Here Come “The Project Police”

On a previous post on this blog and on our firm’s web site, we’ve told the story about how the term “consulting cops” came into being. Today, after quite a bit of discussion, the name was changed.

As you’ll learn by reading the story, there was always some reservation on my part as to the use of the term “consulting cops” or “consulting police.” The phrase struck me as a bit negative, implying that all consultants were less than honest and ethical. That just isn’t the case; some are. The story behind the name is a great story, but he name just wasn’t right. We’ve now fixed that.

From now on, we’ll answer to “The Project Police.” A good portion of the work we do with clients is to help them resolve troubled projects that involve external (and occasionally internal) consultants. Objectively assessing troubled projects and getting them back on track is one of our primary skills.

We’ll still address troubled projects and we’ll still carry our badges. We’ll just be operating under a new – and more descriptive – name.

Level Ground or Upper Hand?

Which approach would you choose in a relationship with a consultant – or any other provider of professional services? Which do you think they would choose?

Based on a few decades of experience, on both sides of the table, I believe that cooperative is usually better than adversarial; that “mutually beneficial” is better than “beating them.”

Let’s assume you’ve found the “right” consultants to help you with the issue you’re addressing. You believe they’ve got the experience and expertise that you need. You trust they’re looking out for your best interests. Do you want to control the relationship? Do you think they should want to control it?

The consultants will bring experience and expertise to help resolve your issue. You’ll bring currency (real money) and the potential of a reference -- if not future work.

The best relationships are based on a tacit understanding that both parties are bringing something valuable to the table and – that by working together in a cooperative fashion – both will benefit by the exchange of the value that each brought.

If you’re not working cooperatively – in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect -- with your consultants, you may want to reconsider your options.

Consulting Knowledge Bargain!

Have an interest in consulting?

For over 24 years Consulting to Management, also known as C2M, has been a source of invaluable information and insight into the world of management consulting.  Unfortunately, they have ceased publication.  The reasons are many but primarily revolve around the decline in the number of subscribers who received their copies as part of their membership in various professional organizations such as the Institute of Management Consultants USA.

This is a sad time for those of us who were loyal subscribers and avid readers as well as the volunteers who supported the Journal of Management Consulting, Inc., the not-for-profit educational corporation that published C2M.

But, it's an opportunity for you.  Over 600 hundred articles -- going back to the original issue -- are available in electronic form to download for the very reasonable price of US$ 49.  You can download a few, a hundred or ALL of them for that US$ 49.  Follow the C2M link above and scroll down till you see "Special Archive Pass" on the right side. Then, just follow instructions.

If you're interested in consulting and would like to add to your personal library or -- like me -- are writing a book and are looking for a source of well written articles on a wide variety of subjects to add to your reference material, it's a great bargain.

One catch however.  You have to complete the downloading by September 30th.  After that they'll no longer be available.