Product Description

The second edition of the "consultant′s bible" is here!

For over fifteen years, consultants––both internal and external––have relied on Peter Block′s landmark bestseller, Flawless Consulting, to learn how to deal effectively with clients, peers, and others. Using illustrative examples, case studies, and exercises, the author, one of the most important and well known in his field, offers his legendary warmth and insight throughout this much–awaited second edition. Anyone who must communicate in a professional context––and who doesn′t?––will use the lessons taught in this book for years to come!

"Who would have thought the ′consultant′s bible′ could be improved upon? Count on Peter Block––the consulting profession′s very own revolutionary––to push us to confront and struggle with the paradoxes inherent in our work."
––Candace Thompson, organization development consultant, First Chicago NBD––A Bank One Company

"Block has distilled years of experience into a wise, down–to–earth, and eminently practical guide to excellence in consulting. If you are new to the practice, Flawless Consulting will chop years off your learning cycle. And even if you′re an old pro, Block′s insights will elevate you to new levels of effectiveness. Flawless Consulting is not simply about becoming a better consultant; it is about using consulting as a path toward becoming a better person."
––Barry Oshry, president, Power & Systems, Inc.; author of Seeing Systems and Leading Systems

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18540 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Review
"Who would have thought the ′consultant′s bible′ could be improved upon? Count on Peter Block –the consulting profession′s very own revolutionary–to push us to confront and struggle with the paradoxes inherent in our work." (Candace Thompson, organization development consultant, First Chicago NBD – A Bank One Company)

"The first question to ask any consultants: Have you read Peter Block′s Flawless Consulting? If they say no, don′t hire them. Peter Block′s advice is flawless!" (Barry Z. Posner, dean and professor of leadership, Leavey School of Business, co–author of The Leadership Challenge and Encouraging the Heart)

"Block has distilled years of experience into a wise, down–to–earth, and eminently practical guide to excellence in consulting. If you are new to the practice, Flawless Consulting will chop years off your learning cycle. And even if you′re an old pro, Block′s insights will elevate you to new levels of effectiveness. Flawless Consulting is not simply about becoming a better consultant; it is about using consulting as a path toward becoming a better person." (Barry Oshry, president, Power & Systems, Inc., author of Seeing Systems and Leading Systems)

"For external and internal consultants alike, Peter Block provides the roadmap to travel what always seems like unchartered terrain. The power behind Peter′s work lies not only in the compass he provides but in helping us see how truly a forceful and powerfulinfluence one person can be." (Jack Lerner, vice–president of organization development & learning, The CIT Group)

Barry Z. Posner, dean and professor of leadership, Leavey School of Business, co-author of The Leadership Challenge and Encouraging the Heart
The first question to ask any consultants: Have you read Peter Block's Flawless Consulting? If they say no, don't hire them. Peter Block's advice is flawless!

Barry Oshry, president, Power & Systems, Inc., author of Seeing Systems and Leading Systems
Block has distilled years of experience into a wise, down-to-earth, and eminently practical guide to excellence in consulting. If you are new to the practice, Flawless Consulting will chop years off your learning cycle. And even if you're an old pro, Block's insights will elevate you to new levels of effectiveness

Customer Reviews

Terrible advice offered in a painfully drab way
Well, I can't for the life of me see how this has score so highly with other reviewers; I guess I just don't "get" it.
I purchased the audio CD version and suffered the entire set in the clinging hope it would offer some useful advice or justify its existance in some way, but it failed utterly. The reading is in a dire monotone and the content is infuriating.
Have you ever worked at an organisation and been frustrated, angered even by the way corporate politics prevent anything from getting done and turn the feeling into one of despair? Would you like to contribute to promoting such an atmosphere? If so, then Flawless Consulting is for you. If you consider yourself as someone who would rather get the job done than have your say to the detriment of the project, then I can't think of a worse manual.

Effective, Ethical Consulting That Is Good for Everyone!
I liked this book very much, because it focuses on the style of consulting I like to do -- increasing the capacity of the client to find and implement her/his own solutions. What especially impressed me was the great care placed on how to establish the relationship with the client, as well as defining the assignment. Consultants love to define assignments, but often don't give much thought to the relationship. The emphasis should be just the opposite.

The book is nicely balanced between the needs of those who supply internal consulting (whether formally, or as staff resources) and external consultants and experts. I have played both roles, and each one teaches you something you need to know in order to be a better consultant. This is the only book on consulting that I have read that captures both perspectives and roles well.

A great strength of the book is that there are extensive examples of the same issue so that you can get a good perspective, even if you don't yet have much experience as a consultant. So it is a terrific book for those who are new to consulting.

For those of us who have a few decades of consulting experience, there is still a lot to learn. I was especially helped by the extensive list of ways to diagnose what may be going wrong when the client asks questions or is inactive. I was helped even more by many ingenious responses to those situations that had never occurred to me.

This is a principled book, one that considers the needs of the client and the consultant in a fair and even-handed way. It also gives you the perspective you need to apply those principles.

I heartily agree with the emphasis on getting as much relevant client involvement as possible, to improve commitment, understanding, relationships, and the ability to implement later on.

The next time I run into a potential snag in a consulting relationship, I intend to check my thinking with this wonderful guide. I suggest you do the same. You'll need to have a copy around, so plan to buy one on Amazon.com.

For those fans of The McKinsey Way, you should read this book, too. It will facilitate your career in much more valuable and signficant ways.

Reassuring AND challenging
The best guide to consulting I have read. Peter Block writes in plain English; the layout is uncluttered and easy to navigate. But perhaps the most powerful quality is his openness in sharing tales of projects that didn't go smoothly. It's reassuring when he describes good approaches and you realise you are doing those right; it's challenging when he describes less successful behaviour and you recognise some of those too!