The Manager's Pocket Guide to Using Consultants

Table of Contents

1. Title
2. Copyright
3. Table of Contents
4. Introduction
5. Chapter 1: A Field Guide to Consultants
   1. Consultants: Who They Are
   2. What Consultants Do
   3. The Roles Consultants Play
   4. Alternatives to Using Consultants
   5. When to Bring in a Consultant (and When Not To)
   6. Reasons to Use a Consultant
   7. Key Questions to Ask a Prospective Consultant
6. Chapter 2: Establishing the Relationship
   1. Preparing for the Consulting Project
   2. Establishing Roles and Responsibilities
   3. Preparing the Consulting Services Agreement
   4. Guidelines for Developing a Consulting Agreement
   5. Guidelines for Budgeting
   6. Leveraging Resources for Consulting Projects
   7. Preparing the Statement of Work
   8. Preparing Request for Proposal (RFP)
   9. Assessing Proposals
   10. Comparing Apples to Apples: Selecting the Right Consultant
   11. The Pros and Cons of Consulting on the Clock
   12. Contract Do’s and Don’ts
   13. Language in the Contract
   14. The Contents of the Consulting Contract
   15. The Ground Rules
7. Chapter 3: Working Side by Side with Your Consultant
   1. Managing the Day-to-Day Relationship
   2. Communication
   3. The Importance of Guidance
   4. Establishing a Collaborative Work Style
   5. Building Trust into the Consulting Relationship
8. Chapter 4: Evaluating Outcomes and Making Adjustments
   1. The “Rules of Engagement”
   2. The 95-5 Rule
   3. Keep it Simple
   4. The Progress Report
   5. The Fine Art of “Clienting”
   6. Change Management 101
   7. What to Do if Conflict Arises
   8. Are We There Yet? Wrapping up the Work
9. Chapter 5: Consultant as Change Agent, Advocate, and Mentor
   1. What Every Consultant Should Provide
   2. Maximizing Consulting Value
   3. Make Sure You’re Learning to Fish
   4. The Consulting Project Clinic
   5. Knowledge Transfer and Tracking
   6. What a Consultant Can Do That You Can’t
   7. Maximizing the Value of an Outside-Insider
10. Chapter 6: Consulting Dangers, Pitfalls, and Traps
    1. Don’t Accept “Cookie Cutter” Work
    2. Beware of Arrogance (on Both Sides of the Table)
    3. Put Expertise above Experience
    4. Accountability for Results Starts with You
    5. Advice-Based Consulting vs. Product-Based Consulting
11. Chapter 7: Evaluating Your Consultant’s Toolkit
    1. Ten Great Questions Your Consultant Should Ask You
    2. Debunking the Myths
    3. Consultants are Paid to Rock the Boat
    4. Stay Away from So-called Best Practices
12. Chapter 8: Manager as Consultant
    1. How to Be an Excellent Internal Consultant
    2. Great Ideas Needed Greatly
    3. The Art and Science of Consulting Creatively
    4. The Power of Encouragement
    5. The Secret Sauce: Intellect Plus Intuition
    6. Consultants and Managers Blazing the Trail Together
    7. The Next Chapter is Up to You
13. About the Author