© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC BLINK Sizing Up Client/Consultant Collaborations Quickly Jim Troxel Millennia Consulting, LLC

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC About Myself Entire Career Entire Career Public Service Public Service Persuasion Persuasion Enjoy Delivery Enjoy Delivery Events Events

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Preface Counselor Selling Counselor Selling Active Listening Active Listening Asking Questions Asking Questions Social/Relationship Style Social/Relationship Style We now have less time to make a first impression

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Rapid, unconscious decision-making can be as effective as deliberate, conscious decision-making Rapid, unconscious decision-making can be as effective as deliberate, conscious decision-making But unconscious is fallible But unconscious is fallible Our first impressions can be “trained” Our first impressions can be “trained”

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC When Not To Go Forward Dates &/or Agenda Already Set Senior Person Not Involved Invited by a Junior Person Espouse all the Jargon Only Interested in Completed RFP

Why Not? Creating a Partnership Creating a Partnership Need a Level of Rapport Need a Level of Rapport Create a Team Chemistry Create a Team Chemistry Mutual Discovery Process Mutual Discovery Process The “Spirit” of the Engagement The “Spirit” of the Engagement

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC How Do You Know – IN A BLINK If There’s Distractions If There’s Distractions If There’s Flattery If There’s Flattery If There’s Arrogance - pseudo sincerity If There’s Arrogance - pseudo sincerity If They are Too Enthusiastic If They are Too Enthusiastic If They Lie If They Lie If I Like Them If I Like Them If There’s Humor If There’s Humor If There’s Dialogue If There’s Dialogue If There’s Open Body Language If There’s Open Body Language

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Consultant Traps Preconceived Solutions Preconceived Solutions Inflexibility Inflexibility Over-Bearing Over-Bearing Thinly Veiled Arrogance Thinly Veiled Arrogance The Myth of Trust The Myth of Trust Becoming a “Pair of Hands” Becoming a “Pair of Hands” Taking Self Too Seriously Taking Self Too Seriously

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Collaboration Perspective Holistic World-View Holistic World-View Image Change Image Change Embrace Ambiguity Embrace Ambiguity Ethical Framework Ethical Framework Organization is Of Value Organization is Of Value Its Past Was Necessary Its Past Was Necessary Its Future Is Open Its Future Is Open It Has What It Takes It Has What It Takes

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Consultant Tips Prospect Priming Client Empathy “Super-Please” Up-Front Clarity Dummy Up Seeing Beyond Post-Sell the Sell

How to Enter A Collaboration 1. Perform Background Research 2. Condition Yourself 3. Engage the “Right People” 4. Extract their “Pain” 5. Probe for their Passion 6. Reach a “Discovery Agreement”

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Thank You Resources Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking NY: Little, Brown Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking NY: Little, Brown Block, Peter. Flawless Consulting SF: Jossey-Bass Block, Peter. Flawless Consulting SF: Jossey-Bass Maister, David H. Managing the Professional Service Firm NY: Simon & Schuster Maister, David H. Managing the Professional Service Firm NY: Simon & Schuster Schuman, Sandy (Ed.). The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation SF: Jossey-Bass Schuman, Sandy (Ed.). The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation SF: Jossey-Bass

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC What, from your experience, are the clues that point the way toward healthy client relationships?

© 2006 Millennia Consulting, LLC Millennia Consulting, LLC Jim Troxel, Partner 28 E. Jackson Blvd. Suite 1700 Chicago, IL Phone: (312) Fax: (312) url: