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#ConsultingSecrets

from consultants. for consultants.

Author: Thorsten Heller

CEO, Co-Founder and Chief Geek at Greenbird Integration Technology AS providing Metercloud, the Smart Utility Hub empowering the smart digital future of utilities.
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#40: Make her / him miss you

May 31, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Need some dating tips? Some relationship advice? Just search the web. Google will spit out tons of save bets to hook up with your dream partner or to keep your relationship alive and strong. One of the hottest tips is … Continue reading #40: Make her / him miss you

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#39: Count to 10

May 24, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Many times one is met with dullness or stupidity. Especially in business. People who talk about things they don’t know anything about (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning–Kruger_effect). Co-workers who (apparently try to) make your job harder. Customers who come with unrealistic expectations or unfair … Continue reading #39: Count to 10

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#38: Be generous

May 23, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Life is full of give and take – both private life and business. Many people are more “takers” who try to get as much as possible from others. Some only give exact what they expect to get back. Only a … Continue reading #38: Be generous

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#37: Build your counterpart a golden bridge

May 16, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Business is (sometimes) like war. It’s all about handling conflicts. Every single day there are some battles to stand. Some fights to face. In workshops or meetings. Discussions or arguments. Negotiations or mediation sessions. Sometimes you’ll loose. Sometimes you’ll win. … Continue reading #37: Build your counterpart a golden bridge

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#36: Skip meetings without an agenda

May 13, 2013June 22, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Many business people and consultants are workaholics. Even more are meetaholics. They appraise their importance and success with the number of meetings they attend. The more meetings, the more important they feel. Rushing from one meeting to the next and … Continue reading #36: Skip meetings without an agenda

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#35: Don’t get caught with your pants down

May 10, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Some like it kinky, sure. But the majority of the people don’t want to get caught with their pants down. Neither in private nor business live. It’s a small word. Bad decisions make the best stories. The talk is cheap … Continue reading #35: Don’t get caught with your pants down

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#34: Never get personal

May 6, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

One of the best signs and characteristics of brilliant business women/ men is, that these people never get personal in arguments or debates. They never attack others personally. They would never use an “argumentum ad hominem” ; meaning they would … Continue reading #34: Never get personal

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#33: Take the first step

April 26, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Let’s take another typical real life business example. A new strategy or business critical initiative has been decided by the management. The business case is calculated. Stakeholder analysis and risk assessments are done. Project mandate is written and accepted. An … Continue reading #33: Take the first step

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#32: Chase for answers, chase for facts

April 22, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Assume an ordinary day at work. Think about a typical meeting. Take any workshop. Heavy discussions. Many challenges. Huge problems. Complicated explanations. Lots of assumptions. Mostly guesswork. Nobody really has the facts. Nobody dares asking, probably they don’t know the … Continue reading #32: Chase for answers, chase for facts

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#31: Trust your nose

April 19, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

How would you check whether your food is spoiled? You could check the “best before” date. You could do a visual check. Or you could do a sniff test and follow your nose. You’d just trust your instinct. How would … Continue reading #31: Trust your nose

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#30: Don’t get side-tracked

April 16, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Heard about T. Boone Pickens? A well-known American business magnate and corporate raider. Ranked (by Forbes) as 328th richest person in America. Receiver of the 2009 Bower Award for Business Leadership for 50 years of visionary leadership in oil and … Continue reading #30: Don’t get side-tracked

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#29: Speak in pictures

April 11, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

When Apple launched the first iPod generation in 2001, it came with a 5 GB hard drive. These days, only hardcore geeks were able to imagine what 5 GB were good for. Average Joe and Plain Jane just had no … Continue reading #29: Speak in pictures

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#28: Act like a Broadway artist

April 8, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Consulting business is showbusiness. At least sometimes. There are a lot of things consultants can learn from showpeople. Think about Broadway artists. Think about great entertainers, comedians, musicians or stage actors. They play the same program over and over again. Show … Continue reading #28: Act like a Broadway artist

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#27: Explain it to your grandma

April 4, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Ever been at a conference where a speaker used thousands of fancy foreign words to impress the audience, but wasn’t able to convey any message? Ever been at a meeting where participants try to surpass the others with smart sounding … Continue reading #27: Explain it to your grandma

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#26: Don’t compromise

April 2, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

The team at Apple developing the first Macintosh got the instruction to make it “insanely great.” Steve Jobs wrote a maxim on a whiteboard; a maxim which became a cornestone in Apple’s success: “Don’t compromise.” Rule #26 is an adaption … Continue reading #26: Don’t compromise

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#25: Take a break

March 27, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Sometimes you just have to take a break to recover and recharge your batteries. That’s why even #ConsultingSecrets follows rule #25 which says: Take a break. For the next few days, all PCs, laptops and Macs will be turned off.  Brains … Continue reading #25: Take a break

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#24: Keep your cool

March 25, 2013July 6, 2015 Thorsten Heller

Ever watched ambulance paramedics, police men or fire workers at work in case of an emergency? These people are trained to stay calm in difficult and stressful settings. They do not panic. They try immediately to take control over the … Continue reading #24: Keep your cool

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#23: Adapt fast

March 22, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

In his theory of evolution Charles Darwin explained “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Darwin’s theory of the evolution of species sounds like a perfect … Continue reading #23: Adapt fast

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#22: Take a shot

March 18, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Now and then an opportunity just knocks at your door. Perhaps you’re asked to lead a strategic and business critical project. Maybe you’re offered a position as chief architect for a huge BPM, SOA or integration initiative. Eventually you get … Continue reading #22: Take a shot

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#21: Be your own hero

March 15, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Being stuck in a dangerous, life-threating or hopeless situation, in an action movie one would just wait for a hero who would save you. Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jean Claude Van Damme would come out of nowhere, risk their … Continue reading #21: Be your own hero

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#20: Never stop learning

March 13, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

In the age of 87, Michelangelo – an italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer, who is considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time – said: “I’m still learning.”  Abraham Lincoln – the 16. President of … Continue reading #20: Never stop learning

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#19: Play others good

March 11, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Andrés Iniesta – midfielder for FC Barcelona and the Spanish National Team – is a brilliant footballer player known for his passing, dribbling, vision and movement. Referring to wikipedia, Iniesta relies on exceptional creative passing, intuition and inventiveness to control … Continue reading #19: Play others good

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#18: Celebrate success

March 8, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Rule #18 is a short one. A simple one. An easy one. But it’s also one which is often forgotten: Celebrate success. Business goes fast. Market changes quickly. Delivery speed counts. Time is cash – time is money. A lot of … Continue reading #18: Celebrate success

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#17: Stay connected and use your network

March 6, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Lonesome cowboys and lone fighters are usually successful and become superheroes – at least in an Italo Western or Hollywood productions. Just remember Charles Bronson in “Once Upon a Time in the West” or Bruce Willis in “Die Hard”. Tough guys. Lonely … Continue reading #17: Stay connected and use your network

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#16: Always have a plan “B”

March 5, 2013May 14, 2014 Thorsten Heller

Experienced consultants know one thing for sure – unforeseen events occur. Conditions can change. People may change and they even may change their mind without telling you. Expectations may not be fulfilled. Agreements may not be met. Technology may fail. … Continue reading #16: Always have a plan “B”

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