Synopses & Reviews
A classic revised and updated for the twenty-first-century consultant
Revised and updated for consulting in the twenty-first century, this new edition is for anyone who wants to know what consulting is really like as a career, as a living, and as a life. Geoffrey Bellman reveals how to make the job rewarding both financially and personally as he examines the practical issues of managing time, clients, and money as well as such broader concerns as how to balance work with family life. At once practical and personal, this book is for all types of consultants, all those who work with consultants, and all those who dream of being consultants.
Geoffrey M. Bellman (Seattle, WA) has consulted to organizations of all sizes, from the inside and outside, including numerous Fortune 500 companies. He is the author of several well-received books, including Getting Things Done When You re Not in Charge the bestselling book that has sold more than 80,000 copies.
Review
Praise for the First Edition "Taps into our feelings about our work, but it also makes definite suggestions to improve our craft as consultants. It helped me, even though I have twenty-nine years of experience as a consultant."
— Journal of Management Consulting
"The best book for [people who are trying to determine whether] consulting is for them."
— T & D
"A triumph of goodwill, wisdom, and a kind of humble Midwestern practicality. If Will Rogers had given attention to the consulting profession, this is the book he would have written."
— Peter Block, author of Flawless Consulting
"I must have a couple of dozen colleagues who shouldn't go another day without this book. Bellman has found a way to portray consulting as a way of life rather than just an abstract function. Here it all is-what we enjoy and exult in, and what we ponder, anguish, and whisper about. You will already know Geoff-the-Consultant: He is yourself."
— Peter Vaill, author of Managing as a Performing Art
"A wonderful book for people who want to test the waters of consulting, as well as for those who are looking to affirm their role as consultant but want to enhance their impact with clients and their own lives."
— David B. Wagner, Mercer Delta Consulting
"All my life, as a girl, as a professional consultant and now a retired elder I have shaped myself to be able to answer the internal question: Am I truly making a difference in the world? Am I truly living my beliefs through the contributions? And one day, some years ago I found Geoff Bellman and The Consultant's Calling. I wanted to shout out loud in my room, 'Yes that's it! That's what it's all about!' It affirmed for me everything I believed . . . .and we need affirmation with regularity, because it's often lonely out there. This book has been an inspiration for me and the most important part of reading it over and over is that it affirms what's best in me and my work. Thank you for being there, Geoff."
— Kathie Dannemiller, consultant and author of Collaborating for Change
"Geoff Bellman, you wrote my song! I laughed and cried and hummed as I sang The Consultant's Calling. It left me feeling affirmed for who I am, empowered with what I could be, guilty for what I choose not to face, skilled with what I can now do, and clearly convinced that I am living my work on purpose."
— Chip Bell, management consultant and author of Clients and Consultants
Synopsis
Geoffrey M. Bellman (Seattle, WA) has consulted to organizations of all sizes, from the inside and outside, including numerous Fortune 500 companies. He is the author of several well-received books, including Getting Things Done When Youre Not in Charge the bestselling book that has sold more than 80,000 copies.
Synopsis
This thoroughly revised and updated edition of
The Consultant's Calling— the book that has become a classic in the field— is written for anyone who wants to know what consulting is really like as a career, as a living, as a life. A successful consultant for more than thirty-five years, Bellman knows how to make the job rewarding, both financially and personally. He understands today's marketplace, the vocation, and the art of consulting. Every aspect of the work is examined including the practical, the profound, and the curious. This is a book for all types of consultants, all those who work with consultants, and all those who dream of becoming consultants.
About the Author
Geoffrey M. Bellman lives in Seattle. He has consulted to organizations of all sizes, from the inside and the outside. Bellman is the author of best-selling books Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge, Your Signature Path, and The Beauty of the Beast.
Table of Contents
Foreword (Peter Block).
Preface.
Introduction: In Pursuit of Purpose.
Part One: A Foundation for Your Work.
1. Creating Your Balanced Life.
2. Creating the Right Work.
3. Setting Your Work Boundaries.
4. Managing Your Calendar.
5. Making Money.
Part Two: The Clients.
6. Why Clients Hire You.
7. Why Clients Keep You.
8. Building Trust with Clients.
Part Three: The Consultant.
9. Love at Work.
10. Fear at Work.
11. Searching Your Shadows.
12. The Consultant as Leader.
13. Building Your Power.
14. Misusing Your Power.
Part Four: Partnership.
15. Building Long-Term Partnerships.
16. Making Rewarding Partnerships.
17. Avoiding Painful Partnerships.
Part Five: Understanding Organizations.
18. How Organizations Work.
19. What Works When Creating Change.
20. How Not to Create Change.
Part Six: The Marketplace.
21. You and the Marketplace.
22. Making The Leap into Consulting.
23. Stepping Back from Consulting.
Part Seven: Closing.
24. The Quest for Meaning Through Work.
Sixty Thoughts About Life and Work.
Resources.
The Author.
Index.