The Search For Best Practices

Preface

I have a confession to make—I am a management consultant. That’s the professional who charges you an exorbitant fee to review your operations, tells you what you’re doing wrong, and then sells your good ideas (best practices) to their next client. I call this the “honey bee” concept, which is the sharing of best practices from one client (the honeysuckle) to another client (the skunk cabbage). In fact, one of the major skills to look for in hiring a management consultant is the ability to recognize a good system or best practice that works elsewhere, borrow it, and then make it work for your company. I call this the consultant’s version of three-card Monte or steal the old man’s bundle. A consultant (external gun for hire or internal ...