Updated: December 17th 2018

We recommend these books to people starting out as consultants with us:

• Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used by Peter Block is considered a “Consulting Bible” to some. It describes the consulting process clearly and emphasizes authenticity in consulting. This review by Shyamashree Rudra decribes its content in more detail.
• The Secrets of Consulting: A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully by Gerald M. Weinberg is a very funny read, and full of  wisdom. I keep quoting from this and referring to concepts made in it, when I work. (“Rudy’s Rutabaga Rule”, anyone?) For a sense of the sheer mass of insights see this content overview by Max Mednik. A brief review is here.
• Million Dollar Consulting – The Professional’s Guide to Growing A Practice by Alan Weiss gives business basics for consultants: It clearly positions consulting as a relationship business, hammers the concept of value creation (and value based fees) into the reader and suggests strategies for financial sustainability and growth. A very American Capitalist book, but still helpful to digest and then adapt the learning to ones own tastes.
• Finite and Infinite Games – A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility by James P. Carse is an important book for perspective. “A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.” A brief review by Juliane is on Goodreads.
• Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management by Mark Forster is the best and most simple “time management” and personal organisation book that I have ever read. I cannot praise this enough.

— Juliane

Which professional books are your favourites? Please share in the comments!