Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
 Ignore the title, love the book. January 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Along with "The Art of War", I read this book 3-4 times a year. Why? Because I keep falling back to the silly state I was in before I first read them.
I think the title throws off a lot of people. This really isn't a book about consulting as a business. Heck, it's not even about consulting as a hobby. Actually, the book isn't about consulting. It's about communication...hence the "...Giving and Getting Advice Successfully" part of the title.
Look, most of the time, when a person has a problem, it's not because of lack of intelligence that he can't solve the problem. This book goes a LONG way explaining why it's a culture, or context, or perception problem and that the person consulted isn't there because he's smarter. It may be that the situation just doesn't ALLOW the problem to be solved. Or it may be that the person has been experiencing the problem too long.
As an example, like any couple, my wife and I ask each other to do things. Some of the time, we REALLY need the other person to do exactly what was asked. The problem was that neither of us could discern those situations. So, I took Gerald's advice and created a trigger. Now, when either of us makes a request and then follows it with the trigger, the other party not only agrees to do the thing....but recognizes that they better do or suffer the consequences. (BTW, the trigger is "It's important to me." When I hear those words from her, I KNOW I need to really listen to what she's saying.)
If you read this book and only learn 1 secret that improves your communication, then you'll get your money back in spades. Or, be like me, reread it on a regular basis, and grow.
very helpful for any type of consultant December 4, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Highly recommended. I'm a new consultant in the field of personal productivity, and this is coming in handy. Great stories, many "laws," and inspirations for those of us who are new to what value we can give to clients.
Success through listening and simplicity. November 30, 2007
Developing your soft and thinking skills...a concept not just for consultants. Summarily, the focus is on listening first, listening second, confirming what you heard third, and then proposing multiple potential solutions rather than assuming the answer is known. The focus is on building blocks of relational problem solving being given more weight than a curriculum vitae full of classes, awards and companies.
Smart and Funny October 17, 2007
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Jerry is a dynamic and charismatic writer. This book is nothing short of a classic! I highly recommend this book to business execs and consultants alike.
 Advice not received July 11, 2007
0 out of 6 found this review helpful
Maybe its the very american style in which this book is written, but I am afraid it switched me right off. Sorry couldnt recommend this to an English user - AT ALL!
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