can make the sale. Spending time with gate keepers though quickly becomes wasted time.

-- make selling your services your number one task so it always takes priority

-- be seen as an expert in your field based on recent research you have conducted

-- try to market people through the insights you get from your research

-- use wasted time to work on marketing (such as downtime sitting in an airport)

-- whenever you mail your card to someone, include two so one can be shared

-- ask all of your contacts for referrals.

Once you are working on these things, here are some other good ideas:

-- create an environment in which making a referral seems like their idea

-- aim your publicity efforts to generate qualified leads

-- quote fees on a fixed price basis

-- let clients know that you will make them self-sufficient.

One of the good aspects of the book is that it does not seem to have any overtly bad advice in it. Some bits of advice I would question, but it certainly won't get you into trouble.

The main weakness of the book is that the ideas are presented at a summary level. Most people will need more detailed information to be able to implement the concepts. As a starting point, I suggest you read Networlding, Socratic Selling, and Publicity Power(all of which I have also reviewed).

If you do not have a marketing plan for your consulting practice, reading this book will be good background for helping you prepare one.

The key point of this book is to help you overcome your stalled thinking that professionals do not have to market. Good work will be enough. Unless you are already a well-known authority with more demand than you can handle, your good work will only take you so far.

Good luck in finding more clients so you can help more people achieve 2,000 percent solutions!

I was so happy to find this book after months of relying on Canadian gardening references! I'm pleased to see an honest book from real "home" gardeners who have faced the challenges of gardening in the arctic/subarctic regions of Alaska. The author honestly presents the challenges that face gardeners in different regions of Alaska and several methods they have used to deal with them. While there is heavy reliance on information provided from the Alaska Cooperative Extension (ACE - University of Alaska Fairbanks) this isn't quite as annoying as it would be in the lower 48... the ACE team up there is very willing to investigate and recommend non-conventional gardening techniques if they work!

I'm glad I found this book and feel much better prepared to start our garden when we move there!

Got this for my wife and I we live on the kenai and have a small Ranch theres not a hole lot out there for growing in Alaska but found this great book by Ann Roberts. if you live in Our Great state and do allot of gardening this book is a great guide. Thanks Ann

This is a really great book for anyone gardening in the north, not just Alaska. Filled with the advice of the experts all over the state, and research from the Georgeson Botanical Gardens at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (formerly the UAF's Experiment Farm). Generously illustrated (over 200 charts, diagrams and photos), it actually has 352 pages if you count the 17 page index! I am very impressed with this book, as you can tell!

I trust the author will write a sequel, for I just fell in love with his/our hero Nick Conboy. Dragged out of retirement by the State Department for whom he used to work, Nick sets off to Japan to find clues as to who killed our U.S. ambassador to that country.

Within a week, ol' Nick is being hunted by the very people who hired him. His retirement lakeside cottage is burned to the ground, he's shot in the back and nearly drowns, he's accused of murder, and he loses his one contact at the State Department who "apparently" hired him.

I could not recommend this book any more highly. It is simply a must read for any mystery/thriller fan. And what a movie it would make!

"Ambassador Strikes" begins with a dialogue between an ambassador and a surprise visitor. We then learn that the ambassador was the U.S. ambassador to Japan. The past tense is used because he is found dead at a restaurant near the Embassy, his head blown completely away. However, the brutal murder of Thomas G. Strikes is only one headline in Washington, D.C., another being the disappearance of the president's chief fundraiser with millions of dollars. Brought out of retirement former State Department operative Nick Conboy is hired as a consultant to investigation the murder and since his fees will pay for some repairs on his cottage on Lake Waubesa he heads off to Japan.

Having noticed that author Robert J. Collins had lived in Japan for a quarter century I was really expecting that most of "Ambassador Strikes" was going to take place over there. I lived there for several years as well, albeit as a student at a base school whose buildings were used to train kamikazee pilots during World War II, so I was looking forward to a bi-cultural approach to solving the crime. This was especially true once Conboy established a rapport with Inspector Kawamura and his faithful companion who we get to think of as "Kojak." But Conboy quickly returns to the United States where he discovers he is caught up in a growing whirlwind of personal disasters.

The plot that Conboy is trying to uncover in "Ambassador Strikes" apparently goes pretty high in the government and every time we think we know who Conboy can trust there is a good chance that person will end up dead. The mystery here is not so much uncovering clues as it is for our hero to figure out which ones to eliminate because they are dead ends or obfuscations of some sort or another. There is also the possibility that there are multiple plots going on here and that lots of people want to kill Conboy for decidedly different reasons.

Collins' forte as a writer are character and dialogue. Conboy is an engaging hero who has a few friends and manages to make some interesting new ones over the course of the narrative. The chief joy of reading this novel are any of the scenes where Conboy gets to talk to a friendly face, even if it is over the phone. The best of the bunch of secondary characters is Frankie Cohan, who is as wickedly funny as she is beautiful and who handles an unloaded antiquated gun with wonderful aplomb. You wish the wonderful cast of supporting characters were more involved in the proceedings, but given how dangerous things get that would probably not be a good idea.

"Ambassador Strikes" was an interesting book to read because every time the story would take a turn that I was not exactly thrilled by, such as when Conboy left Japan just as things were starting to get interesting, Collins would introduce another interesting character or add another wrinkle to the grand conspiracy. Even when he pushed one of my major buttons (I am tired of presidents being scum of such epic proportions that they make the likes of Nixon and Clinton look like saints) this is still an engaging read and when I take a break from grading and sit out on the top deck in the sun this is exactly the sort of book to be reading and getting suntan lotion on the pages. Besides, it appears Collins has written some mysteries that apparently take place in Japan and I would be especially interested in reading those now.

This book, *Ambassador Strikes,* has it all. It met my number one "requirement" in that is is extremely well written, but the story also has a page-turning quality that makes this quick read hard to put down.

The author takes us from the hopping, neon world of Tokyo to the pastoral setting of a Wisconsin lake, to the thriving suburbs of Chicago, to Georgetown (where I could see the streets and tall, brick homes on the Potomac) to the White House and back to Tokyo again, as the likeable main character, Nick Conboy, tries to solve the mystery of Ambassador Strikes' murder.

This is a great summer read. A movie played in my head as I eagerly turned the pages and I imagined someone like Ben Afflick, or even Kevin Costner or Harrison Ford playing the lead.

I highly recommend this book.

This book had alot of information that was valuable to me in my studies

Very helpful and the book includes some valuable information.

Takes an approach that develops knowledge and understanding for inspectors and engineers with minimal to medium experience. Need to give more emphasis on building construction (small and medium size buildings).