Best Practice Exchange Facilitation for Continuous Care Retirement Communities

In previous posts, I have described Continuous Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs).  Recently I began exploring two CCRCs which are owned by the same non-profit organization.  My parents began living in one of them in 1992 and the second one is located nearer my home.

I had a tour of the Assisted Living facilities of the second CCRC--my Mom lives in the Assisted Living facilities of the first CCRC.  Both CCRCs have some best practices that are worth sharing as well as some areas for improvement.

As an organizational change consultant for more than 30 years, I would like to offer my services to these CCRCs as a facilitator for Best Practice Exchange.  Because my mother lives in one of the facilities, I would be happy to provide these services in exchange for credit for Mom's expenses at the facility.

I have not yet made a proposal to the CCRCs or their parent organization and I can see the value such a program could have on the two CCRCs I am familiar with and the potential value the program could have for the other CCRCs owned by the same parent organization.

Perhaps I can get someone to view my digital portfolio and to check-out my profile and services so that they can see that I am serious about these ideas.

Ides of March--Risks of Being a Prophet of Change

March 15th--the Ides of March--the day Julius Caesar was murdered.   A prophetess predicted his death at the "Ides of March."  "Beware the ides of March" has become a commonly recognized phrase associated with this event which took place in 44 BC.

Prophecy is a risky profession.  Stemming from the murder of a prophetess to the Greeks who advised one city state that another was going to attack them, the phrase "Don't kill the messenger" is another phrase that has come into common use.

Telling people bad news in advance is risky.  It can be even more so when someone makes changes and the bad news doesn't happen.

More than merely avoiding "bringing bad news," some of my family members point out that, "if you can't fix it or do anything about it, what is your purpose in telling someone about a problem?"

What that kind of question makes me do is to reflect about what I was going to say and to rethink a bit--often leading to improving whatever remarks I was going to give and sometimes improving my input by keeping silent and observing.

When I lived in California I became an earthquake preparedness consultant, learning about earthquakes and how to prepare (physically) to survive them (assuming that you are not killed in the moment they happen).  While this was important for people to know in Los Angeles, in some businesses I was not even allowed to bring the subject up because it would bother people.  I helped develop one of the first Earthquake Preparedness courses and manuals offered by the American Red Cross in Los Angeles.  It has since been revised and is available in 11 languages to help residents know what to do to prepare for and to survive earthquakes.

In some of my work as an organizational change consultant, I advise clients about how to prepare for major change in their business.  Some of my clients don't want to think about the changes because it will disturb the comfort zones of many of their investors or employees.  At the same time, organizations can be more successful in dealing with change if they are prepared for the change and can take positive actions to allow the change to help them rather than to overwhelm them.

Marketing Consulting Services and Tools--the eBay Connection

In today's economy, many organizations are looking for ways to reduce their expenses and to do more with less.  Embracing that idea, I'm creating a series of self-help tools for organizations to use to diagnose challenges and opportunities and to begin to plan how to overcome the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities.

This isn't a "quick fix" situation--I need to work with the tools and to make sure that people can understand them.  As a working prototype is developed, I am marketing it on eBay.  I'm sure the marketplace will give me feedback on how to improve the tools--and the services that complement the tools for those who want more than self-help.

Selling the tools on an eBay auction seems to be a first step.  I shared the DrM-Business Improvement Survey yesterday and today have released the DrM-Business Snapshot tool.  The DrM-Workforce Training Needs Survey is now available.

I've had feedback from some professional friends that I need to change the vocabulary in my questions.  At the same time, I have been developing the tools based on 40 years of experience in working with organizations in the area of development and change.  Sometimes the tools are "just right" for certain circumstances.

CBS is starting a new "reality TV" series called Undercover Boss (on Sunday nights).  I would be interested to see how these bosses could use the tools I am creating to help their organizations after their "undercover" experiences.

Consulting Services and eBay

Finding consulting clients is challenging.  Directing potential clients to websites is "ify" at best.  Many of the independent consultants I network with say that their new clients almost always come "by word of mouth" from existing or previous clients.

In exploring more options to "spread the word"--beyond social networking sites such as LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter, I have signed-up my Joelmonty.net website for some promotional services to get them recognized more by search engines.

I am listening to an audio book where the protagonist has marketed an "off-beat" consulting service on eBay.  I already use eBay and get my billing and payments through PayPal.  It makes sense to work with eBay to market my consulting services, especially my virtual consulting services.

From what I have seen on eBay's Consulting Services pages so far there is plenty of room for my services.  Now I have to work on the most effective ways to use eBay to market these services.

Small Business Consulting--Creating a Niche

Small business consulting--some companies make it their business to target small to mid-sized businesses.  What do small businesses really need?  Can independent or loosely networked consultants create a niche in local small businesses to create "win-wins" for all concerned?

What would these independent or loosely networked consulting professionals need to do to focus on a niche local market?

A story about a Business Opportunity--Is the Time Right Yet?

In October, 2009, I wrote a post about "The Wizard's First Rule".  Part of my motivation for that post was a recent experience of finding what I thought was a consulting opportunity very similar to the consulting opportunity brought to me by a headhunter in November, 1999.  A European-based technology consulting firm, affiliated with Philips in the Netherlands, had started doing business in the USA and was looking for senior business consultants to help with their work in the USA.  I joined AtosOrigin (Origin Technology in Business) and enjoyed almost two years with them until the Netherlands-based firm merged with a French-based firm and AtosOrigin was created.

In 2001, after the terrorist attack in New York City on 9/11, I decided to commit time to teach K-12 students.  Beginning in 2003 I taught in K-12 classrooms for six years.  While teaching I kept my consulting practice going part-time in the background.

What I see in the beginning of 2010 is the opportunity for professional consultants to join together to help for-profit, not-for-profit businesses, schools, and other organizations to meet the emerging challenges and opportunities of the new decade.

What I thought I had found in October, 2009, is an opportunity I want to create in 2010. (See my list of services on my website.)  In my 30+ years of experience with consulting, I have learned that I am better off working in a group of professional colleagues where each can add his or her expertise, experience, and talents for the good of all--including the clients.

Is the time right yet?  We'll see.

Management Consulting for Small Businesses in the New Economy

The Saint Charles Learning Community had its annual Holiday Gathering this evening at the Social Club located on the grounds of the Q-Center in St Charles, IL.  Most of the professionals attending the gathering had been employed by Arthur Andersen, Andersen Consulting, Accenture, or Andersen Worldwide while those organizations were at the peak of their success.  Of these, only Accenture remains intact and still growing.

All were involved in developing, delivering, or supporting learning programs and events for the Andersen organizations.  I was with Andersen Worldwide and Andersen Consulting for a little over five years.  I left Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) eleven years ago to pursue other consulting interests at Origin Technology in Business (now AtosOrigin).

It was wonderful to reconnect with people I enjoyed working with and had not seen for many years.  It is amazing that, out of my 40-year career to date, my time with the Andersen organizations reflects my best experience of working with top quality professionals sharing many of the same values.

Some people who left an Andersen organization were fully involved in leadership development, talent management and training at such organizations as Sears Holding, MacDonalds, and Office Max.  Others were independent consultants and coaches.  Very few had completely changed careers.

The conversation moved to the new economy and the unemployment challenge.  In this recession, many white-collar jobs were eliminated.  Families who relied on incomes in the 60 to 100 thousand dollar range may not find new jobs paying those wages.  Other workers employed in well-salaried professionals (such as auto workers) may also not have any new jobs in that profession to go back to.

In the consulting arena, there are fewer "Big Four" firms for consultants to work for.  The key to success for the new economy--in terms of reducing unemployment--is the explosive growth of small businesses.  These small businesses will need small business consultants to help them organize, grow, and expand.  There are a few self-help books for small businesses such as The e-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. 

Large consulting firms created content-specialized consultants focusing on information technology, enterprise resource planning, business process re-engineering (and other focus areas).  Small businesses will need contextual consulants who can diagnose the challenges to the small business, help the decision-makers develop a change strategy, and help develop the change plan and training to allow the employees to implement the changes to help the business to grow.

Singing and Consulting--What's the Connection?

On reflecting about my consulting practice today, I was reminded about my singing voice.  Some people have "absolute pitch" or "perfect pitch" (usually the note of "A").  They know that note without any prompting or cues.  Others, like me, have "relative pitch."  (I can't find the "A" and, when someone else does, I can sing harmony with them around their notes.  I have sung in many choirs and have made a Christmas CD with a small chorus.  I lettered in Chorus (among other things) in High School and have had some practical experience with applying these concepts to singing.

Today I realized that my consulting practice is much like my singing.  My "relative pitch" translates to contextual consulting (rather than content consulting).  I can go into almost any organization and, within that context, can identify what needs to be changed and help the decision-makers develop a strategy for change and train employees to implement the change.

Content consulting would be for me to have a training about a specific topic I am knowledgable about and to provide that training to people.  While I have done that in the past and have several hundred hours of training available in English and Spanish, I do not consider this my best work.

Context consulting is more difficult to market than content consulting.  The actual consulting will change depending on the needs of the client organization.  When people look for consultants, they frequently are looking for content background--in human resources, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, strategy, marketing, sales.

"C-level" executives (Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers) need to function from the contextual level to make sure that all the areas of their organization are functioning smoothly.

Now I need to reflect more on the concept of contextual consulting and how to market it.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Becoming a Trusted Advisor--Independent Consulting for Businesses, Not-for-Profit Organizations, and Schools

Syms, in its advertising, says that "an educated consumer is its best customer."  There is a problem about having educated consumers as customers in the consulting services marketplace.  While there are multiple markets, three serve as practical examples--businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and schools.  When leaders in any of these three markets feel a need for consulting services, they go to trusted providers.  Businesses usually go to consulting firms rather than to individuals.  Not-for-profit organizations look for consulting firms specializing in their kind of organization.  Schools frequently look to universities as their source for trusted advisors.

Regardless of how much education and practical experience consulting professionals may have, there is no "instant" way to become a trusted advisor.  Another challenge is that, once someone becomes a trusted advisor the relationship may be considered more personal than professional--making it more difficult to charge and to collect an hourly fee.

LinkedIn.com encourages members to solicit recommendations from others in the member's network.  Recommendations can help begin to build trust between professionals.  Rather than mastering the "Google Ad Words" promotion, it is challenging to create an electronic footprint that allows for people to discover a new "trusted advisor."  Videos on YouTube may be one source for initial connections.

Christopher Columbus--Consulting and the Emerging Technology-Economy of the New World

Columbus Day, 2009--October 12, 2009--Christopher Columbus was a consultant for his times--and, perhaps, a model for today.  A short history--from my memory, so it is in part a fable--In that time (1490's), Italy had a "lock" on the overland trade routes to Asia--silks, spices, exotic goods of all sorts funnelled through Venice, Italy.  Many of the neighboring countries were frequently at war with each other and had lots of expenses and no money to pay for them, having taxed their inhabitants enormously.   Christopher Columbus, from Genoa, Italy, was working as a map maker in Portugal where navigators of sailing vessels were trained.  Christopher Columbus became convinced that he could find a "short cut" to the "Indies" (the name for the islands where exotic spices such as pepper came from).  (Remember, in those days before referigeration, spices could cover the taste of bad meat--a real problem for the dining table.)  He needed a sponsor and, after much sacrifice, got the Queen of Spain to sponsor his expedition.  In dreaming-up his short cut he (along with most other explorers of his time) didn't know about an entire continent that lay in his way before he could sail around the world to Asia and "the Indies." 

To make a long story short, Christopher Columbus didn't know where he was going, got someone to pay his way in advance, didn't know where he was when he arrived--or where he had been, though he could find his way home.  Instead of pepper, he brought chilies.  Instead of the Indies, he found the West Indies.  Instead of a short-cut to riches, he found (and claimed) some islands and, eventually, an entire continent on behalf of Spain.

He lived in a time of emerging economies--everyone needed new sources of money and finding a new continent became lucritive for all of the European countries around Spain--except for Italy.  The technology was also up and coming--newer magnetic compasses, newer ideas for sailing.  Finding countries who didn't have the kind of armament and weaponry that the Europeans commanded in the late 1400's.

Today we are in an emerging economy, exploring new technologies, looking for sponsors, and we have consultants who can provide advice--though we may not know where we are going or where we've been when we get there.  It sounds asthough Christopher Columbus may be a good role model for consultants of our times as well.

Management Consulting Considerations--Europe and USA

What are the main differences in the American and European ways of running business?

To review some of the cultural differences that impact businesses, look at these two websites:
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_united_states.shtml

http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_netherlands.shtml  

These websites provide profiles of the cultures of the United States and of The Netherlands—as an example of Europe. The differences between these two cultures are reflected in the ways of doing business in each culture.

Aside from the cultural differences identified by Hofstede, there are basic differences recognized by the formulation of the European Union. American businesses in the USA share a common language, operate under the same federal laws and regulations—though they are also influenced by state laws and regulations. Their employees largely come from the United States or face one set of immigration and “right to work” laws from the USA. Global firms operating in the USA have the basic regulations of the USA, coupled with the requirements they must meet to operate in each of the different multinational locations they are organized in. In Europe, women and men may be regarded more as equals than is prevalent in the USA. In Europe, multiple languages, cultures, and currencies impact businesses and business consulting.

There are different sizes of business which are looking for consulting and some of their decisions on which consulting firms to engage are based on their comfort zones. In the USA, many of the largest consulting firms with 60,000 plus consultants targeted Information Technology (IT) and added strategy and human resources consulting on top of the IT business. To some extent that is also true in Europe. One major area of difference is that many European firms are more aware of the interconnected nature of change in a business and are more supportive of organized planning efforts to support that change than are some American based organizations.

What advantages could a mid-sized European-owned management consulting firm have in the American market?

What needs to be determined is your target market and fees. Firms such as Accenture and PriceWaterhouseCoopers used to have large teams of junior consultants working and reporting to senior managers or partners. Fees for those large teams were in the millions and that limited the target market to only major players in the industry. If you can target a more middle range and provide both physical presence and virtual support—a blended consulting team approach—with investment requirements (costs) that these companies can manage, that will be a significant advantage in the American market. Another goal will be to make the American market support further global expansion by how you target the market.

What I do best---Reprise

Throughout this blog, I have mentioned what I do best in several posts.  Today I've been thinking about that.

What do I do best?  I make a positive difference in the world by helping people and organizations learn to  change to improve their quality of (business) life now and for the future.

I've been doing that since I began working 40+ years ago.

I do the work wherever I am in whatever job I take on--independently or for others.  It is an essential part of who I am and, over time, I have come to recognize it--as do the people who know me and who work with me.

I am very good at assimilating what is going on in context and channeling that context in ways that follow research-based best practices to come up with what needs to be learned to change to produce the improvements.  The good news for me is that I have learned to do that with children, adults, and organizations.  I've also learned to do it across cultures and languages.

In the course of doing what I do best, I have worked with people in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.  That's good because I enjoy meeting new people and cultures and practicing new languages.  I've provided these services in English, Spanish, Italian, and French and have picked-up some conversational fluency in other languages along the way if I've stayed in the country long enough.

I've worked for the federal government in the USA and Canada, public and private businesses, colleges and universities, K-12 school districts, and have owned my own businesses along the way.  I've worked with more than 100 organizations and more than 16 different industries and with thousands of people--children and adults.

I've grown and learned quite a bit along the way and enjoy sharing what I have learned and continue to learn with the people I work with day to day.

My challenge now is to tell this story in a multimedia format--probably starting with MicrosoftPowerPoint and moving on from there.  If you want to help, please let me know.

Performance and Change Management Consulting for "Big 8-6-5-4" Firms

When I left the U.S. Army after a 10-year career, I was not aware of the "Big 8" Accounting and Consulting firms until I joined one as a Management Consultant in Los Angeles.  Coopers and Lybrand (now part of PriceWaterhouseCoopers) was one of the big firms and I was a management consultant in their Litigation Management practice.

I have been a professional performance and change management consultant for 40+ years.  I began learning how to do what I do so well as a volunteer instructor for the American Red Cross then built skills while on duty as an officer in the U.S. Army.  I continued this practice as a management consultant for my own and for other consulting firms until I went back to earn a doctorate degree to work with even more people and organizations.  After earning my doctorate, I worked again for a "Big 6" Consulting Firm--Andersen World Wide and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).  Times had changed and I was able to utilize what I had learned in my doctorate degree while working with Andersen Consulting. 

I left Andersen Consulting in 1998 to join another consulting firm as a senior business consultant in change management.

Today there are only four or five major consulting firms like the ones I used to belong to.  Times are changing and one of the real challenges is that client needs are changing, too.

Large consulting firms have large staffs and command high fees.  Large corporations can afford those fees.  Small to mid-sized organizations cannot.  Who takes care of their needs?

There are a few consulting firms that target small to mid-sized businesses.  Beyond that there are lots of individual consultants offering a variety of services.  Unfortunately, the need for service greatly exceeds the availability of consultants.

One person can make a big difference by working at top-levels in a small organization.  That is a tremendous "value added benefit" to small to mid-sized companies seeking out the right consultants at the right time.

The Business of Getting Noticed by the Right People

In the 2009 economy in the USA, much time on the internet is invested in trying to get noticed by "the right people."  Who are the "right people?"  That depends on the goal.  If I want a job, I want to be noticed by people who are hiring.  If I am looking for contract work, I want to be noticed by the people who are looking for someone to fill the contract.  If I want to find consulting work, I want to be noticed by organizations who would like to use me as a consultant.  Sologig.com and Fulcrum Network both focus on identifying opportunities for contract or consulting work.

How do we go about getting noticed in this age of social networking?  We post resumes to job boards, fill-out profiles on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other locations.  We create web sites, blogs, create podcasts, put out promotional pieces on YouTube--and hope for the best

Many people are in the business of helping people get noticed.  In fact, there are almost more people trying to help others improve their resumes than there are people hiring for jobs. 

We do need to get noticed by the right people--for the right reasons--and for the right "investment" of our time and energy.

Representing Yourself to Businesses--in the AGR Age (After the Great Recession)

AGR--After the great recession--Perhaps resumes no longer had the value they had in earlier times in representing ourselves to businesses.  (See my profiles on the Title link.)

Resumes today seem to be an awkward way to represent ourselves in and to businesses.  More and more people have the job of filtering resumes--unless the job can be turned-over to a computer.  One of the more creative ways to produce a resume or a profile is to have a multimedia Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.  The challenge becomes more difficult as we add education, wisdom, and experience to our careers. 

Who needs to see our background?  Potential clients or customers, potential employers, potential mentors, colleagues, coaches, business partners, . . . .  The list continues to grow.  Some of the people who may want to see it will have different expectations from others who need the same information.  How do we cover the bases in ways that are most effective?

For some, a functional resume may serve--Microsoft Word 2007 has a template for a functional resume.  Many job search services offer professional advice and, for a fee, rewrites of resumes.  These may not result in the kinds of resumes or background you want to share with clients or colleagues.

Social Networking sites like LinkedIn ask for a "profile" that includes former employers and educational institutions.

Some job boards available online and employer websites want information provided in a certain way they can use to filter and sort the data for multiple candidates for positions.  Few of these sites can deal effectively with a functional resume.

I'm working on my multimedia resume for clients, customers, colleagues, mentors, and anyone else to use.  I'll let you know when I have it available.