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The Value Creating Consultant
Book

The Value Creating Consultant

How to Build and Sustain Lasting Client Relationships

Ron A. Carucci and Toby J. Tetenbaum
AMACOM, 2000
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Background

Recommendation

Should we care about management consultants? And do they care about us enough to change the way they do business? For answers, turn to this well-researched, opinionated book by Ron A. Carucci and Toby J. Tetenbaum. The authors combine extensive survey data with their personal viewpoints to prove that management consulting needs serious repair. They present their model of the value-creating consultant as the solution. While some consultants may roll their eyes at the goal of forming an equal partnership with their clients, the book is on point about what is right and wrong with the profession. The authors explain the ways any consultant can use a value-creating model to improve client relationships. getAbstract recommends this excellent book to management consultants or anyone who needs to hire a management consultant. Executives, students and business owners will also find it thought-provoking, particularly if you think consulting is in your future.

Summary

The Value Proposition

Management consultants are everywhere. There are 360,000 worldwide consultants working at 3,800 firms generating $70 billion in fees, according to one estimate. The elements that make this analytical army valuable - its value proposition - are concentrated focus and up-to-the minute learning. This value proposition responds to the dilemma managers face today: too much to do and too little time to learn. Given this opportunity, management consulting can be expected to continue to grow at substantial rates.

But are managers happy with the work of management consultants? No, they are not. Surveys show that a large number of companies are unhappy with the results they get after using management consultants. A 1997 Ernest & Young study on "Total Quality Management" (TQM), found that a majority of the 584 companies surveyed believed that "TQM programs did not lead to improved performance." A McKinsey and Co. study found similar dissatisfaction with TQM. Reengineering efforts also failed. An Arthur D. Little study found only 16% of 250 executives were fully satisfied with their reengineering projects. The press, picking up on this dissatisfaction...

About the Authors

Ron A. Carucci  has been a strategic change consultant for more than 15 years, serving clients in many industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, information technology, and manufacturing. Toby J. Tetenbaum , Ph.D., has consulted for numerous organizations, from Fortune 10 companies to start-ups. She is a licensed psychologist and a professor at Fordham University.

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