Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0787956023 ISBN 13: 9780787956028

Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S., 2000

Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S.; 2nd Gift edition edition (June 12, 2000

Review:

The second edition of Peter Block's Flawless Consulting gracefully updates what many consider the best resource of its kind. New chapters on implementation, "whole-system" strategies, and ethics are included, but in general it simply fine-tunes Block's proven advice to match the transformations that business and society have undergone since initial publication two decades ago. "The days of long studies and expert-driven answers are passing," the author proclaims in his new preface. "The task of the consultant is increasingly to build the capacity of clients to make their own assessments and answer their own questions." He then subtly modifies his established recommendations accordingly for every step, from the initial client meeting and problem diagnosis through data collection and the execution of solutions. In the section on "Conducting a Group Feedback Meeting," for example, he advises: "Treat the group as a collection of individuals.... Ask each person what he or she wants from the meeting. This will surface differences and force the group to take responsibility for some of the difficulties that may arise." --Howard Rothman

About the Author:

PETER BLOCK is the president of Peter Block Company and also Designed Learning. Peter is a well-known and respected speaker and consultant, with clients all over the world, including Arthur Anderson, and Ford Motor Corporation. He received his master's degree in industrial administration from Yale University. He lives in Mystic, Connecticut.