Fearlessly Listening: It’s a Consultants Secret Weapon

Angi Fisher

I’m always reminded the best trait I can have as a consultant is to listen.  That’s right I said it listen.  Consultants often think that the consulting has not really begun if they are “only” listening.   I would say that the true consulting begins when we do start to listen.  How else will you best know what the best course of action will be. 

I always find when I’m actively listening to my client, I’m more in tune with what my client is trying to accomplish.  When I’m actively listening, I’m not trying to think of what to say next to wow my client with my subject matter expertise.  When I’m actively listening, I can really empathize with my client and get a better understanding of the problem.  When I’m actively listening I’m in partnership with my client. 

 I love how Erik de Haan talks about fearless listening in his article Fearless listening: the hidden factor behind the power of fearless consulting.

 I have to say, I do my best work when I’m actively listening.

 

Twitter was More than I Expected

Angi Fisher

The first time I was introduced to Twitter was at the Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco this year.  I had heard about it but had never really seen it.  During the Web 2.0 Conference  I was introduced to a whole new world of social media.  I felt like I was walking out of the dark and into the light.

 Speakers were talking about communities, tweeting, and how to manage tweets using tweetdeck or twhirl.  The information just went on and on. I was trying to soak it all up this new culture that I was just hearing about.

 When sitting in sessions, I noticed that questions from the audience were tweeted in.  The speaker gave you a tweet address so you could ask your questions to the panel or speaker.  I was amazed at all the people in the audience twittering and felt a little inadequate that I wasn’t one of them. 

 I came back from the Web 2.0 conference energized and determined to blog and tweet.  That night I sat down created my Twitter account all proud  but then it struck me now what?  As I stared at the Twitter page, I started to read what people were twittering about and some of the information was great.  I first started off just twittering about what I actually was doing at that given moment, but what I found that interested me were the twitter post of news articles and information that I probably would not necessarily be able to find but with my new twitter community I had access to a lot more information.  I could do a search on a topic to see who and what was being said about that topic.  I was hooked.  I no longer wanted to share what I was doing (walking home from the bus stop) but share more about what I was reading and what inspired me

 What I find fascinating is the wealth of information that you can find on twitter, if you are willing to weed through the “I’m walking home from the bus stop”.  A wealth of information awaits.

 As for me, I’m still trying to build my twitter community of people I’m following and people who are following me.  I’m always pleased when someone decides to follow me.

For now, I think I’m going to try to ride the wave of Twitter and see where it takes me. But I will say this; I got more out of using Twitter than what I expected.

 

Angi Fisher is an independent consultant

 

The Sunshine Act: Will Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies be ready

 

 

Angi Fisher

The bill, Physician Payments Sunshine Act of 2009 (S. 301, 111th Cong.) that was revised and resubmitted in all likelihood will pass. As described in Michael J Werner’s article, United States:The Physician Payments Sunshine Act: A Call For Transparency Could Lead to Increased Reporting Requirements. “The Physician Payments act will impose tremendous reporting and administrative responsibilities on pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.”

  

If this bill passes the first reports will be made electronically on March 31, 2011. But will pharmaceutical and medical device companies be ready? According to article written by Dana Zelig, The Sunshine Act: It’s Only a Matter of Time manufacturers who are taking steps to be proactive in their reporting are finding that reporting on dollars spent for grants, honorariums and speaking fees records are not being maintained consistently across their divisions.

 

This is not surprising, I believe that manufacturers will find out, if they haven’t already, that not only is the data inconsistent across departments and divisions but that there may be data missing  that may not be captured today. So if manufacturers are already inundated with reporting. They is only going to get more of the same. The big picture, will pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers be ready in time? In my opinion, not without a lot of help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change Agents: What Business Needs More Of

Angi Fisher

The times they are a changing, companies can no longer afford to do business in the same manner they have in the past. I’m not telling you anything new. So why are companies slow to adapt? I believe that companies need more Change Agents. Change Agents are leaders that see the need for change and act on it by:

• Accepting the need for change
• Initiating change and identifying processes that can be improved
• Redirecting change approaches in the face of new opportunities
• Challenging the status quo and creating an environment of transformation

Are you a Change Agent?

 

Zen and the Art of Consulting

Angi Fisher

This was actually suppose to be my first blog article.  I like the title and what it represents.  If you are a consultant you know.  There has to be a part of you that is a little zen when it comes to consulting on a project or when you’re on the beach and doing business development for your next project so you don’t drive yourself crazy.

I love consulting, It’s never a dull moment and situations and circumstances are constantly changing.  I know that I’m consulting at company for a finite period and when the project is done on move on to the next one.  That’s okay with me.

I was having coffee with a friend the other morning who was just laid off and they said I couldn’t do what you do.  I couldn’t be a consultant aren’t you always worried about your job?  I thought about it for a minute and said no I find freedom in being a consultant, there’s a beginning an ending and I know it’s coming.  

Angi Fisher is a consultant with the Reclipse Group.

 

Customer Relationships How to Keep and Obtain New Ones

In 2004 I wrote an article on surveys and how invaluable they can be.  Fast forward to 2009 and I’m surfing the web and ran across the article I wrote which was re-posted on accountingweb.com in 2008, Can we talk? Surveying your prospects and clients.  Everything in the article I believe still rings true.  Even more in 2009, companies need to understand how customers and prospects view their organization.

Now with Web 2.0, not only do companies have online surveys as an avenue of keeping informed but can use technologies like Twitter to listen and interact to comments or feedback that a client or prospect may make about your product or services.

keeping in touch with the needs of your customers and prospects and understanding how they view you will go a long way in keeping your current customers satisfied and gaining new ones.