Fearless Consulting: Temptations, Risks and Limits of the Profession

PRAISE FOR FEARLESS CONSULTING…
"Erik de Haan is one of the most imaginative voices in charting the temptations, risks and challenges of organizational consultancy. His ability to get one reflecting afresh on ‘consultancy matters’ is as exemplary as it is, itself, ‘fearless’."
—David Armstrong, Principal Consultant, The Tavistock Consultancy Service
"A thoughtful and finely written guide.... It is a pleasure to see a book that does not oversimplify the world, yet offers a framework that can be instantly and powerfully used to make the world a better place and the consultant a better person."
—Peter Block, Partner, Designed Learning, and author of Flawless Consulting
"A guide to consulting as it really is with all of the challenges, dilemmas and risks that consultants face on a daily basis. It provides a valuable resource for deepening our insight and understanding of the complexities of client/consultant relationships.
Erik de Haan is one of the most exciting writers of a new wave in organisation development. I was delighted to find that his new book successfully brings together clarity and depth of writing."
—Peter Hawkins, Chairman, Bath Consultancy Group (from the Foreword)
"An unusually insightful and literate book on consulting. Erik de Haan uses experiential learning theory and learning styles to allow consultants to identify their preferred consulting role and intervention approach. Every consultant can benefit from reading this work."
—Professor David A. Kolb, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University
"A guide to consulting as it really is with all of the challenges, dilemmas and risks that consultants face on a daily basis. It provides a valuable resource for deepening our insight and understanding of the complexities of client/consultant relationships."
—Ina Smith, Managing Director, Ashridge Consulting
"Erik de Haan is one of the most imaginative voices in charting the temptations, risks and challenges of organizational consultancy. His ability to get one reflecting afresh on ‘consultancy matters’ is as exemplary as it is, itself, ‘fearless’."
—David Armstrong, Principal Consultant, The Tavistock Consultancy Service
"An unusually insightful and literate book on consulting. Erik de Haan uses experiential learning theory and learning styles to allow consultants to identify their preferred consulting role and intervention approach. Every consultant can benefit from reading this work."
—Professor David A. Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University
"This is an extraordinary book in tackling the mostly unspoken inner dialogue of what goes on in the contact between consultant and client. An enjoyable and stimulating read, raising self–awareness, causing reflection, and generating ideas to improve upon."
— Ed Green Organisation Consultant, Centre for Excellence in Leadership
"An erudite and entertaining look at how thinkers from previous ages can inform the dilemmas and pitfalls that consultants face in their practice today."
—Karen Welch, Development Executive, BBC

Spis treści:
Foreword.
Preface.
Prologue: Characteristics of Consulting.
1 Characteristics of the Entry.
2 The Entry and Fearless Speech.
Communicating advice.
Four forms of argumentation.
Forms of argumentation for consultants.
The fearless consultant.
Fearless speech under pressure.
Conclusion.
3 Characteristics of Joint Problem Formulation.
4 Problem Formulation and Irony.
Ambiguous communication.
What is irony?.
Two divine examples of irony.
The ironic consultant.
Irony as an instrument for change.
Irony and the concept of fate.
Conclusion.
5 Characteristics of Intervening.
6 I ntervening and Power.
Intervening means stepping in.
The focus of interventions.
The art of intervening.
The powerless consultant.
Conclusion.
7 Characteristics of Consolidating.
8 Consolidating and responsibility.
The responsibility of the consultant.
Why does anything come about?.
Authority and responsibility.
The non–responsible consultant.
Conclusion.
9 Characteristics of Departure and letting go.
10 letting go and Tragic Consulting.
The consultant as committed outsider.
The chorus in Greek tragedy
The tragic consultant.
What pleasure does a tragedy give?.
Conclusion.
Epilogue: Twenty Minutes in the life of a Consultant.
The invitation.
Observations prior to the conversation.
The conversation as it took place.
The conversation as it did not take place.
Observations following the conversation.
The follow–up conversation.
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
References.
Index.


Nota biograficzna:
Erik de Haan works is the director of Ashridge ’s Centre for Coaching and a senior organisation development consultant for Ashridge Consulting near London. Before joining Ashridge Consulting in 2002, he studied Theoretical Physics in Amsterdam,gained his PhD in Utrecht with his research into learning and decision–making processes in perception (1994), and worked for several consultancies in The Netherlands. Among his recent clients are the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, the BBC, BP, Credit Suisse First Boston, CSM, Fortis, Nokia, Stork, the Universities of Leeds and Leiden, and Vodafone. His previous publications books in English include The Consulting Process as Drama – King Lear for Consultants and Managers , Learning with Colleagues and Coaching with Colleagues. Erik is also member of the editorial board of Philosophy of Management –formerly Reason in Practice.
Ash ridge is one of the world’s leading providers of executive education. Established in 1959, it has acquired an outstanding international reputation in helping to make a difference to both individuals and organisations through its combination of executive development, research and consultancy expertise. Its activities include open & tailored executive education programmes, MBA, MSc & Diploma qualifications, organisation consulting, applied research and online learning. Clients include leading organisations in the private and public sectors in the UK and across the globe.

Okładka tylna:
PRAISE FOR FEARLESS CONSULTING…
"Erik de Haan is one of the most imaginative voices in charting the temptations, risks and challenges of organizational consultancy. His ability to get one reflecting afresh on ‘consultancy matters’ is as exemplary as it is, itself, ‘fearless’."
—David Armstrong, Principal Consultant, The Tavistock Consultancy Service
"A thoughtful and finely written guide.... It is a pleasure to see a book that does not oversimplify the world, yet offers a framework that can be instantly and powerfully used to make the world a better place and the consultant a better person."
—Peter Block, Partner, Designed Learning, and author of Flawless Consulting
"A guide to consulting as it really is with all of the challenges, dilemmas and risks that consultants face on a daily basis. It provides a valuable resource for deepening our insight and understanding of the complexities of client/consultant relationships.
Erik de Haan is one of the most exciting writers of a new wave in organisation development. I was delighted to find that his new book successfully brings together clarity and depth of writing."
—Peter Hawkins, Chairman, Bath Consultancy Group (from the Foreword)
"An unusually insightful and literate book on consulting. Erik de Haan uses ex