Quality and value

By Alison Huntington

It’s always slightly creepy when you meet someone new and they say, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Oh god, you think as a cold sweat forms on your brow, what on earth have you heard about me? Not the tale of that office Christmas party? Or could they have heard good things that you now need to live up to? The impression people form before meeting or working with you can help or hinder your relationship, and can take a fair amount of effort to change it.

As I recently pointed out, the recession has apparently not cured clients – or consulting firms, for that matter – of their confusion between “staff substitution” or “contingent labour” and true consulting.

Management consulting is sometimes – and I think erroneously – described as a profession.