Client-consultant relationship

A recent article in Booz & Company’s strategy + business magazine draws attention to some fascinating academic research on how power affects decision-making.  We already know (from other research) that the quality of decision-making declines when people depend on their own beliefs and ignore the advice of others: “outside information helps ‘average out’ the distortions that can result when people give a great deal of weight to their own opinions and first impressions,” observes Booz.

Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow isn’t about consulting, but it could be.

Call me harsh, but I don’t think it’s the role of parents to be liked by their children.  Loved?  One would hope so.  But liked?  Like is for friends, for the people who share your interests and experiences.  Like is for those you want to be with but are afraid you might lose.  Parents may not be liked, but they are for life: it falls to us to tell our children what they need to know, not what they want to hear.