Misadventures, Blunders And Psychopathy

"The more you can dream, the more you can do." - Michael Korda

Photograph by Kilroy_60
Since beginning this endeavor, I have avoided writing about work. The time has come for that to change.

Being a consultant, and a self confessed workaholic, I devote a great deal of time to dealing with other people's issues. One of the reasons I have not written about work previously is because blogging is a way to escape. At least for a short period of time now and then.

Ultimately, I have come to realize that incorporating tales from my consulting experience maybe interesting. I have, of course, considered that in truth such sharing could be quite the opposite. Most importantly though, at this point, I think it will serve as a means of therapy. And, finally, a peripheral benefit is that it will help curtail instances of bloggus interruptus.

In the vein of therapy, there is one client that bowls over all others in terms of bloggability, WeBeGreat Telemarketing.

First off, WeBeGreat Corporation doesn't want to be called a telemarketing company. It wants to be known as a a marketing company, or a direct marketer, or a teleservices firm. Being an agent of change in the best circumstances is not easy. Making changes in a coporate culture where the company does not want to admit what business it's in is, to say the least, an extraordinary challenge.

Now, introducing the main cast of characters...

• BigChiefTwoFaces - Chief Executive Officer
• TheAnnointedOne - President
• BullshitterSmokesALot - Sales Manager/Executive VP
• ResultsSansEthics - Director of Operations
• KnowsWhoseAssToKiss - Director of Client Relations
• WantsToBeADiva - Director of Human Resources
• WorksWithTiedHands - Director of IT
• PlaysWellWithChildren - Corporate Training Manager

There is, of course, a supporting cast. Some who play a critical role, others nothing more than human capital to be spent and cast aside.

Working with WeBeGreat is a situation where you have a company that has problems, recognizes there are issues to address and has no idea how to fix them. It's a company that on it's best day is good. The feeling you get from talking to the principals is that they are a David walking among Goliaths; they see the world through eyes colored by the ego of one.

Unlike weather forecasting, success in consulting is based on results. The problem with that equation is you can not force anyone to take good advice. Which leads us to...

Journeying through the Mountain Range of Change

The first step on this adventure is reaching Acceptance. The journey then requires traversing The Bridge Of Implementation and Navigating The Winding Road of Transition. The Follow-Up Roller Coaster is a fun ride exceeded only by a trek through The Maze of Troubleshooting and Problem Solving. At this point, you pull over to the Weigh Station of Results. Optimally, you have your ticket punched for entry into the Land of Success at which poiint you are able to exit the ride. At times, though, you find that the load you have been carrying has shifted in ways that could not be expected or controlled which requires a course adjustment and you're on the road again.

Deliverables in this case include:

• Building the Corporate Brand locally, gaining an upper hand in the industry and establishing a meaningful presence among the business community at large.
  
• Driving leads to sales who need assistance to close deals and helping operations function in such a way that the clients do not run screaming into the night
• Teaching the managers to lead in a meaningful way that facilitates long-term success

Amazingly, that is merely an Executive Summary of the tasks at hand in working with WeBeGreat Corporation.