Flawless Consulting Fieldbook and Companion (eBook)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR PETER BLOCK has been a consultant and speaker all over the world for more than thirty years. He is the founder of two well-known training and consulting firms, Designed Learning and Block Petrella Weisbord, and the author of three best-selling books, Flawless Consulting (1981; 1999), The Empowered Manager (1987), and Stewardship (1993). Peter has received several national awards for outstanding contributions to his field, is the creator of the Flawless Consulting Workshops, and has joined with the Association for Quality and Participation to create the School for Managing and Leading Change. For more information visit www.PeterBlock.com and FlawlessConsulting.com; or email Peter at pbi@att.net.

List of Figures and Exhibits vi

Welcome xi

Quick Guide to Contents xxi

1 No Fast and Easy Way 1

1 Flawless M. J. Wheatley 5

2 A Sensible Oxymoron Andrea Markowitz 7

3 Risk Is Where You Find It Peter Block 13

4 The Journey Idries Shah 21

5 Consultant, Flawed: A Story of Eternal Internal Triangles Ken Murphy 23

6 The Power of Conversations at Work Joel Henning 43

2 The Complexity of Advice 65

7 What Should I Do? Peter Block 69

8 Four Communities Idries Shah 75

9 Changing Focus: Consulting in the New Economy Patrick Dolan 77

10 Be Careful Who You Ask: Perils of Wisdom Andrea Markowitz 81

11 Dealing with Resistance: Having the Right Conversation in Difficult Situations Phil Grosnick 89

12 The Case of Pricilla and the Red Pen Andrea Markowitz 97

3 The Power of the Question 117

13 Making the System Fully Known to Itself: Discovery As a Collaborative Process Jill Janov 125

14 Two Sides Idries Shah 135

15 Resolving a New Paradox with Old Wisdom Marvin Weisbord 137

16 Change Is in the Details Peter Block 149

17 Talk Is Walk: Language and Courage in Action Peter Koestenbaum 153

18 So, What's Working Here? A Conversation with Elizabeth McGrath 167

4 Emotions and the Personal 175

19 Balancing Competence with Consciousness: One Woman's Wisdom Rosemarie Barbeau 179

20 Nobody's Fool: Unconventional Guides for the Emotional Path Andrea Markowitz 187

21 In the Land of Fools Idries Shah 199

22 Up Front and Personal A Conversation with Charlotte Roberts 201

23 Women's Leadership Collaborative: Investing in Our Humanity Nancy Voss 209

24 Sneaking the Spirit In A Conversation with John Schuster 229

5 Valuing Capacities 237

25 Leading from Behind: Talking with Sled Dogs Sam Magill 241

26 Homeopathic Consulting: Learning Is Free, Teaching Is Not Cliff Bolster 249

27 Milk and Buttermilk Idries Shah 265

28 Consulting As Capability Building Lou Ann Daly 267

29 Getting Real John O'Connell 273

6 Integrating Strategy and Experience 287

30 The Engagement Paradigm: Changing the Way We Change Organizations Dick and Emily Axelrod 291

31 Caring about Place Peter Block 307

32 Unleashing the Spirit Kathie Dannemiller, Sylvia James, and Paul Tolchinsky 315

33 Nancy's Checklist Nancy Sanchez 329

34 Anonymous Data Collection? Definitely Yes and No Neale Clapp 331

35 Toward a More Participative, Productive Workplace Marie McCormick 339

36 Co-Creating a Community's Future: Once upon a Time in a Place Called Home David and Carole Schwinn 355

37 How Am I Doing? How Am I Doing? You Like Me! You Really Like Me! Peter Block 365

7 No Masks No Bargains 375

38 My Worst Consulting Nightmare Amy J. Katz 383

39 Three Nightmares A Conversation with Henry Johnson 389

40 Twelve Questions to the Most Frequently Asked Answers Peter Block 393

Postscript 405

Thanks to Contributors 407

About the Author 427

Index 429

Flawless Consulting Workshops 441

"This is content as rich as tiramisu. I find that I can digest only
a small portion at a time; yet I'm always back for more. An
indispensable resource for the consultant seeking ideas and
inspiration." (Kathryn Heath)

"Wow! A companion a business owner can't be without! The insights
of 30 consultants the caliber of Peter Block is priceless." (Sue
Mosby, principal, CDFM2 Architecture Inc)

"This book is a companion piece for both the desktop and bedside of
those who do consulting full time or in their role as leader. I
plan to keep this book close to me to both guide and inspire my
work." (Phil Harkins, president, Linkage, Inc.)

"No matter how proficient, companies who fail to understand and
apply Block's concepts risk operating at the vendor level with
their clients rather than at the partner level-a potentially mortal
risk in an increasingly strategic marketplace." (Fred Lamparter,
director of worldwide training, Ogilvy & Mather
Worldwide)

"As we encourage our IT professionals to pursue continuous
learning, this 'Fieldbook' will be added to their skill-building
toolkit. We've used Block's Flawless Consulting guidelines to
define the basic consulting skills program." (Cassandra A.
Matthews, vice president, Information Technology and CIO, PECO
Energy Company)

"When it comes to prioritizing my reading, Peter Block is second
only to the sports section. In this book, Peter provides different
points of view and stories that plunge deeply into the human and
organizational experience." (Paul Anderson, convener, Northern
California School for Managing and Leading Change)

"Peter's work always challenges me to think about things in new
ways and pushes me to take risks I might not have had the courage
for otherwise. This long awaited companion to Flawless Consulting
is no exception." (Jennifer Powell, human resources manager, Aetna
USHealthcare)

"Peter Block and his friends have produced an indispensable
companion to Flawless Consulting. Providing help to others is no
easy task, but these philosophical, therapeutic, and artistic
essays bring to life the spirit and hope of change practitioners
everywhere. Ultimately, they deliver practical insights to the
consulting craft." (Christopher G. Worley, director, MSOD Program,
Pepperdine University)

"If you're new to consulting, or if you need reinforcement that
relationships are the heart of successful consulting, read this
book. More experienced professionals will find some real gems along
the way like Peter's Twelve Exits. And where else will you find
Sufi wisdom, Bertrand Russell, and Marvin Weisbord all under one
roof?" (Rick Maurer, author, Beyond the Wall of Resistance and
Building Capacity for Change Sourcebook)

"In Peter's characteristically accessible style, this complement to
the recently revised Flawless Consulting skillfully challenges
consultants to learn what moves us towards more accountability and
to discover what releases the commitment and passion inherent to
the experience of being human." (Gordon C. Brooks, MSOD program
administrator, The Graziadio School of Business and Management,
Pepperdine University)

'This book is a must read for anyone consulting or considering
consulting. Peter has once again broken new ground with the
Flawless Consulting Fieldbook and Companion." (Steve Gibbons, past
president, The Association for Quality and Participation)