Conditions for a Successful Intervention: Stacking the Deck in Consulting Is Not Cheating -- Educating the Buyer -- Meeting Key Players -- Avoiding Environmental and Political Land Mines -- Wading Right In: Ten Steps to Launch -- Gathering Intelligence: Strategy: Ensuring That Data Does Not Equal Intelligence -- Challenging Basic Premises -- Ensuring Alternative Sources of Information -- Avoiding Intimidation--Yours and Theirs -- Walking the Confidentiality Tightrope -- Gathering Intelligence: Tactics: Ensuring That Information Does Not Equal Intelligence -- How to Focus a Focus Group -- The Balance Sheet on Focus Groups -- How to Conduct an Interview -- How to Create and Implement Surveys -- Staffing a "Hot Line" -- How to Observe (and See What Others Don't) -- Coaching Key People: Coaches Offer Candid Advice, Not Cockeyed Certifications -- Observational Coaching -- Establishing the Rules of Engagement -- Providing Effective Feedback -- When More Than One Coach Is Required -- The Illness Called "Depression" -- Culture Change and Change Management: You Are Not the Change Agent, No Matter What They're Paying You -- The Elements of "Culture" -- Creating Exemplars and Avatars -- Reinforcing Change -- The Real Change Agents at Work -- Overcoming Resistance -- An Interlude: Managing Misfortune: If You Can't Stand the Chaos, Get Out of the Maelstrom -- Scope Creep Denied -- Two Lines of Defense -- Unforeseen Dramatic Events -- Sabotage -- Ugh! Failure!! -- Learning Lessons: Creating Dynamic Instruction -- Learning Objectives as Outcomes

1. Business consultants