Customer Reviews

The Future of Staff Groups

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joel P. Henning's diagnosis of the growing irrelevancy of business staff groups is right on the money. Simply put, staff members have for too long cozied up to management, ignoring the critical line units that they are supposed to serve. As a result, it's the staff gets laid off first when times get tough. Likewise, Henning's prescriptions for revamping staff groups into effective support units merit careful study. Although sections of this book are thin in substance, we from getAbstract recommend this insightful analysis of corporate structure to all business leaders.

In this book, Joel Henning builds on the foundation laid by Peter Block's original FLAWLESS CONSULTING many years earlier and takes the model of effective consulting to an entirely new level.

THE FUTURE OF STAFF GROUPS shakes up HR, IS and other staff groups and challenges them to consider new and more powerful ways to leverage their expertise in the interest of the business--defining expertise in terms of solutions rather than activities. It also confronts staff groups with the risks associated with continuing to operate in traditional ways.

Henning makes a powerful case for making the core business the client and senior management a 'banker' with the relationships centered on compelling offers, promises and guarantees for measurable business results. His explanations of 'stance' relating to the use of one's expertise and RELEVANCE, TIMELINESS and FIT as three essential ingredients for successful consulting are absolute breakthroughs for preventing and solving common problems that often plague consulting engagements.

This book is rich with new and useful concepts that will help any staff person become a substantial contributor to the bottom line. It is also helpful for any individual serving in a supportive or consultative role whether internal or external.

Although I wasn't partial to the venue for carrying the message, the powerful concepts presented by Henning have inspired the work of Peter Block and others and deserve a solid 5-stars!