The Consultant's Calling: Bringing Who You Are to What You Do

by Geoffrey M. Bellman

A classic revised and updated for the twenty-first-century consultant
Revised and updated for consulting in the twenty-first century, this new edition is for anyone who wants to know what consulting is really like as a career, as a living, and as a life. Geoffrey Bellman reveals how to make the job rewarding both financially and personally as he examines the practical issues of managing time, clients, and money as well as such broader concerns as how to balance work with family life. At once practical and personal, this book is for all types of consultants, all those who work with consultants, and all those who dream of being consultants.
Geoffrey M. Bellman (Seattle, WA) has consulted to organizations of all sizes, from the inside and outside, including numerous Fortune 500 companies. He is the author of several well-received books, including Getting Things Done When You re Not in Charge the bestselling book that has sold more than 80,000 copies.

Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 1990

About the author

Geoffrey M. Bellman spent the first fourteen years of his career on the inside of three Fortune 500 companies (Ideal Basic Industries, AMOCO Corporation, and G.D. Searle). Now, as an organizational consultant, he works with corporations on the effective use of human talent as they undertake major change. In this capacity, he has worked with more than 100 corporations, including GTE, TRW, and Shell Oil.
He is the author of Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge, Your Signature Path, The Consultants' Calling, and The Quest for Staff Leadership, which won the National Book Award of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little guide. I really like his ethos, and appreciated the thought exercises.

[JoAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intuitive approach to the world of management consulting. Geoff Bellman candidly and honestly portrays his manner of consulting, beginning with his introduction, entitled, “A Quest of Meaning Through Work.” His first chapter is not to be missed, with subsections entitled “The Work,” “The Self,” “The Fear” (including “Acceptance of the Darker Self”), “The Love,” and “The Reality” (We Make a Difference … and It Is Not That Important”).

I was especially taken by his view that consultants and clients form a symbiotic relationship. He is particularly candid about what he describes as “The Powers of the Consultant” as well as “The Darker Side of Consultants’ Power.” These areas include, according to Bellman, abuses of power, “knowing best,” manipulation, pretense and deception.

The final portion of the book addresses some of the practical aspects of consulting, in a manner that makes some of us want to smirk. In an irreverent yet credible tone, Bellman discusses how “Client Want Consultants Too Busy to Work for Them” and “Contracting is Vital, Legal Contracts are Not.” An all-together engaging read.

[D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Text for Organizational Consulting class. Bellman raises some good points, particularly about setting your own ethical standards. He also gives his outlook on work - he definitely is in the work to live rather than the live to work camp. Which is great, but not realistic for many people.

This book would be good for someone who is planning to make the switch from being an employee to a consultant. Probably the most useful section is where he talks about setting fees. If possible, check it out from the library or buy it used.

[Elizabeth Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it!