Jack J. Phillips - The Consultants Scorecard: Tracking Roi and Bottom-Line Impact of Consulting Projects

THE
CONSULTANTS
SCORECARD

Tracking ROI and
Bottom-Line Impact
of Consulting Projects

Second Edition

JACK J. PHILLIPS
PATRICIA PULLIAM PHILLIPS

Copyright 2011 by Jack J. Phillips and Patricia Pulliam Phillips. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-0-07-175920-5

MHID: 0-07-175920-4

The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-0-07-174282-5

MHID: 0-07-174282-4.

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I n no way has developing this book been a single-handed effort. Many individuals have helped shape the content and issues contained in each chapter. Much appreciation goes to ROI Institute clients, who have provided us a vast opportunity to experiment with the ROI process. We have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of individuals in organizations around the world. These experiences are the basis for much of the content described in this book.

We owe much appreciation to our international partners. We now operate in 54 countries and are amazed at the capability and quality of our partners as they deliver a variety of consulting services. From them, we have witnessed not only excellent consulting in action but also have picked up accountability tips on making consulting more valuable for the client. We have also learned that the accountability of consulting knows no borders; it cuts across all types of countries and cultures.

Our consulting has grown from private sector applications in the early 1990s to applications in a wide variety of organizations. We provide consulting services to local, state, and federal government agencies, nonprofits, non-government organizations (NGOs), foundations, educational institutions, religious organizations, and health-care providers. As we work with these organizations, we learn new ways to approach our consultancy that help us ensure clients get the most value for their money.

Much appreciation goes to our U.S. associates, who have provided ideas, suggestions, and helpful information to fine-tune the ROI process and build a truly successful consulting practice. As a group, they are outstanding consultants.

To write a book that focuses on measuring consulting involves a lot of inspiration from others who are in the same profession. Beyond our own team and partners at the ROI Institute, we have learned from many consultants whose work we admire and in which we are, in some cases, directly involved. We appreciate the work Robert H. Schaffer, whose work on high-impact consulting has been a tremendous addition to this professional field. We respect the contribution of Alan Weiss, who believes in and practices bringing value to the consulting process. Alan is a great consultant with considerable success in inspiring others to tackle this important field by bringing results along the way. We also respect the work of Gordon Perchthold and Jenny Sutton, who know how to extract value from consultants and help clients achieve maximum success from a consulting project. Perhaps one of the most respected consultants is Peter Block, author of Flawless Consulting, whose work is one of the most important contributions to this field. Peter is an expert in the consulting field and brings accountability throughout the process. Geoffrey M. Bellman brings practical advice in making sure the consulting process works for the client, consultant, and those involved in the process. We admire, respect, and continue to learn from Elaine Biech, who clearly understands the business of consulting and ensures consultants join the profession for the right reasons, delivering results as defined by the client. Finally, we learned from David H. Maister, who focuses on how to manage a professional services firm, building in accountability throughout the process to ensure the entire team is focused on the desired outcome. To these and many other successful consultants, we owe a debt of gratitude for their pioneering work.

Perhaps more than any other group, we appreciate the support of our team at the ROI Institute. Although certain members of our team are more directly involved with our research and publishing efforts than others, the entire team supports us. For this particular book, we appreciate the work of Crystal Bedwell Langford, who has helped us on many projects over the years. We also appreciate the superb editing skills of Alison Frenzel. This is the fourth book that Alison has taken on as the lead editor, and she never fails to come through with her capability, quality of work, and superb editing and writing skills. We appreciate her contribution to our ambitious publishing program. Thanks, Alison.