On the Red Sox and Strategy
Last night my wife and I were in a skybox owned by the Boston NBC affiliate watching the Red Sox play Tampa Bay. These boxes are stocked with food throughout the game, air conditioned with a wide-screen TV and
Working From the Front
I was sitting in the truck whiling away my time as my wife shopped for flowers to plant. We have six acres, and we're running out of planting room. But that's another story. It was too hot for the dogs to
The Martial Arts of Language II
I also use a neat trick I call "identical differences." It involves taking two words that many people assume mean approximately the same thing and differentiating them strongly, so that the other person says, "We've never considered that. We need
The Martial Arts of Language
I've often spoken and written about the sequence I discovered over a decade ago: language controls discussion, discussion controls relationships, and relationships control business. The problem is that so many professional services providers don't use language well or underestimate its
Australian Chief Justice To Be In Touch
On May 22 I wrote here that the Australian Chief Justice had recommended that lawyers must charge for value and that hourly billing was inappropriate. I provided a video clip of his comments. At the time, I sent him a
Sorry, You’re Not A Consultant
Cognitive dissonance is a state where two conflicting ideas or experiences collide. Many people in consulting and related professional services are almost incapacitated by this phenomenon, because their frustration and stress are exponentially increased. And I'm here to tell you why
Twelve Failings That Kill Consultants (And Most Others)
• Failing to return a legitimate email request within a day. NO ONE is so busy that they can't return email messages in a day, unless you are allowing all kinds of spam to intrude or are spending all your
Saks
I’m hosting the latest Mentor Hall of Fame Meeting at The Palace hotel on Madison Avenue in New York. We had a few hours of free time yesterday afternoon, and my wife said, “Do you need to buy anything while
Let’s Not Blow Our Tops
We’re starting to hear of the outrage of people trapped in Europe or unable to get to Europe due to this unpronounceable Icelandic volcano. And, of course, many are searching for scapegoats. The Airlines want the European Union to bail them
How to Consult With Almost Anyone About Almost Anything
If you're new to consulting, don't worry, just read on. If you're a veteran, don't worry, just read on. 1. Never assume the client is damaged unless you receive evidence—observed behavior—to the contrary. 2. Be diagnostic in your marketing and early discussions,