Con Tricks: Choosing the Right Consultancy

by Martin Ashford

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743203410
• ISBN13: 9780743203418
• Release Date: December 2000
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (UK)
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

For Cons & Clients

An insightful way to understand and gain more value from consultants from a client perspective, and a useful guide for consultants to understand how to improve the method of delivery.A rather misleading sub-title aiming to be controversial when the content is actually informative and practical. The tone is sometimes too jocular for the content.

Defense Against Consulting Con Artists

This is one of the most unusual business books I have ever read. It simultaneously takes the view that management consultants are a necessary and helpful resource, and that they are also dangerous to the health of your business and career. Then, he seeks to innoculate you against every possible mistake that you may make which could turn management consulting into a danger (at at least a waste of time and money). All of that sounds very high minded, doesn't it? Yet he uses a language that has definite shock value (at least to these American ears). Management consultants are described as pros (as in prostitutes) and cons (as in con artists and seemingly, convicts). Yet the author's perspective includes having been a management consultant for six years with a reputable firm. To me, the most valuable part of this book was a survey taken with alumni of the London Business School to find out their views of and experiences with management consultants, both as consultants and as customers. Whether these experiences are the same as what happens in other countries or not, the results make for fascinating reading. Both the consultants and the clients are skeptical of each other. The consultants think the clients are hiring them for the wrong reasons and assignments. The clients think the consultants are uninformed and unoriginal. I certainly intend to reread these findings from time to time, to better understand what my own clients might be thinking. I hope these reminders will help encourage me to asks questions and speak in a way that will surface these concerns so that they can be addressed in a way that best serves the client's interests.The basic point of the survey is that clients generally see management consultants as adding value. On the other hand, clients also see much room for improvement from their consultants. In particular, clients see the consultants as mainly looking out for themselves rather than for their clients. That reflects a traditional supplier-customer relationship rather than a professional-to-client relationship. On the whole, this book adds value for clients and consultants. A consultant will do a better job for a client who follows the advice in this book. A client who follows this advice will be more pleased with the consulting results. Consultants and clients will both make more money. Clients will see their firms and careers do better. The only place where I objected to the harsh tone of the book was in chapter 9 about becoming a consultant. There is a survey there to test your selfishness versus your selflessness (and interest in your clients) that encourages you to be selfish if you want to be a consultant. This is clearly an attempt at humor, but I think it will confuse and mislead some. The rest of the book is encouraging better practices, and this cuts against that purpose. Here are some of Mr. Ashford's key principles for clients.1. Define the business i

All time favorite

As an old consultant myself, this book is revealing and foremost, extremely entertaining. Not only does the author capture the management consultancy business, but he also describes the management of the "victims" very entertaining. Unfortunately, what he describes is very common, not only on the part of the MC business, but also of its clients that in reality should know better. When I'm bored (or expecting to be bored) or have to handle longer negotiations, this book always accompany me, its great fun at the hotel room, and every time I look into it, I seem to learn a trick or two that can be useful.In short, whatever your persuassion, buy it and read it, if for nothing else, it is very well written.

eye-opener on the con-market

Very interesting book, gives a great view, for a lot of people a not very well known view, on the consultancy market + guidelines how to get the most out of consultants and not to be conned.