I've been giving this some thought for a stretch because right now management consultancies, regardless of industry, have at best a static pool customers (vs. a growing # of customers) with, again, at best, a fixed budget for outsourcing certain strategic activities to management consultancies. The worst case scenario for management consultancies is where budget for that type of outsourcing is (or has been) reduced.
Assuming that the "pie" of revenues (mix of existing new & existing business) is not growing folks need to look at the marketing and biz dev component of their business as winning away customers from the competition.
There is really no other alternative when market conditions are showing stagnant or shrinking top-line growth.
The key selling point to customers for management consulting firms is that an organization gains a high value-added strategic (and/or tactical) partner.
The management consultancy's business model must reflect that to the customer.
Historically consultancies will typically scale their business while marketing the value based on the equity holding partners who are usually the most experienced and hand off components of the client projects to junior partners who work for relatively small monetary rewards (relative to the partners), yet this practice winds up diluting the high value-add value proposition.
I've looked at some regional consultancies business models and wondered how they sustain themselves. Well, I think I've answered my own question just above!
Here's what needs to happen in this climate to win business:
-Reduce number of junior partners the firm retains when project needs allow for it.
-Equity partners get involved at the tactical biz dev level
-Sr. Partners (equity or otherwise) pitch recommendations in appropriate client facing scenarios
-Monitor scale of projects the firm takes on; if required leverage existing pool of junior partner relationships for those expanded client engagements.
-Push your firms competitive advantage relative to industry niche
-Refine or use creative pricing structures to entice new business and attract existing clients to provide additional project work.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
I am a Bumblebee or maybe a Race horse. How about you?
I can't take credit for this, but it certainly struck a chord..
Bumble Bee’s and Race Horse’s
A few years ago a group of scientists developed an interest in bumblebees. These scientists reckoned that these little insects held some secrets of flight that may provide some answers to questions about operating in space. After all, they asked, how could such small wings produce efficient lift for a relatively large and hairy torso? And how could a round body and flight position that violated many principles of aerodynamics move so efficiently through the air?
After weeks of study, hypothesizing, scrutinizing and examining the scientists came to one conclusion: Bumblebees are not capable of flight. Fortunately no one told the bumblebee. The silly insects go right on believing that flight is normal for them despite what the best minds in the scientific world know as fact.
We can learn a lot from the bumblebee. The single most critical piece of this sporting puzzle is believing in yourself and your capacity to succeed. “if you think you can or you think you can’t,” automobile manufacturer Henry Ford said, “you’re probably right.”
The bumblebee thinks it can fly. Actually, the thought of anything else never even crosses its tiny mind.
It just keeps flying.
Then there’s the race horse. The philosophy of equine athletes is similar to that of human athletes, and they are trained in much the same manner as a runner. They use heart rate monitors, train with intervals and endurance, follow a periodization plan and eat a diet designed to enhance performance.
Psychologically, racehorses differ a great deal from the human athlete. They never question their training preparation. When it comes time for a workout designed by their trainer, they do it without wondering if its enough. They don’t go out in the morning and put in a few extra junk miles for “insurance”. They don’t worry and fret after a poor performance. Stable life goes on as usual.
On race day, racehorses are nervous just as human athletes are; they know what is about to happen, but they don’t magnify the tension by comparing themselves with the other horse (“look at the legs on that stud!”). Instead they are very purposeful in their approach to training and racing. There is but one reason for every day existence – to get faster.
If the horse is physically strong and the trainer is smart, this happens.If you are to succeed in the sport you have chosen, the first thing you must do is believe in yourself just as the bumblebee does. Without this, all of the science in the world won’t do any good.
You must also have a purposeful, racehorse trust in your training. Continuously second guessing and changing training direction after every race are a sure way to fail. Think like a bumblebee, train like a horse.
Bumble Bee’s and Race Horse’s
A few years ago a group of scientists developed an interest in bumblebees. These scientists reckoned that these little insects held some secrets of flight that may provide some answers to questions about operating in space. After all, they asked, how could such small wings produce efficient lift for a relatively large and hairy torso? And how could a round body and flight position that violated many principles of aerodynamics move so efficiently through the air?
After weeks of study, hypothesizing, scrutinizing and examining the scientists came to one conclusion: Bumblebees are not capable of flight. Fortunately no one told the bumblebee. The silly insects go right on believing that flight is normal for them despite what the best minds in the scientific world know as fact.
We can learn a lot from the bumblebee. The single most critical piece of this sporting puzzle is believing in yourself and your capacity to succeed. “if you think you can or you think you can’t,” automobile manufacturer Henry Ford said, “you’re probably right.”
The bumblebee thinks it can fly. Actually, the thought of anything else never even crosses its tiny mind.
It just keeps flying.
Then there’s the race horse. The philosophy of equine athletes is similar to that of human athletes, and they are trained in much the same manner as a runner. They use heart rate monitors, train with intervals and endurance, follow a periodization plan and eat a diet designed to enhance performance.
Psychologically, racehorses differ a great deal from the human athlete. They never question their training preparation. When it comes time for a workout designed by their trainer, they do it without wondering if its enough. They don’t go out in the morning and put in a few extra junk miles for “insurance”. They don’t worry and fret after a poor performance. Stable life goes on as usual.
On race day, racehorses are nervous just as human athletes are; they know what is about to happen, but they don’t magnify the tension by comparing themselves with the other horse (“look at the legs on that stud!”). Instead they are very purposeful in their approach to training and racing. There is but one reason for every day existence – to get faster.
If the horse is physically strong and the trainer is smart, this happens.If you are to succeed in the sport you have chosen, the first thing you must do is believe in yourself just as the bumblebee does. Without this, all of the science in the world won’t do any good.
You must also have a purposeful, racehorse trust in your training. Continuously second guessing and changing training direction after every race are a sure way to fail. Think like a bumblebee, train like a horse.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Training updates (week of 3/15) and err, life updates?
Just sort of looking this last training week.. The swim is coming along with some exceptions and there is definitely a pattern so if folks have some suggestions please do send them..
Oh yeah, that means you.. Anon poster (as I recall swimming was your strength?)
So here goes: Essentially I'd like to get in 5-6 days of swimming a week, I feel it's doable yet in the last month I start the week w/a bang and swim some fast 5x200s on 30sec rest; the next couple of sessions are distance orientated and mod stuff is (finally) on a 1.30/100y base
(Why am I so damn slow in races????)
By the weekend I'm feeling a bit run down and I'll do some form of a drill set.
That's only four sessions. If I had more energy I'd do another session and I suppose I could but it is hard for me to motivate for a session that might be mostly drills or slower swimming, I question the value so I skip it.
I would love some help here.
At any rate, cycling and running is coming along fine.. My hip is no longer tweaky, the light weight work helped, and I've been able to stop lifting all together..
On the life front.. Could it be anymore up in the air? (probably, but let's hope it's not).. So, I have not found another gig. Period. In Seattle, Portland or anywhere else.
I used to get calls, emails, etc. continuously about contract opportunities, now nothing. I have gone through this before but this transition is more touchy for many reasons..
Folks that follow the blog know I wound up in Seattle due to a now former significant other and that work obligations kept me there.. I've always had one foot out of the city; after all, with no compelling reason to stay (e.g. not much of social network, not dating and light professional network) it's been easy to look at leaving..
Now I really have to decide, but I think the decision is being made for me. I can't really stay in my outrageously expensive place near Microsoft because, well, there is no more Microsoft gig or any other work for that matter.
I'd like to come back to Pdx with a job but it's grim there at the moment (10.8% unemployment) and so I've taken to looking at any reasonably sized market on the West Coast. There are things in the hopper but nothing has progressed passed really friendly first phone calls.
None of this makes getting on with the business of life easy in any way. I've just decided to stop planning my season and take each weekend as it comes in the near term, however, this doesn't mean I'm not trying to get after it.. I am, I just have to know where I'll be so I can get after it when I'm there!
Oh, and here's where I can use the help of the blog followers.. Keep an eye out on the job market for me.. Where ever you are, I'm actually more than happy to send my resume to you to shop around!
Oh yeah, that means you.. Anon poster (as I recall swimming was your strength?)
So here goes: Essentially I'd like to get in 5-6 days of swimming a week, I feel it's doable yet in the last month I start the week w/a bang and swim some fast 5x200s on 30sec rest; the next couple of sessions are distance orientated and mod stuff is (finally) on a 1.30/100y base
(Why am I so damn slow in races????)
By the weekend I'm feeling a bit run down and I'll do some form of a drill set.
That's only four sessions. If I had more energy I'd do another session and I suppose I could but it is hard for me to motivate for a session that might be mostly drills or slower swimming, I question the value so I skip it.
I would love some help here.
At any rate, cycling and running is coming along fine.. My hip is no longer tweaky, the light weight work helped, and I've been able to stop lifting all together..
On the life front.. Could it be anymore up in the air? (probably, but let's hope it's not).. So, I have not found another gig. Period. In Seattle, Portland or anywhere else.
I used to get calls, emails, etc. continuously about contract opportunities, now nothing. I have gone through this before but this transition is more touchy for many reasons..
Folks that follow the blog know I wound up in Seattle due to a now former significant other and that work obligations kept me there.. I've always had one foot out of the city; after all, with no compelling reason to stay (e.g. not much of social network, not dating and light professional network) it's been easy to look at leaving..
Now I really have to decide, but I think the decision is being made for me. I can't really stay in my outrageously expensive place near Microsoft because, well, there is no more Microsoft gig or any other work for that matter.
I'd like to come back to Pdx with a job but it's grim there at the moment (10.8% unemployment) and so I've taken to looking at any reasonably sized market on the West Coast. There are things in the hopper but nothing has progressed passed really friendly first phone calls.
None of this makes getting on with the business of life easy in any way. I've just decided to stop planning my season and take each weekend as it comes in the near term, however, this doesn't mean I'm not trying to get after it.. I am, I just have to know where I'll be so I can get after it when I'm there!
Oh, and here's where I can use the help of the blog followers.. Keep an eye out on the job market for me.. Where ever you are, I'm actually more than happy to send my resume to you to shop around!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Why Compentency Based Selection is flawed
The model currently used to evaluate and hire talent in nearly every large organization is Competency Based selection and it's a flawed model as it is currently practiced.
Here's why:
The model (as practiced) focuses recruiters, hiring managers and anyone else involved in the talent appraisal process to focus almost exclusively on domain expertise.
Most hiring managers are looking for a hire to "hit the ground running" and "make an immediate impact". This short-term thinking is usually reinforced by a hiring manager's HR partners. We'll cover why a little later.
Here's what inspired this piece: (quick thanks to Linnea Alvord for posting the link ! )
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/01/what-are-you-good-at.html
Ok, so back to the discussion.
Assuming you read it you may be asking saying, "But hey, isn't competency based selection supposed to enable evaluation of both domain *and* process knowledge?"
The answer is that, yes, this was the original intent of the model; though in practice, for a whole slew of reasons (most of them attributed to HR) hiring managers and recruiters only give lip service to a candidates process ability and emotional intelligence.
This is a problem because the end result in the talent acquisition process is that a candidate is selected based on short terms needs assuming that domain knowledge trumps all and little, if any, thought is given to whether or not that resource can scale with the needs of the group and organization.
Here's my personal experience with this:
After I finished my MBA in early 2007 I came to Seattle intent on landing a Program Manager job at Microsoft.
This was a shift from a previous path in, you guessed it, HR.
To do that meant leveraging my process expertise and emotional quotient but highlighting where my domain knowledge was strong.
Microsoft is a benchmark of sorts in the HR community for its vetting process. Folks are given interesting questions, puzzles, etc. meant to evaluate a candidates ability to reason and enables hiring managers get some insight into how a person presents the process they used to justify a position.
My very first interview was with Microsoft Volume Licensing, the function of this group is to enable more purchases of site licenses with their largest customers.
The very first question was a softball.. They wanted me to describe and justify how the group could leverage a subscription based model to sell software.
I was prepped ahead of time in phone interviews in so far as folks in the group *knew* what the root cause of their problem was/is; as you might guess it is that site licenses aren't the most relevant (viable?) model to move and deploy software.
Customers want the option to have some of the deployed software purchased under a subscription based model and at the time Microsoft was resisting that.. (Google some of Steve Balmer's remarks around this and especially his stance on Salesforce.com)
So, as you would guess I outlined how and why a subscription based model would benefit both Msft, their customers, enable more deployment of the software ultimately creating an ecosystem of their products and services.
I didn't get the job.
Why not?
Well, we've got to assume that the other candidates who interviewed for the job gave similar answers, after all it would have been hard to deliver anything *but* those answers.
The answer, of course, is that Microsoft prioritized a candidate who already worked on campus, they went with domain knowledge.
Now Microsoft competes against Google for the best and the brightest (not saying I'm one of those folk ! ) so having a Blue Skies mentality is important, yet, by and large if a person peruses their job postings they ask for previous experience on campus.
Domain knowledge trumps Process ability and EQ.
And, it's not just Microsoft. There are pockets of brilliance in organizations but that is attributable to unique hiring managers that flip the equation, and ask how that person as a resource can scale and add value over the mid and long-term.
Is Competency Based selection a terrible model ?
No, in fact it is a great model if practiced and taught correctly, but we have folks in HR who cling to the "what is right of front me NOW" mentality who see the recruiting process as transactional (because that's how it is metric'd)..
Hmm solutions.... I promise to give that more thought..
Here's why:
The model (as practiced) focuses recruiters, hiring managers and anyone else involved in the talent appraisal process to focus almost exclusively on domain expertise.
Most hiring managers are looking for a hire to "hit the ground running" and "make an immediate impact". This short-term thinking is usually reinforced by a hiring manager's HR partners. We'll cover why a little later.
Here's what inspired this piece: (quick thanks to Linnea Alvord for posting the link ! )
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/01/what-are-you-good-at.html
Ok, so back to the discussion.
Assuming you read it you may be asking saying, "But hey, isn't competency based selection supposed to enable evaluation of both domain *and* process knowledge?"
The answer is that, yes, this was the original intent of the model; though in practice, for a whole slew of reasons (most of them attributed to HR) hiring managers and recruiters only give lip service to a candidates process ability and emotional intelligence.
This is a problem because the end result in the talent acquisition process is that a candidate is selected based on short terms needs assuming that domain knowledge trumps all and little, if any, thought is given to whether or not that resource can scale with the needs of the group and organization.
Here's my personal experience with this:
After I finished my MBA in early 2007 I came to Seattle intent on landing a Program Manager job at Microsoft.
This was a shift from a previous path in, you guessed it, HR.
To do that meant leveraging my process expertise and emotional quotient but highlighting where my domain knowledge was strong.
Microsoft is a benchmark of sorts in the HR community for its vetting process. Folks are given interesting questions, puzzles, etc. meant to evaluate a candidates ability to reason and enables hiring managers get some insight into how a person presents the process they used to justify a position.
My very first interview was with Microsoft Volume Licensing, the function of this group is to enable more purchases of site licenses with their largest customers.
The very first question was a softball.. They wanted me to describe and justify how the group could leverage a subscription based model to sell software.
I was prepped ahead of time in phone interviews in so far as folks in the group *knew* what the root cause of their problem was/is; as you might guess it is that site licenses aren't the most relevant (viable?) model to move and deploy software.
Customers want the option to have some of the deployed software purchased under a subscription based model and at the time Microsoft was resisting that.. (Google some of Steve Balmer's remarks around this and especially his stance on Salesforce.com)
So, as you would guess I outlined how and why a subscription based model would benefit both Msft, their customers, enable more deployment of the software ultimately creating an ecosystem of their products and services.
I didn't get the job.
Why not?
Well, we've got to assume that the other candidates who interviewed for the job gave similar answers, after all it would have been hard to deliver anything *but* those answers.
The answer, of course, is that Microsoft prioritized a candidate who already worked on campus, they went with domain knowledge.
Now Microsoft competes against Google for the best and the brightest (not saying I'm one of those folk ! ) so having a Blue Skies mentality is important, yet, by and large if a person peruses their job postings they ask for previous experience on campus.
Domain knowledge trumps Process ability and EQ.
And, it's not just Microsoft. There are pockets of brilliance in organizations but that is attributable to unique hiring managers that flip the equation, and ask how that person as a resource can scale and add value over the mid and long-term.
Is Competency Based selection a terrible model ?
No, in fact it is a great model if practiced and taught correctly, but we have folks in HR who cling to the "what is right of front me NOW" mentality who see the recruiting process as transactional (because that's how it is metric'd)..
Hmm solutions.... I promise to give that more thought..
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A comedy of errors and week of 3/8
Interesting week for me, from a training and (non) racing perspective..
The weather turned really rainy in Seattle or it was too cold to actually be outside on the bike; never the less I was able to get in a solid week across the board; and I really do believe in the trainer as the ultimate strength device if an athlete can manage to stay on it for about an hour each session..
Sort of like cross-fit for your legs, not to mention that is very challenging mentally to knock those sessions out.
At any rate, most of the winter I've stayed motivated by a couple of things:
- The impending truth that I will go back to work at some point and that will impede some of the mid-week riding.. Tough isn't it? :)
-A Winter Triathlon out in the Methow Valley I stuck on the calendar this past weekend. (Mtb, XC Ski, Run)
As a result I'm further along then I was last year at the same time across the board, without putting mental effort into it and simply doing a couple of solid sessions a day w/some reduced load sprinkled in for good measure I'm moving toward good to great early season fitness.
I would have liked to test that fitness out in Winthrop but it just didn't work out. I completely spaced the date the event was on and I simply didn't race. There are more details then that, but not getting a chance to do a fun race and test fitness with no expectations just doesn't come along very often, for me anyway.
So, we're entering early multisport season and I just need to be careful that I don't go outside of Zone 2 or L pace; it's important to develop/increase velocity at that level of effort and to do that an athlete needs to stay inside that envelope with small incursions over (and under) Z2/L pace.
For me that means periodic intervals on the bike, not weekly, but maybe bi-weekly.. Swimming is swimming but some of the aggregate has to be quickened velocity. And running, folks need to run very easy on the off days and keep it at L or M when they get to the track..
I did manage four sessions swimming and biking and higher freq run week at five sessions, so all in all a good week.
The weather turned really rainy in Seattle or it was too cold to actually be outside on the bike; never the less I was able to get in a solid week across the board; and I really do believe in the trainer as the ultimate strength device if an athlete can manage to stay on it for about an hour each session..
Sort of like cross-fit for your legs, not to mention that is very challenging mentally to knock those sessions out.
At any rate, most of the winter I've stayed motivated by a couple of things:
- The impending truth that I will go back to work at some point and that will impede some of the mid-week riding.. Tough isn't it? :)
-A Winter Triathlon out in the Methow Valley I stuck on the calendar this past weekend. (Mtb, XC Ski, Run)
As a result I'm further along then I was last year at the same time across the board, without putting mental effort into it and simply doing a couple of solid sessions a day w/some reduced load sprinkled in for good measure I'm moving toward good to great early season fitness.
I would have liked to test that fitness out in Winthrop but it just didn't work out. I completely spaced the date the event was on and I simply didn't race. There are more details then that, but not getting a chance to do a fun race and test fitness with no expectations just doesn't come along very often, for me anyway.
So, we're entering early multisport season and I just need to be careful that I don't go outside of Zone 2 or L pace; it's important to develop/increase velocity at that level of effort and to do that an athlete needs to stay inside that envelope with small incursions over (and under) Z2/L pace.
For me that means periodic intervals on the bike, not weekly, but maybe bi-weekly.. Swimming is swimming but some of the aggregate has to be quickened velocity. And running, folks need to run very easy on the off days and keep it at L or M when they get to the track..
I did manage four sessions swimming and biking and higher freq run week at five sessions, so all in all a good week.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Triathletes do indeed have standards..
Well sort of...
I think my feel for WTC & NAS has been spelled out .. Let's just say I find their business model and execution of their respective business models seriously lacking.
Bike Lemming recently posted this commentary:
http://bikelemming.blogspot.com/2009/02/even-triathletes-must-have-standards.html
In general I agree, the events are too expensive and uh, what's up with a 70.3 World Champs anyway?
I've blogged about it before...
http://juhaviren.blogspot.com/2008/07/world-triathlon-corp-ironman-and-their.html
That said, I've done other Half Iron events put on by local yokels which are priced similarly and frankly they are pretty awful.
Since I live in the Pacific Northwest I won't call the event directors out by name but other than maybe one or two outfits that put on a series of events we athletes are not getting our money's worth relative to the standard WTC & NAS have set.
Oh.. This was about standards.. Yes. Well, speaking of recumbents, I was riding through UW campus on the way back from nice mid-day winter ride a few weeks ago and I'm not kidding, a dude in a recumbent with Zipp Disc Powertap wheel and tiny recumbent sized carbon front was absolutely hauling a$$ just in front of me.
Normally I find these guys pretty funny, they sort of get in the way on the bike trails and I've never seen one on any actual road rides. But this guy was going so fast that it was actually quite a bit of fun to chase..
Thankfully neither one of us had issues with our bike handling skilz
(wassup Heidi ! http://everydayathleteblog.com/about/ ) and managed to avoid bike to UW Student violence traveling well in excess of the 15mph bike trail speed limit..
I think my feel for WTC & NAS has been spelled out .. Let's just say I find their business model and execution of their respective business models seriously lacking.
Bike Lemming recently posted this commentary:
http://bikelemming.blogspot.com/2009/02/even-triathletes-must-have-standards.html
In general I agree, the events are too expensive and uh, what's up with a 70.3 World Champs anyway?
I've blogged about it before...
http://juhaviren.blogspot.com/2008/07/world-triathlon-corp-ironman-and-their.html
That said, I've done other Half Iron events put on by local yokels which are priced similarly and frankly they are pretty awful.
Since I live in the Pacific Northwest I won't call the event directors out by name but other than maybe one or two outfits that put on a series of events we athletes are not getting our money's worth relative to the standard WTC & NAS have set.
Oh.. This was about standards.. Yes. Well, speaking of recumbents, I was riding through UW campus on the way back from nice mid-day winter ride a few weeks ago and I'm not kidding, a dude in a recumbent with Zipp Disc Powertap wheel and tiny recumbent sized carbon front was absolutely hauling a$$ just in front of me.
Normally I find these guys pretty funny, they sort of get in the way on the bike trails and I've never seen one on any actual road rides. But this guy was going so fast that it was actually quite a bit of fun to chase..
Thankfully neither one of us had issues with our bike handling skilz
(wassup Heidi ! http://everydayathleteblog.com/about/ ) and managed to avoid bike to UW Student violence traveling well in excess of the 15mph bike trail speed limit..
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The end of Winter, the start of Sprinter (Spring & Winter), and week of 3/1
I made it through another winter, sort of..
Cycling will get officially wet here in Spring/Winter hence "Sprinter" but the temps have been moving slightly upward and now seeing a day in the low 50's seems pretty normal...
I also learned (again?) recently that I can't futz around with being out late, not getting enough sleep or having, say, more than three glasses of wine (that's putting it nicely) on a given night and expect to have all systems go the next day, or even the day after that...
In any sequence of events, last week had some swim break throughs in terms of putting together some speedier and longer workouts.. Got on the mountain bike and was smiling ear to ear in the mud.... Track seems to be going well, so the consistency seems to be paying dividends.
Managed four rides, three swims and four runs, in about the 13 hour-ish range...
Cycling will get officially wet here in Spring/Winter hence "Sprinter" but the temps have been moving slightly upward and now seeing a day in the low 50's seems pretty normal...
I also learned (again?) recently that I can't futz around with being out late, not getting enough sleep or having, say, more than three glasses of wine (that's putting it nicely) on a given night and expect to have all systems go the next day, or even the day after that...
In any sequence of events, last week had some swim break throughs in terms of putting together some speedier and longer workouts.. Got on the mountain bike and was smiling ear to ear in the mud.... Track seems to be going well, so the consistency seems to be paying dividends.
Managed four rides, three swims and four runs, in about the 13 hour-ish range...
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