Flawless Consulting : A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

Media:	Hardcover
Author:	Peter Block
Publisher:	Pfeiffer
Release date:	15 September, 1999
List price:	~~$47.00~~
Our price:	$43.82 that is 7% off!

Flawless Consulting : A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

Average rating: Stars

Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

I was intrigued with this book when I spotted it on a colleague's shelf. He recommended it and I have not been disappointed.

Flawless Consulting is a classic work that establishes the foundation principles used by internal and external consultants alike. It provides an excellent set of primary tools that can be useful for any individual that serves a client.

Block's basic consulting model acts as a roadmap to give direction to the consulting process. The author skillfully overlays the issues of collaboration, control and resistance with clear steps for addressing them. Many consulting failures can be attributed to handling these issues poorly. Peter Block does an excellent job of describing to the reader what is important and how a consultant can manage the issues well.

I appreciated the step-by-step instructions provided for navigating the consulting phases. It made it much easier to understand how to apply the concepts Block was describing for each step. I also found his checklists helpful when preparing for a client meeting especially when it involves the challenging issues of contracting and providing feedback to the client.

Flawless Consulting is a must-read for anyone serving clients within an organization or acting as an external consultant. The principles presented are simple without being simplistic and have broad application to many different types of engagements.

Flawless Consulting : A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used - Peter Block

Good primer, but more reading suggested

Peter Block's "Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used", was one of several texts for Dr. Alan Goldman's class on Organizational Consulting, a part of the Scottsdale MBA program offered by ASU West. Having worked as an internal and external consultant in the past, I was hoping for some "tips and tricks" I might be able to glean from this book. I was not disappointed.

Block uses an easy to read style that makes the numerous, yet short, chapters quick reads. The book is organized into nineteen chapters, with each chapter focused on a distinct element of consulting. Topics covered include: contracting, internal consultants, resistance, data-gathering, feedback, implementation, and ethics. Perhaps the most useful section is on implementation.

In his chapters on implementation, Block addresses one of the biggest problems in consulting today, the "implementation gap". What happens at the end of a consulting project is perhaps more important than what happens when the project is in flight. How can an organization make the most of the work of a consultant? How can that business take the results of a project and integrate them and ensure that the project findings don't gather dust on some bookshelf? Through real, if somewhat dates, strategies, Block gives readers a method to answer these questions.

To supplement the chapters, Block provides several checklists in the form of an appendix "Another Checklist You Can Use". These bullets offer nearly all the information from the book in concise, "PowerPoint" ready form. This section is a great resource.

Block's book is a good primer for anyone who does not have consulting experience. He lays out terminology as well as real-world scenarios to help clarify the theory. His stance is clearly articulated and the book is easy to follow. That being said, I strongly suggest this book be used as a starting point for consulting education, not as a definitive guide.

Peter Block - Flawless Consulting : A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

A great guide to consulting and easy to read

As an MBA student in Dr. Alan Goldman's Organizational Consulting class at ASU West, I was required to read this book. Since a career in consulting had never really appealed to me, I began reading this book with very little enthusiasm. I quickly changed my opinion after finishing the first chapter, though.

Peter Block is very methodical in presenting an effective consulting model and in describing exactly what a consultant is and should be doing. While reading this book, and more specifically chapter 7 "The Internal Consultant", it became apparent to me that I do function as an internal consultant in my organization. Prior to reading this book, that thought had never occurred to me. Now that I have come to the realization that I do play a role as an internal consultant, I feel that having read this book will be a great asset to me professionally.

While this book was very easy to read and comprehend, I did find it a little repetitive at times. I also felt a little disappointed in some areas. For example, when discussing low motivation in a consulting project, Block provides a step-by-step framework on how to deal with low motivation. This is a six-step process that ends with "hope for the best." It seemed as though Block was saying after implementing all these steps, there may be nothing more that can be done than to get on with the project. Realistically, I suppose this is the best a consultant can hope for in this situation.

Despite the issues I have with this book, I would still recommend it to business professionals. I'm positive this book will help others better understand the role of a consultant just as it did for me.

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