Work the People as Hard as the Problem

But before we go there…

Our next workshop, Best Practices for Project Kickoff Meetings, is just around the corner. Over 20 years, I've developed a standard and repeatable approach to preparing for an executive kickoff session.

This 25-minute workshop is packed with information. You'll walk away knowing: 

• My proven method to structure a project kickoff with an executive Steering Committee

• The actions I take in the first 30 days of a project to earn client confidence & buy in

• Our project kickoff PPT template with speaker's notes

R.S.V.P. now. 

And while you’re at it, go ahead and block your calendar the third Thursday of every month from 11:05 - 11:25 am CST so you don’t miss a thing!

1. 20 Minutes with Troy Ruemping

This week I met with Troy Ruemping (rhymes with “temping” for a job), a long-time independent consultant and McKinsey alum that we have the pleasure of working with at KRS.

In fact, we are his “side gig” - he spends 50% of his time working with consulting clients and 50% of his time as a food tech entrepreneur, helping create the Internet of Food, a resource for research and business in the digital commons. 

Troy shares one of his secrets to success in consulting - to act as a guide, helping clients navigate to a solution, always in service of outcome. 

His role is to objectively ground clients in the problem: to look at it objectively, assess the universe of information, and bring forward only what’s critical - and everything that’s critical - to developing a solution. 

He’s also a lifelong learner. A few years back, he made the jump into a new area: food tech. His core consulting skills have been instrumental in positioning him as an emerging expert in the space as his new colleagues and customers quickly see his commitment to reaching an outcome.

To use his words, “I’ll help you get there, wherever ‘there’ is.”

We cover a lot in this (yes, more than 10 minute) conversation. Anyone interested in truly generating client success, and those looking to mid-career pivots, will benefit from Troy’s expertise.

Watch to the full conversation here.

2. Stakeholder Mapping: Our Guide

Let's get down to business with our stakeholder mapping method. This isn't just about making friends in high places; it's about crafting a master plan for stakeholder engagement that screams efficiency.

Why use our method to create a database? Because you'll know who's who in the organizational zoo - roles, titles, and all.

Here's what we're dishing out in this guide:

• The lowdown on why stakeholders are critical to your success.

• Insight into the four key stakeholder types: who they are, why you should care, and how to win their hearts (or at least their cooperation).

• Your golden ticket to our Stakeholder Mapping Tool, designed to help you spot, sort, and strategize your stakeholder interactions like a pro.

Ready to tackle stakeholder engagement like a pro? Let's dive in. 

Members can access the full guide and download the supporting Stakeholder Mapping Tool directly from The Community.

Not a member yet? Sign up today.

3. My Exact Method to Build Time-Saving Business Operations

As your consulting practice grows, your business operations can start eating up your valuable billing time.

You need a method to address the madness, and the first step is to 1️⃣ identify the internal business processes you need to run your business.

This could include the fundamentals of getting paid, reporting taxes, signing contracts, and marketing yourself.  It includes being more productive with slide making, or writing, or managing calendars. 

Next up, you’ll need to 2️⃣ triage and prioritize to determine the best strategy for streamlining each individual process.

Ready to tackle your time sinks? We laid out the entire process for wrangling your internal processes in our January workshop.

Members can download the slides and speaker notes and see the full list of recommended solutions in our Business Operations Guide.

4. Excel Wizardry

Tip of the hat to the consultants who perform daily Excel wizardry, only to see the spell break at the first pivot. 

Keep casting those formulaic charms.

Remember, the path to success is paved with continuous learning and embracing fresh perspectives.

Let's stay connected, share ideas, and elevate your consulting business.

Stay curious, friends.

TheConsult.co brought to you by Keenan Reid Strategies

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