Management consulting professional organizations can help management consultants stay on top of industry trends. After all, clients expect management consultants to suggest and implement best practices. Reading up on management consulting organizations news and trends, attending conferences and networking with your peers is a good way to find out more about business strategies, training methods and IT solutions that can help your clients.
News about the meetings and events held by management consultant associations is important, but more crucial is the insider information these groups provide. Whether its headlines targeted to the industry you serve or best practices white papers, you can find analysis of the following:
1. How management consultancy organization members respond to the changing economy.
2. Effective ways for management consultants to coach and train talent.
3. Strategies for building client partnerships.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Get news from the major management consulting associations
In addition to the standard quarterly newsletter, many professional organizations offer information to help management consultants get a handle on market conditions by highlighting headline news that pertains to their industry. They may also publish their own analysis of trends and challenges in the upcoming year.
I recommend: The
Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC) offers its custom news feed of information it thinks is pertinent in today's market. In addition to a national organization, the IMC also has
regional chapters. The
Association of Management Consulting Firms publishes its outlook on issues that affect members.
Read publications of interest to professional management consultant organizations
In addition to management organizations, there are also independent, highly regarded journals and magazines that report on issues dear to the heart of management consultants. Many of these are associated with universities that have management consulting or business programs. As part of their mission, they take what's learned in an academic setting and publish it for working management consultants.
I recommend: Consulting Magazine is the foremost independent publication for management consultants. It has blogs, surveys and pieces by and for management consultants. The
Harvard Business Review and the
California Management Review are two journals for management consultants published from academia.
Get news from niche management consulting groups
Management consulting is a very broad term that encompasses everything from executive coaching, to IT consulting, to consulting on organizational and supply chain issues. Management consultants may also want to read up on news from organizations that report on their client industries, whatever they may be, though there are some organizations for professionals who cater to a niche.
I recommend: The
Investment Management Consultants Association is for professionals who advise institutions on money management. Its excellent offerings include articles on investment trends, as well as instructional audio downloads. The
American Association of Insurance Management Consultants publishes papers on policy and business trends.
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