The ability to tell a compelling story is a crucial skill you’ll need to get most of the things you want in life and succeed on the job. Here are 5 keys to know.

For my loyal readers out there, I’m giving you $50 OFF the BRAND NEW HOME STUDY VERSION of my training program “New Consultant Boot Camp.” But hurry, sale ends February 10th! Get the details here…

Being stuck on a problem you can’t solve is the most frustrating thing in the world isn’t it? You try and try to figure out the answer, the clock is ticking, that deadline is approaching and with each passing minute your frustration inches toward the boiling point. Check out these 4 unconventional tactics for problem solving that are less stressful and much more efficient.

My sister Laura got married last week. Aside from being a beautiful event, it was also a great lesson in the importance of getting buy-in, and the impact not doing so can have on your budget, your workload and your relationships with your clients and coworkers. Sound like big leap? Hang with me and keep reading.

I was sitting in the tub in an old hotel recently, happily watching the water rise, when something caught my eye. There was a hole in the side of the tub with a large pipe coming out the side and down into the floor. It was an overflow tube, common in many old tubs. This image could not be more apropos for consultants. The water is always rising, but there’s only so much room in the tub. And on the job, there’s endless work to take on, but only so much one person can do in a fixed number of hours in the day. So if you’re drowning in work right now, here are three easy ways to create your own overflow tube and make more room in the tub.

Are you having a rough time on your project? Do you wake up every day scheming how you can get off the team – or even jump ship and leave your firm? If you’re jumping up and down screaming – “THAT’S ME!” – then take a deep breath and keep reading. Here’s how to get out of a bad situation with your good reputation still intact.

The mantra of most consulting firms is to under promise and over deliver when it comes to managing client expectations. Here are 5 tips to set realistic expectations with clients as a new analyst or associate and keep yourself out of hot water with your boss and your client.

The thought of saying no to your boss has you shaking in your stilettos. But you’ve hit your breaking point with too much on work your plate, assignments that keep on coming, and weekends filled with work. Here are a few pointers to help not only tell your boss no, but stay on her good side too.

Submitted By: Kristine Schoonmaker
In just a one day I’m going to be sharing the 3 questions (and the answers too) that you need to know if you want less stress, better performance, and more free time as a new consultant.
I’m really excited for the call and hope you are too.  If you haven’t already reserved [...]

Everyone has had those moments: You accidentally send an email to the wrong “Jane,” dial into a client meeting an hour late because you forgot you were in a different time zone, or call your partner by the wrong name. If you’ve been fortunate enough to avoid these little hiccups, don’t laugh just yet. Your time will come. But when it does, don’t panic. You absolutely CAN recover from these embarrassing moments even if they are a little painful. Here’s how to do it.

On a recent trip to Philadelphia, I was catching up on email in the hotel lobby. While happily typing away with the low hum of conversations around me, I suddenly was jarred by an incredibly loud talker in my ear. I quickly looked up, annoyed that someone would so rudely use their outside voice. Then I noticed there was no one around me. After scanning the crowd, I confirmed it was two men across the room. Learn how this sparked a few rules for office conversation, and if you’re a “lady”, dating too.

There are some people that know exactly what they want to do professionally for as far back as they can remember. And then there are the rest of us that are slightly later bloomers in that department. One big reason many pursue a path in consulting early in their career is to get a lot of different experience so they can figure out exactly what they want to do later. There are lots of problems with this approach that lead to frustration and burnout. If you are bold enough to declare your focus early, however, you reap many professional and personal benefits.

The holidays can be a strange time. Most people find themselves either hurrying to meet a milestone by year end or winding down one project and gearing up to start another. Increased socializing is either a nice break or a hindrance to progress. Even pinning people down can be an impossible task. Because there are so many things going on it can be easy for teams to become disjointed. Here is a simple checklist of fairly obvious, yet often overlooked items that can make a big difference at work during the holidays.

Whether you are a traveling consultant or not, most people these days find themselves working from home on occasion. And if we’re being honest with each other, we know that it’s a double-edged sword. So, here are easy ways to boost your productivity at home (in addition to getting rid of your pets)!

Can you imagine being yelled at, cursed at and even kicked out of the room by a client in the middle of a meeting? What about being intimidated and raked over the coals every week in your one-on-one status meetings? Seem crazy? Well, luckily, many may never experience this, however, given the high stakes, scrutiny and visibility of many consulting projects, sometimes, the pressure can cause people to act out. Do you know how you would react if faced with a situation like that – especially if it was your client?