Techniques for Consultants to Become More Valuable to Clients
Have you ever thought about why a toilet is called the loo?
The word "loo" comes from the French "garde a l'eau!"
You see, in medieval Europe people didn't bother much about minute issues like hygiene, and after doing their "toilet actions", they would empty their chamber pots through their window onto the streets.
But before doing the act itself, they were required to warn the people below that some crap was coming and they'd better run for shelter.
In French the warning was "garde a l'eau!", meaning "watch out for the water!".
In England, this phrase was Anglicised, and became "gardy-loo!". Later it got simplified to just "loo".
Today, although most people don't empty their chamber pots onto the streets, buyers expect exceptional value from consultants. And when they don't get the value they negotiated for, they make a big song and dance to warn their peers about which consultants and studs - in a professional sense, of course - and which ones are duds, deadbeats, commercial flotsam-jetsam.
But there are some neat ways was consultants can become more valuable to their clients, and this is what we discuss in this month's blood-boilingly splendiferous episode of Commando Consulting, entitled, Techniques to Become More Valuable to Clients.
Enjoy!
The word "loo" comes from the French "garde a l'eau!"
You see, in medieval Europe people didn't bother much about minute issues like hygiene, and after doing their "toilet actions", they would empty their chamber pots through their window onto the streets.
But before doing the act itself, they were required to warn the people below that some crap was coming and they'd better run for shelter.
In French the warning was "garde a l'eau!", meaning "watch out for the water!".
In England, this phrase was Anglicised, and became "gardy-loo!". Later it got simplified to just "loo".
Today, although most people don't empty their chamber pots onto the streets, buyers expect exceptional value from consultants. And when they don't get the value they negotiated for, they make a big song and dance to warn their peers about which consultants and studs - in a professional sense, of course - and which ones are duds, deadbeats, commercial flotsam-jetsam.
But there are some neat ways was consultants can become more valuable to their clients, and this is what we discuss in this month's blood-boilingly splendiferous episode of Commando Consulting, entitled, Techniques to Become More Valuable to Clients.
Enjoy!
posted by Bald Dog @ Wednesday, October 12, 2011
2 Comments:
At Friday, 14 October 2011 at 14:25:00 GMT-7,
Anonymous said…
Clean read and accurate synopsis of the management currents and eddies, tendencies and beliefs. The tools and tactics used are generally absurd, but since they are purchased by the middle level or human resource folks instead of the leaders and managers, the products and people purchased and hired are two dimensional, credentialed and thus safe (CYA).
I have been consulting management, leadership and the majority of its components in the US Military for two decades, but now retired have been unable to parlay these real and proven experiences and capabilities to the civilian business world.
It is a tragic waste and i am frustrated by the roadblocks. Is the only path open to me really going back for a MBA and getting credentialed through the PMP process?
Jim Uhlmann
Haleiwa
jaigwon@juno.com
At Friday, 14 October 2011 at 20:58:00 GMT-7,
Bald Dog said…
Jim,
As a former soldier, I think there is a major difference between the military and civilian leadership.
In the military, everyone starts at a private level.
In civilian life, young kids (age 24+) get out of MBA school, and, without any experience, are given serious managerial positions. They just don1t know how to do it.
And then the best employees leave in frustration.
I think with a bit of thinking, you could position yourself in the market, using your "in-the-trenches" experience. But it's hard to judge the situation from here.
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