Sat.Mar 09, 2024 - Fri.Mar 15, 2024

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Bridging the Gap: From the Consulting Industry to the Management Consulting Profession

Effective Managers

In the world of consulting, a distinction is often overlooked: the difference between the industry at large and the profession of management consulting. This distinction is crucial, as it separates those who simply sell hours for dollars from those committed to a higher standard of service, ethics, and accountability. In this article, we explore this distinction, the role of ISO 20700 as a gateway to the profession, and how it paves the way towards certification as a Certified Management Consult

Industry 130
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Why Your Consulting Firm’s Strengths Could Be Capping Your Growth

David A Fields

Le Cirque, a beacon of fine dining in the 1980s and 1990s, declared bankruptcy in 2017. You can’t enjoy their Michelin-star sauces anymore, but you can sop up an important lesson about running your consulting firm. You most likely live by the maxim of building on your strengths. Perfecting your consulting firm’s signature dish will … Continued The post Why Your Consulting Firm’s Strengths Could Be Capping Your Growth appeared first on David A.

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Questions for Feedback

Consultants' Consultant

Consultants Consultant: Getting performance feedback is difficult in a number of different ways. If you ask. The post Questions for Feedback appeared first on Consultants' Consultant.

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How to Measure the Effectiveness of Corporate Training

LSA Global

Do You Know How to Measure the Effectiveness of Corporate Training? Although most believe that the ability to measure the effectiveness of corporate training is too challenging or too expensive, evaluating the impact and return on training investments can and should be done in the right situations. For example, spending more time or effort on training measurement than the value of the measurement itself rarely makes sense.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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Don’t Underestimate the Power of Small Breaks During a Busy Workday

Harvard Business

Many people operate from the belief that there’s too much to do and they can’t afford to pause during their workday. But taking effective breaks is essential to preventing burnout. In this article, the author outlines eight strategies to try to build more breaks into your day.

More Trending

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Unemployed Agilists: How to Move from a Staff Role to a Line Job, Part 2

Johanna Rothman

You’re an unemployed agilist. And even if you can find an agile coaching or Scrum Master job, the pay is so terrible, you don’t want to take it. That’s because potential employers think these jobs are staff positions. Your previous managers and potential managers don’t see the value of someone in your position. That’s because these managers think agile coaching and Scrum Mastering is a staff job, not a line job.

Agile 100
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A Journey Through Time: A Chat with My Great-Grandparents

Chad Barr

Last night, nestled in the realm of dreams, I found myself in the warm company of my great-grandparents. Our conversation, vivid and touching, spanned the breadth of modern innovations—those very technologies that occasionally astonished yet befuddled me. Though the morning’s light diluted the memory, the essence of our dialogue remained, inspiring me to capture its spirit here: “Oh, how I’ve longed to hear your voices again,” I began, my heart swelling with emotion

Video 98
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Harnessing Imagination to Drive Innovation

Harvard Business

The decay of rules-based trade means that companies can no longer find growth as easily by expanding to new locations, or expanding demand through low-cost single point sourcing. In this context, companies seeking growth must develop innovative offerings to expand demand. These offerings are, essentially, products of imagination — conceiving of and realizing new possibilities — a challenge that companies struggle with.

Company 254
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The CEO’s Role in Driving Organizational Change

Effective Managers

Introduction Initially, a CEO must recognize and understand the need for change in the organization. This involves observing market trends, internal performance metrics, and feedback from customers and employees. Once these factors are analyzed, the CEO can identify specific areas where change is necessary and drive organization change. The final step is to communicate this need effectively to the organization.

Metrics 100
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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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How to Write Podcast Show Notes [3 Best Templates 2024]

Buzzsprout

Show notes can add tremendous value to your podcast by giving you a way to engage with your audience and share resources. In this step-by-step guide, we will look at what makes show notes an important part of your podcast workflow and why they're worth the extra effort! Table of Contents Benefits of writing good show notes What to include in your show notes Podcast show notes examples and templates Benefits of writing good show notes Show notes are a powerful piece of value-packed, written c

How To 91
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Software Design: Strategies for Sustained Excellence

Tom Spencer

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving landscape of technology, the role of a software designer not only requires technical acumen but also a deep understanding of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design. In this article, we will delve into five attributes that are required to become an outstanding software designer. 1. Prioritizing End Users At the core of exceptional software design lies a profound understanding of end users.

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The Benefits of Innovation That Isn’t Disruptive

Harvard Business

Disruption is not the only path to innovation and growth. Creation without disruption or nondisruptive creation is about creating a new market outside or beyond existing industry boundaries, and has its own organizational and business advantages. In this article, the authors outline four advantages to opting for this nondisruptive route: 1) It allows you to avoid direct confrontations with established incumbents. 2) It is an effective way to respond to full-on disruption. 3) It makes it easier t

Industry 254
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Unemployed Agilists: How to Show Your Value to Support What Managers Want, Part 1

Johanna Rothman

Every day, I hear more stories of agile coaches or Scrum Masters losing their jobs. Why? Several reasons: No manager cares about “agile” even if they care about agility. So, selling “agile” into the organization doesn’t create any traction for change. Agile coaches and Scrum Masters are staff positions, not “line” jobs.

Agile 75
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PowerPoint Best Practices for Creating Stellar Presentations

Mastering data visualization in PowerPoint will help accelerate your career because it positions you as someone who can present data that drives business decisions forward. think-cell's PowerPoint Best Practices eBook was created specifically for professionals aiming to master the art and science of data-driven storytelling. What’s inside: Practical Insights: Uncover valuable tips for crafting engaging and persuasive presentations.

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Say Goodbye to Strategic Planning? What’s Next?

Organizational Talent Consulting

We can all agree nothing is certain except death and taxes. Is it time for executives and teams to say goodbye to strategic planning? Annual off-site meetings to change dates on unsuccessful strategies don't make sense. One of the most significant downfalls of contemporary strategic planning is the failure to account for a growing uncertainty in a fast-paced, generative AI environment.

Tools 72
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Strive for Harmony

Harmonious Workplaces

Hey managers, I think I can offer the key to reducing #burnout in your teams. First, let’s be clear: We shouldn’t aim to chase unattainable perfection. Instead, we should strive for harmony. Harmony in the workplace, much like in music, means creating an environment where different elements come together in a state of agreement; an […] The post Strive for Harmony appeared first on Harmonious Workplaces.

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What French Bakeries Get Right About Strategy

Harvard Business

One would think that if you run a traditional consumer business that can’t compete on costs with more efficient competitors, you would want to avoid them like the plague. But a study of boulangeries in Lyon, France, found that by locating next to more efficient “modernist” rivals, “traditionalists” were able to better highlight their traditions and value and win.

Strategy 252
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Johanna’s 60 Seconds of Writing WIP for March 15, 2024

Johanna Rothman

This week, my 60 seconds of WIP is from the speaking book. Enjoy! Video: When I let social media know, I only included this blog post, not the video. Here’s the video on my YouTube Channel. The Transcript: I’m Johanna Rothman, and this is 60 Seconds of Johanna’s WIP for March 15, 2024, where I read an excerpt of just a minute of some writing in progress.

Video 69
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Savings Consultants Are Needed in Today's Market More Than Ever

Savings Consultants are needed in today’s market more than ever. With an increase in expenses, businesses are looking for opportunities to save. Often unknown to businesses are savings in expense reduction, specialized tax savings, specialized savings including medical underpayments, health benefits cost reduction, zero cost processing, and more. Blue Coast Savings, with over 20 years in business, assists Savings Consultants in helping these companies move toward more profitable businesses.

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High Cost of Ethics Lapses, Part ?

The Consultants Peer Group

I had written several blogs regarding the high cost of ethic lapses in consulting, in particular in June of last year Consulting Ethics Challenges , which addressed the very public nature of PwC Australia’s ethics problems. The high costs of those ethics problems are now very visible and quite frankly ugly. Nic Fildes, journalist for Financial Times , reported on recent events in PwC Autralia lashes jobs after tax leaks scandal.

Ethics 52
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Lance Graulich The Man Behind TGI Friday's Franchising Success Story

Strategic Planning and Management Insights

Mark Steffe, the CEO of First Command Financial, talks about his leadership principles and the company's commitment to military families.

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It’s Time to Reconceptualize What “Imposter Syndrome” Means for People of Color

Harvard Business

The recent pushback against the imposter phenomenon in the media has largely focused on how and why it’s inappropriate for people of color. In this article, the author argues that, while there is merit to these arguments, getting rid of the idea entirely for Black students and workers is a disservice. Instead, he recommends reconceptualizing the term to include new research on how imposterism affects people of color, and urges organizations to better understand how racism, bias, and imposter fee

Media 251
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Homeless Thanksgiving at Junction Park

Action Plan

This issue is part 2 of a series. The first one is here: I had been walking my two dogs around the downtown area of Boulder Creek and past Junction Park for a few weeks. Every day, I passed an old, dilapidated Dodge van with an elderly man sitting in the front seat. He was obviously homeless. A friend had recently suggested to me that I talk to homeless people instead of ignoring them.

Meeting 52
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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!

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Attention

Consultants' Consultant

Consultants Consultant: So one of my recent conundrums has been why people don’t read their emails. The post Attention appeared first on Consultants' Consultant.

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Curation (vs the road to junk)

Seth Godin Blog

The independent bookstore down the street is carefully curated. Each book takes up the spot that a different book could inhabit, so the owner makes sure that there’s a great reason a title is included. Amazon, on the other hand, has no shelf space problem, and the Kindle multiplies it. As a result, the average book on the Kindle is virtually worthless, because once it’s easy to include everything, everything gets included.

Film 47
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How Organizations Can Encourage Productive Allyship

Harvard Business

Many leaders want to be allies for underrepresented groups, but fear their attempts will be awkward or offensive. New research suggests these fears are often unfounded, with acts of allyship generally being appreciated more than anticipated. Organizations can help by educating potential allies on how their efforts are received and by creating a culture where open communication and support are encouraged.

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Leading with Cultural Sensitivity: Insights from Elizabeth Hoemeke on Managing Diverse Teams

Leadership Vision Consulting

Leading a culturally diverse team requires more than just management skills—it's an art form that hinges on cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of leading such a team in the global business arena with our guest, Elizabeth Hemity, CIO of One Inc. Elizabeth shares her valuable insights and experiences in navigating the complexities of cultural diversity within her team, from fostering effective communication to understanding the unique backgrounds of

Culture 43
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Pricing for Profit: How to Set, Negotiate, and Succeed

Speaker: Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader

In today’s competitive market, pricing is more than just a number — it’s the cornerstone of profitability. The right pricing strategy ensures that you capture the true value of your offering, paving the way for sustainable growth and long-term success. Join Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader, in this exclusive session where he will explore how a well-crafted pricing approach balances customer perception with business objectives, creating a powerful tool for securing both competitive advantage a

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Do we really need a team for this

Consultants' Consultant

Consultants Consultant: On the subject of high performing teams. On the subject of high performing teams. The post Do we really need a team for this appeared first on Consultants' Consultant.

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Holding on for dear life

Seth Godin Blog

That’s a cliche from the movies. Dangling from a railroad bridge, only determination and firm grip can save the hero. In our modern world, we often end up holding on to ideas, to grievances or to our view of the world. Ironically, the harder we hold on to the things we’re hiding from, the less dear our life becomes. Perhaps we could let go for dear life instead.

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Lessons from Costco on Sustainable Growth

Harvard Business

Few companies succeed in growing at a sustainable rate over time. The reason is that leaders give in to the temptation to grow in ways that overlook the customer or they grow more quickly than their organizational capabilities allow. But the leaders of a handful of companies, including Costco and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, never forget that businesses are complex systems whose elements are interconnected.

Hotels 250