Casual Articles - Business

Is Being Your Own Boss Really What It Seems To Be?
Hating your boss… that, of course, is not a new concept. Before I started in my freelance career, I always had a job where I constantly loathed my boss. This even dates back to when I was sixteen (I am 30 now) and working at an Orange Julius stand in my local shopping mall. Though I was never that employee that would challenge my superiors, I still developed a severe aversion to anybody who co

people.

7. Remember you are hiring a consultant to challenge and push you. You are not renting a friend to remind you how smart you are.

8. Can you confidently expect a solution that will be yours not theirs?

9. Ask for references. Call them.

10. Ask who is not on the reference list and why not. Learn what they think causes a project to be unsuccessful. And which list will you be on when this

How To Buy Bad Advertising
I have had an e-mail from a gentleman with something on his mind. Since what is irking him may be of general interest, he has been good enough to allow me to dissertate on it right here. As a matter of fact, it's of a touch more than general interest, because his is exactly the kind of account that the freelances among us earn our bread and butter from. So it could be a lesson learned.T

Since my first consulting project almost thirty years ago, I have learned a lot about how to successfully manage consulting projects and the client/consultant relationship.

Here are some ideas that may help you with your consultants (and your lawyers, accountants and other professionals):

1. Before you introduce consultants to the process, be sure you need what you want and want what you need. Beware of consultants that agree to do whatever you want, whether you need it or not.

2. Look internally to confirm the three "C's" of consulting project readiness: Capacity in budget, time and resources; Commitment of management and staff affected by the process; and Capability to support the project and implement the conclusions.

3. One more "C" – Compatibility. Select your consultants from an organisation that is compatible with yours - are you a corporate multinational or a local entrepreneurial business?

4. Recognize whether your consulting needs are strategic - requiring outside expertise to inspire and facilitate your business planning process; or operational - bringing knowledge, skills and experience that are not available internally.

5. Meet the operating consultant. It may not be the same charming, talented person that sold you the work. And at those fee rates you don't want to train a recent MBA, who started last week and studied your industry yesterday.

6. Test – whether the consultant arrives with questions, not answers; will operate as neither boss nor employee; and will win the hearts and minds of your staff. Successful consultants will listen, understand, empathize, analyze, strategize, and persuade better than normal people.

7. Remember you are hiring a consultant to challenge and push you. You are not renting a friend to remind you how smart you are.

8. Can you confidently expect a solution that will be yours not theirs?

9. Ask for references. Call them.

10. Ask who is not on the reference list and why not. Learn what they think causes a project to be unsuccessful. And which list will you be on when this

9 Little Known Facts About Going Public
Many entrepreneurs have preconceived notions about taking their company public, most of which are not accurate. Nine little known facts:1. You do not need a brokerage firm or investment banking firm to take your company public.Many companies opt to go public through a direct public offering. In these registered public offerings, a private company follows the same rules and regul

ultants that agree to do whatever you want, whether you need it or not.

3. One more "C" – Compatibility. Select your consultants from an organisation that is compatible with yours - are you a corporate multinational or a local entrepreneurial business?

7. Remember you are hiring a consultant to challenge and push you. You are not renting a friend to remind you how smart you are.

8. Can you confidently expect a solution that will be yours not theirs?

9. Ask for references. Call them.

10. Ask who is not on the reference list and why not. Learn what they think causes a project to be unsuccessful. And which list will you be on when this

Awesome Customer Service Requires a Three Pronged Attack
The perception in the marketplace, according to research, is that customer service is declining. Whether consumer expectations have increased or services have declined over the last few years is debatable. The fact is, perception is truth, in the consumers’ eyes.Having stated that, some businesses still seem to excel in customer service and get rave reviews from consumers, surely they h

ible with yours - are you a corporate multinational or a local entrepreneurial business?

7. Remember you are hiring a consultant to challenge and push you. You are not renting a friend to remind you how smart you are.

8. Can you confidently expect a solution that will be yours not theirs?

9. Ask for references. Call them.

10. Ask who is not on the reference list and why not. Learn what they think causes a project to be unsuccessful. And which list will you be on when this

Can Adding Features Cost You Sales?
It seems everywhere I turn someone is trying to upgrade me, or sell me something in addition to what I want, or get me to do more work to use their services - all in the name of providing me with more value. The heating and air conditioning service guy now wants to clean my ducts and my fireplace chimney. The dentist tells me that I need to have the area between my two molars and my gums clean

that sold you the work. And at those fee rates you don't want to train a recent MBA, who started last week and studied your industry yesterday.

7. Remember you are hiring a consultant to challenge and push you. You are not renting a friend to remind you how smart you are.

8. Can you confidently expect a solution that will be yours not theirs?

9. Ask for references. Call them.

10. Ask who is not on the reference list and why not. Learn what they think causes a project to be unsuccessful. And which list will you be on when this

What is Strategic Human Resource Management?
In Human Resource (HR) and management circles nowadays there is much talk about Strategic Human Resource Management and many expensive books can be seen on the shelves of bookshops. But what exactly is SHRM, what are its key features and how does it differ from traditional human resource management?SHRM or Strategic human resource management is a branch of Human resource management or H

people.

7. Remember you are hiring a consultant to challenge and push you. You are not renting a friend to remind you how smart you are.

8. Can you confidently expect a solution that will be yours not theirs?

9. Ask for references. Call them.

10. Ask who is not on the reference list and why not. Learn what they think causes a project to be unsuccessful. And which list will you be on when this is over?

11. Ask for fee rates and a work plan with estimated hours. Then agree on a fixed fee for agreed deliverables - dates, documents, milestones.

12. Don't let progress reports interfere with progress. Get what you need, not what they need for "CYA" requirements.

13. Check who else is billing time to your project. Sometimes there is a very expensive partner back at the office who needs to keep his billing rate up. Your budget can be quickly consumed while he "supervises" from a distance.

14. Avoid surprises. Ask about additional expenses - travel, telephone, printing. Terms of payment? Satisfaction guarantee?

15. Get it in writing, read it before signing it.

16. Watch for signs of trouble: selling more work before the work is done; long delays between on-site visits; too much time spent "back at the office" and billed to you.

17. And finally, remember consultants are people too. They want to boast about good work and satisfied clients. You can help them help you. Don't be difficult.

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Deadlines are a fact of life. We all have them, but if you are a procrastinator like me they jump up without warning. I've learned a trick that seems to keep deadline from appearing when I least expected them. I put them on my email calendar at a minimum of two weeks out and then send myself a repeat reminder weekly. But let’s be honest here, do any of us do our best job when we are scrambling to meet a deadline? I know I don't. The more time I can devote to serious thought pertaining to a project the better the outcome.

What kind of response rates do your direct mail fundraising letters generate? That's a good question, since non-profit organizations need the highest response rates they can get in today's competitive environment. Direct mail is an expensive way to raise funds if your response rates are low and your average gift is small.

Do bosses need to be liked? People respond to authority; that is, until the next opportunity presents itself. Western conventional wisdom suggests that it is important to build trust, credibility and respect; there is no need to be liked. When those characteristics are combined with strong leadership, people will follow...as long as they are realizing benefits for themselves. The question then becomes if we can combine trust, credibility, respect, leadership and likability, can we drive even greater results?

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Casual Articles - Consultants: How To Choose, Use, And Not Abuse Them

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