Top 16 Best Consulting Books Updated 04 /2024

Being well-read is a must in the consulting world. Consultants should know a lot about management, as well as have a good understanding of finance, strategy, and communication, to name a few other things.

There are so many resources out there that it can be hard to figure out where to start. So this week, I put together a list of the eight books that have helped me along the way. A job interview, learning new skills, or just wasting time? These books will help you learn more about what you're interested in and how you can get there!

The McKinsey Way

This book is about a single company, but the advice and insights it shares can be used by everyone in the field. The book doesn't go very deep into specific frameworks or methods. Instead, it talks about how to stay alive at "The Firm" and some of the cultural issues that come with working and succeeding in consulting. Good for people who are just starting out in the field and want to learn more about how consultants think and what they do every day.

HBR'S 10 Must Reads: The Essentials

There are a lot of important business theories and academic thought that you need to know at least a little bit about, and HBR's 10 Must-Reads is a good place to start. This book is a collection of the top 10 articles about management. It talks about topics like innovation, strategy, analytics, and how to deal with change. After you finish the basics, HBR also has a list of Top 10 reads on specific subjects, like strategy or change management, to help you learn more.

Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies

This book is important to read from a technical point of view, and it also helps you understand what drives big businesses. As a beginner, this guide will show you how to deal with the subject. To get an idea of how financial statements and share prices work together, you'll get a good overview from these lessons. If you've been asked to value a company or to learn more about how businesses make money, this book is your best source.

Key Management Models: The 60+ Models Every Manager Needs to Know

As a consultant, you need to know how to use tools that can help you solve your clients' problems. The book talks about a wide range of models, from strategic to operational, and tells you how and when to use each one. Quick: I use it when I have a new client problem or question and need to look up the answer quickly.

Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking

There is a common framework for organizing communications in consulting called the Pyramid Principle. I've talked about it before, because it's one of the most often used. It says that in any kind of communication, you should start with your recommendation, group supporting ideas into groups, and then provide detailed evidence to back up your story. I think that if you have read Cole's notes on the framework and want to learn more about how to use it, then you should read the book in full.

The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures

In your job as a consultant, you will have to explain complicated ideas or processes in a way that is easy for people to understand. This book gives you the tools you need to do that with the help of graphics and images. As a planning tool, I love to use it as a guide.

Case Interview Secrets: A Former McKinsey Interviewer Reveals How to Get Multiple Job Offers in Consulting

If you haven't heard of Victor Chang yet, he's a case interview expert who has helped many people get top consulting jobs through his help. This is what he says in his book about how to deal with case interviews. He also gives advice on what interviewers look for and how to avoid making common mistakes. If you're going through the interview process, you should read this book first.

The Consultant With Pink Hair

This story about the management of a failing consulting business is fun to read because it shows how consultants work long hours, deal with clients, and compete with each other. Even though it's a story, it's very real, and you can learn a lot from it even though it's only a story.

The Science of Dream Teams by Mike Zani

In order to achieve your goal with your business, you can't do it all by yourself. It's called The Science of Dream Teams by Mike Zani. In it, he shows you how to find the best people for your business, and then how to make your team work at its best. A must-read for any consultant who wants to build their business with the right people.

When Mike turns his years of experience into a book, it's really cool to see. I've told everyone at work about this and they've been very excited about it. Years ago, I used to work for Mike. Those were the best years of my career in terms of progress. I'm happy that he can now tell the world how to make a great workplace.

Scaling Up by Verne Harnish

So you want to make more money as a consultant. Scaling Up is a book that talks about how to get bigger and bigger and There aren't many easy ways to grow a consulting business, but this book will show you how to do it. You'll learn how to make more money without having to work more on client projects, which is what every consultant wants.

"I've been coaching executives for 27 years in the corporate world and medium-sized businesses that want to grow. I've read a lot of books to help my clients and me come up with and use better ways to energize a leadership team and the whole company." Scaling Up is probably the best “how to guide” I have seen to a) develop and effectively communicate strategy across the whole company with its One Page Strategic plan. b) most importantly it contains a whole set of examples and practical tips to successfully execute strategy which usually where most leadership teams fail.”

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