Quintessential Guide to Using Consultants

Bringing in the right consultant and getting what you want from the relationship is important—yet there has been a lack of specific guidance in this area until now. The Quintessential Guide to Using Consultants presents practical and clear guidelines for maximizing the results of the consulting relationship through each step of the process. You’ll get answers to such questions as: What does a consultant do? Should you use former colleagues with inside knowledge of your business—or outside experts? How can you avoid failed projects and fingerpointing, finding fault and assigning blame? What is—and isn’t—a consultant responsible for? Thorough, straightforward and packed with real-world wisdom Inside you’ll find priceless information on: Why use a consultant How to select a consultant Ways to contract with a consultant How to manage a consultant during the life of a project How to work with—not against—a consultant Evaluating a consultant’s work Exiting the consulting relationship While the book is written from the client’s perspective, consultants who want to strengthen their own approaches will also find The Quintessential Guide to Using Consultants valuable. Delve into how successful consultants think, act and behave and identify ways to gain an advantage over your competition. Features include key learning points or skills to be mastered at the beginning of each chapter, personal examples from widely publicized cases, worksheets, checklists, and more.