Meddlesome

"Two Analysts Walk Into a Lunch Spot and Can't Agree on Where to Sit," Jim and Ken analyze why analysts are, well, a pain in the ass. Analysts are brilliant, curious people who are incapable of answering your simple yes-or-no question. The takeaway? Analysts are valuable teammates...but must be contained!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Solutions to business problems can be long-lasting and impactful. On the other hand, some solutions just don't stick. This may not be a bad thing, as both types of solutions can be important. Listen to these stories of solutions we helped clients derive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading and managing are two different things. Leading and managing smart people are two entirely different things. Listen to our stories about what worked and what didn't work when leading extremely smart people. We give some very concrete advice gained through experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've both worked in big and small firms. There are positive and negative aspects to each. Trying to choose a career or structure your business? This episode will give you pause for thought about the choices available to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 1 of this series, we discussed starting a project and how a project should be sponsored. In this episode, we discuss how project teams should be formed. Some important tips about getting a team up to speed and productive quickly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Businesses will lose people. Some losses have a greater impact than others. In this episode, we discuss our experience with and the consequences of losing a senior individual in a small company. The bottom line is to have a plan for staff loss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you believe Jim and Ken are starting their third year doing the Meddlesome Podcast? Neither can we. In this short promo, we talk about finally implementing our website and some changes to the upcoming year. As always, we're short and to the point so we don't waste too much of your time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consultants not only solve problems but also create or bring them. If you use a consultant, you should be aware of these. In recording this, we realized pretty quickly that there are so many problems with consultants that we couldn't cover them all in a single episode. In the first of what will be a multi-part series, we ask whether consulting is a profession. We also dive into the first...

Into golf? If so, you might want to skip this episode. We trash golf. What's golf got to do with business? Because it's often used as an artificial team-building exercise and sales tool that intruded on our personal lives. There are better ways to build esprit de corps and even make sales. We offer a few ideas in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retreat! Does taking your staff away from daily activities for an extended off-site meeting return benefits? We'd get together for a few days twice a year. The real benefit to our team came from socializing with peers. Jim and I, as business owners, learned a lot about our people during these sessions. Was it worth it? We think so, but tune into our stories and make up your own mind.  Ho...

Taking an existing brand and changing it comes with not only challenges but also hazards. In a follow-up on Episode 2.07 "Branding," we discuss rebranding an existing entity. We relate stories about others' rebranding efforts and our own. As usual, Ken can't make up his mind, er, ah...has a diverse set of conflicting opinions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken puts Jim on the spot by having him dissect a load of corporate speak about layoffs and the impact of AI on a business. Unintentionally, this has ended up being a follow-on from Episode 2.14 "Consultant Lingo Bingo" and is a great study in attempted [Epistemic Capture-]( https://product.sustainability-directory.com/area/epistemic-capture/resource/1/ ). Can Jim make sense of it? Could any o...

What do you really do as a business? Do you need to become an expert in accounting or Human Resources to have a successful business? Or should you leave that to someone with more experience? In these stories, we share our experiences trying to be jacks of all trades, how that worked out for us, and offer advice on when to DIY and when to call for help. This is a critical skill for starting and gro...

In the first of what will likely be a long discussion on project management, Jim and Ken introduce you to the idea of a project. This isn't some academic view or anything that will get you a certificate of accomplishment. But it is a realistic view of the deep complexities of managing a project and how to be successful at it. In this episode, we discuss project startup and sponsorship. Hosted on A...

Unless you're very lucky, travel is an inevitable part of entrepreneurship. Long days, short nights, sleeping in strange places, and road food are par for the course. It can be grueling, taxing both the mind and body. In this episode, we offer some serious and humorous tips for surviving on the road. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So you're an independent contractor or have a firm with hundreds of employees. How do you set the rates you charge your clients/customers? Too low and you'll go out of business. Too high and you won't get any business. Do you care about competitor rates? Do you just spitball? The answer is within reach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jim and Ken investigate the pervasive use of jargon in the consulting industry and how it obscures effective communication. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jim and Ken share their journey through the complexities of decision-making in both business and life, highlighting our struggles with indecision and analysis paralysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken examine the relationship between chaos and business strategy, questioning if chaos can drive productivity within organizations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss strategies for managing the inevitable conflict that occurs as a business owner or consultant or employer or... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the complexities of hiring interviews and all the mistakes we made! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why some clients cling to their problems instead of seeking solutions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we delve into the humorous yet poignant reflections of a management consultant grappling with the challenges of explaining his career to his mother throughout the years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had a lot of trials and tribulations over branding. From lawyerly to simple our brand evolved. But ultimately, it's the company's product that matters. Also, we can't figure out logos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken discuss the value of consultant reports. You get a few tips on how to improve your reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.