When the landmark best-seller Flawless Consulting was first published more than three decades ago, it was quickly adopted as the "consultant's bible." With his legendary warmth and passion, Peter Block explained how to deal effectively with clients, peers, and others. The book continues to speak to people in a support function inside organizations as well as to external consultants. This thoroughly revised and updated third edition of Peter Block's groundbreaking book explores the latest thinking on consultation. It includes new insights about how we can organize our consulting around discovering the strengths, positive examples, and gifts of the client organization or community. The book remains a practical and specific guide for anyone who needs to develop a capacity for deeper relatedness and partnership—which means it is for all who wish to make a real difference in the world. This new edition covers the consulting challenges that have arisen from the way we routinely communicate electronically and live in the virtual world. Block suggests ways to overcome the distancing and isolating effects inherent in electronic connects. The book also includes practical guidance on how to ask better questions, gives suggestions for dealing with difficult clients, and contains expanded guidelines on more engaging forms of implementation. Flawless Consulting includes two new examples, taken from health care and educational reform efforts, to show how consulting skills can be useful (and often transformative) in a broader context. These illustrative examples point the way for achieving changes for leadership in business, government, religion, human services, and more. Like the first two editions, Flawless Consulting affirms the notion that authentic behavior and personal relationships are the key to technical and business success. By demonstrating their ability to be truly authentic at each step in the process, consultants can aim toward creating workplaces that are more collaborative and ultimately more successful.
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"This is actually a really useful book, although I wish there was more information about concluding the consulting relationship. Even if you're not officially a consultant, this has great tips for effectively managing a project over which you officially have no control."
— Meg (4 out of 5 stars)
" Read this years ago, and again for a college course I edited...love this guy. "
— Laura, 1/20/2014" Concise, accessible, and relevant! Great reference book that reread frequently. "
— Chris, 1/15/2014" In a very easy and clear way, Block gives us a first approach on consulting in several industries, areas, etc. Very useful. "
— Liz, 1/11/2014" Practical "
— Daun, 12/18/2013" Read NOV 2001 "
— Stephen, 11/29/2013" It's pretty repetetive and I've only just begun. I think this is something that could have been condensed to a booklet or pamphlet. "
— David7466, 11/25/2013" I'm always hard-pressed to find value in qualitative books about business "soft skills." However, I did appreciate the focus on remaining authentic with clients. "
— Meredith, 11/12/2013" Recommended by Professor Nancy Hyer "
— Walker*Management*Library, 11/7/2013" I had a newer copy and found it invaluable to my practice. I lent it out two years ago and have only just replaced it with this score from Amazon's marketplace. I am looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with this book! "
— Christyna, 8/17/2013" THE #1 book you should read if you want to become an effective consultant. "
— Tom, 6/17/2013" Good reference book for consultants. Peter Block is a standard. "
— Janet, 5/23/2013" Awesome wealth of knowledge shared by the reader. Practical experience and thought process development tips. "
— Sabya, 4/21/2013" This book is really basic, which is good for peoples in different industries. Would have like to have read more procedural steps and processes "
— Lindsay, 1/31/2013" Nice and basic. Easy to read. Strong emphasis on the "soft-side" of consulting engagements and interaction with clients, as opposed to other books I've read which are more technical in nature. "
— Tim, 11/1/2012" A tedious read, but very important information presented logically and completely. "
— loafingcactus, 8/11/2012" This book was required reading for internal consultants in my company. An excellent book. "
— Jerry, 5/10/2012" straightforward and accessible; a good reference. "
— AK, 4/12/2012" Contains valuable insight regarding some of the more difficult dynamics in client/consultant relationships. Practical and written with a light-hearted touch. Includes a chapter on internal consulting. "
— JoAnn, 3/19/2012" Authentic and realistic. "
— Laurie, 3/10/2012Peter Block is the author of several bestselling books, including the first two editions of Flawless Consulting, Stewardship, Community, and The Empowered Manager. He is a partner in Designed Learning, a training company that offers workshops designed by Block to build the skills outlined in his books.
Erik Synnestvedt has recorded nearly two hundred audiobooks for trade publishers as well as for the Library of Congress Talking Books for the Blind program. They include The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak, A Game as Old as Empire edited by Steven Hiatt, and Twitter Power by Joel Comm.