Welcome to the
Consulting Matters Blog

and Other Truths about Leadership that No One Will Admit

I have heard the refrain "everyone is a leader" ever since I got into the performance improvement/organizational development business 20 years ago. 

The heartfelt sentiment behind this lie is good: everyone is equally important to an organiz...

The last role I held at Walt Disney World before I left to start my own consulting firm was as the senior manager for Operations Integration. My job was to ensure that the senior executives from the theme parks, resorts, lines of business and support organizations worked together effectively and wer...

A FAMILIAR CASE STUDY

Tim, a seasoned leader in his hospitality/entertainment company, finally made the leap from general manager to vice president of the flagship theme park of his company. As he assumed his duties, he realized there were several major challenges in front of him:

• How can he k...

It was time for my young daughters to learn how to ride a bike. My older daughter, Hannah, was clearly uncomfortable and afraid. She challenged me STRAIGHT ON. When I asked for her to get on the bike, she clearly and directly said no. She pitched a fit, engaged in a full one temper tantrum and ran b...

As consultants, we struggle with determining new ways we can add client value. We wrack our brains for breakthrough products and services or new content and resources to engage our clients. However, we are missing the one thing that we do that adds the most value which is when we serve our clients s...

When a leader assumes a new position, the first 90 days are critical. It sets the tone for their tenure and determines employee expectations. You, as a consultant, have a unique opportunity to provide essential and critical support that will make or break both this leader's effectiveness and organiz...

The one question I am asked almost weekly is, “How do I get started in Organization Development?” After 20 years in the field, I am starting to see that to excel as an organizational consultant is less about specialized knowledge and skills and more about a way of perceiving and thinking. Let me exp...