Modern Times
Comedian Louis C.K. asks why we complain about airline service when we're able to sit in a chair and ride in the sky. I've heard people complain that their cell phone call to London, while walking down a street in
Preventive vs Contingent
After a month, hundreds of law enforcement people finally killed and captured the two escaped convicts from the Clinton Correctional Facility at a cost of tens of millions. I don't think anyone could fault the diligence and organization of the
Is It an Event or A Process?
People tend to see hiring as a series of events: find talent, interview, make a decision, make an offer, and so forth. But hiring is a process that really looks like this: Identify need and results required Search for talent Interview against criteria Make
Hawkishness
I held my first group session in our new retreat facility last week, and midway though the morning a huge boom at one of the windows overlooking the pond startled all of us. We looked up to see a hawk
Pride and Prejudice
There's a saying attributed to Xenophanes observing that if horses and cattle were asked to draw pictures of God, they would draw pictures of horses and cattle. If you ask an insurance agent for an investment vehicle, the agent will suggest
Prospect Discussion Sequence
IF you're confident your meeting is with a buyer, here's a suggested sequence to organize a first encounter around meeting your maximum objective: agreement to consider a proposal and discuss it in the next few days. ▪ Opening. Niceties, greetings, etc. ▪
If You’re An Expert….
• You have opinions of value based on your knowledge and experience that are provocative and don't have to be otherwise justified or substantiated. • You are cited by others (positively or negatively). • You create new intellectual property on a continuing
Are You An Expert Or A Delivery Wagon?
If you walk into a meeting with a buyer oriented toward a "solution" or methodology, you're going to default to it like a homing pigeon no matter what the buyer says about his or her needs. If you walk in with
Consulting for Dummies
I'm told that this is an actual passage from the author and book listed below. Supposedly, he is using his "50 years of consulting experience" to instruct the reader on how to consult. I'd say he's 50 years (or more) out
The Daily Sabbatical
I've been fortunate to have worked and spent time with a variety of thought leaders: Walt Mossberg, Walter Isaacson, Dan Pink, Marshall Goldsmith, David Maister, et. al. Nearly all of them have talked of "sabbaticals" to recharge the batteries, work