Art Of Consulting Podcast

Introduction: Andy and Kat introduce the podcast episode, highlighting their focus on valuable banter and dialogue between the hosts. Exploring Specialization and Diversification: Andy and Kat reflect on their backgrounds in ERP consulting, particularly within Oracle implementations, spanning several decades. They discuss the importance of branching out from a niche specialization to explore transferable skills applicable to new niches and areas. Kat emphasizes the significance of understanding both functional and technical aspects of consulting, underscoring the value of bridging the gap between business processes and technology. Andy shares anecdotes illustrating the necessity of consultants to clarify client needs and outcomes, even when clients present partially baked solutions. The hosts stress the importance of humility in consulting, advocating for asking questions to ensure clarity and alignment between consultants and clients.   By combining anecdotes, reflections, and practical insig

Introduction: Kat introduces Pam August, founder and president of Connecting Potentials, as a visionary leader in the realm of organizational development and consulting. Pillars of Pam's Work: Pam's approach revolves around three fundamental pillars: organizational development, team effectiveness, and relationship systems. She emphasizes strategy and culture alignment within organizations, highlighting the importance of coaching and embodied development practices like yoga and mindfulness. Insights into Human Systems: Human systems are complex and adaptive, unlike technical systems, making them unpredictable and emergent. Pam discusses the challenges of change management, citing examples of how humans resist change due to the metabolic cost of active thought and action. Compliance vs. Commitment: Pam distinguishes between compliance, complacency, and commitment, illustrating how different approaches yield different results. She shares anecdotes about compliance, complacency, and commitment

Welcome to another episode of "The Art of Consulting Podcast" with your hosts, Andy Fry and Cat Lam. As seasoned IT consultants, CPAs, and professional development connoisseurs, we aim to bring you inspiring messages to help you discover the X factor in your professional field, leading to the success you truly deserve in your career and life. About Our Guest Today: Edmund Metera is a senior project manager at CWB Financial Group in Canada. He firmly believes that the keys to delivering successful projects are not only founded upon expert project management and business analysis competencies but on recognizing, tailoring and applying the best-suited methodologies and techniques to suit the unique technologies, constraints and opportunities at hand. That philosophy is loud and clear in Ed's book: Universal Process Modeling Procedure: The Practical Guide to High-Quality Business Process Models. He has taught and mentored project managers and business analysts in best practices for professional organizations su

Introduction: Welcome to another episode of "Art of Consulting" with Andy Fry and Cat Lam. Today, we're diving deep into the transformative magic of active exploration and the incredible ways it can spark creativity and open your mind.   The host, Cat Lam, kicked off another insightful episode in their ERP series. She welcomed Arlene Poon, a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in the ERP industry, particularly in large-scale implementations within the construction and utilities sectors. Exploring HCM: Arlene's expertise lies in human capital management (HCM), emphasizing its critical role within ERP systems. HCM encompasses both human resources management and talent management, serving as a foundational layer for various modules. HR's Human Touch: Arlene sheds light on the unique aspects of working as a business analyst in HCM, emphasizing HR's focus on employee well-being and celebrations. The human-centric approach of HR adds warmth and inclusivity to project environments, fostering a

Welcome to another episode of "Art of Consulting" with Andy Fry and Cat Lam. Today, we're diving deep into the transformative magic of active exploration and the incredible ways it can spark creativity and open your mind.   Our host Cat Lam introduces Ken McKnight, Vice President of Information Technology at Peace Hills Insurance. Ken's extensive background in IT, digital transformation, and consulting is highlighted, emphasizing his role in driving organizational change and technological advancements. Motivation for Career in Technology (2:10 - 4:10) Ken discusses his upbringing in a family of small business owners and his passion for merging technology with business, leading to a career in healthcare informatics.   The importance of bridging the gap between technology and business is emphasized. Challenges and Rewards of Digital Transformation (6:11 - 9:23) Ken delves into the challenges organizations face in justifying the costs of digital transformation initiatives, focusing on efficiencies, customer ex

Welcome back to the Art of Consulting Podcast, where we explore and having to share an opinion without being argumentative. Inspiring messages to help professionals discover their X Factor and achieve success in their careers. Our guest for this episode is Gopal Singh, an ex-military who jump started his career journey to consulting.Conversation Highlights:   Military Transition Challenges:   Joined at 26 during wartime, Gopal was mentally prepared for uncertainties. Leaving family behind during deployments, a significant challenge. In this episode, he reflects on personal growth, learning, and challenges faced in the military. Learning the Question "Why": For Gopal, Military experience emphasized the importance of asking why. Just like in consulting, asking why is crucial for understanding, problem-solving, and creating buy-in. Recognizing the right time and place for asking why, avoiding negative connotations.   Skills Transition from Military to Consulting: Joined a large company in a consulting role. Gop

Welcome to another episode of "The Art of Consulting Podcast" with your hosts, Andy Fry and Cat Lam. As seasoned IT consultants, CPAs, and professional development connoisseurs, we aim to bring you inspiring messages to help you discover the X factor in your professional field, leading to the success you truly deserve in your career and life. Introduction: Welcome back to another episode of Blue Sky Consulting. Today, we delve deeper into part three of our insightful conversation with Sir Kaya Redford. We're excited to uncover some powerful tools that can expedite your journey towards your aspirations. . Unveiling Powerful Tools for Accelerated Growth: In this episode, we explore tools that can fast-track your path to success. With the right mindset, effective communication tools, and an understanding of programming, you can achieve your goals in record time. Gone are the days of spending decades chasing your dreams; it's time to collapse timeframes and realize your ambitions swiftly.   Overcoming Frustratio

Welcome to another episode of "Art of Consulting" with Andy Fry and Cat Lam. Today, we're diving deep into the transformative magic of active exploration and the incredible ways it can spark creativity and open your mind. The last episode with SIr Kaya Redford, we touched the topic of Mastering the Entrepreneurial Mindset: From Employee to Self-Employed Success. On today’s episode, we continue our conversation with Sir Kaya as we explore the intricacies of communication and the role of neuro linguistic programming (NLP) in enhancing our interactions. Recap: In our last episode, we highlighted the importance of effective communication, emphasizing that it's not just about what you say, but how you say it and the impact it has on others. Now, let's dive deeper into NLP and its significance in communication.   Exploring Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP): Sir Kayla introduces NLP as the study of human excellence, emphasizing its role in understanding what makes successful individuals excel. Drawing examples fro

Welcome to another episode of "The Art of Consulting Podcast" with your hosts, Andy Fry and Cat Lam. As seasoned IT consultants, CPAs, and professional development connoisseurs, we aim to bring you inspiring messages to help you discover the X factor in your professional field, leading to the success you truly deserve in your career and life. For today’s episode, we have a special guest Sir Kaya Redford is a globally renowned Success Coach, empowering Fortune 500 Companies with his unparalleled expertise. As the visionary behind the groundbreaking program, Top Producing Faster to Your Wealth & Freedom, he has transformed the lives of countless entrepreneurs, leaders, salespeople, realtors, mortgage professionals, financial service agents, and network marketers. Beyond coaching and television, Kaya has received the Humanitarian Award from the United Nations and holds the prestigious title of a Knight. As an award-winning producer and director, he has contributed to societal change through the powerful doc

Welcome to the Art of Consulting, your go-to source for expert insights on mastering ERP success. Today we have a special guest with us! Together with Andy Fry, special guest Gabriella Cray, Principal and Founder of the Boss Blueprint Agency is introduced to the show. Gabby's shares her background as an event planner and her journey into brand consulting. Knowing Your Niche: The duo discussed the importance of understanding your niche and target audience. Gabby's focus on brand strategy and management for nonprofits and government projects and what are the advantages of clearly articulating what you do and who you do it for.   Building Relationships and Business Development: Gabby shared Insights into effective business development for consultants. They talked about the analogy of dating and finding the right clients and the significance of investing in conferences and networking to build relationships. Timeline of Client Relationships: Gabby then shared her experience with clients taking three to six month

Episode 219: Practicing Gratitude Beyond the Good Andy reflects on the deeper significance of gratitude beyond just appreciating the positive aspects of life. While it's easy to be thankful for the good things like job security, health, and possessions, Andy emphasizes the importance of extending gratitude to challenging experiences and individuals who have shaped our journeys. Key Points: Expanding the Scope of Gratitude: Andy encourages listeners to broaden their perspective on gratitude beyond conventional blessings. He shares a personal anecdote about reconciling with a past negative experience with a baseball coach, realizing the lessons learned and the growth it facilitated. Forgiveness and Self-Reflection: Through introspection, Andy recognized the need to forgive both the coach and himself, understanding that everyone is doing their best with the resources and knowledge they have. This act of forgiveness not only released bitterness but also fostered personal growth. Seeking Professional Help: W

Welcome to another episode of "The Art of Consulting Podcast" with your hosts, Andy Fry and Cat Lam. As seasoned IT consultants, CPAs, and professional development connoisseurs, we aim to bring you inspiring messages to help you discover the X factor in your professional field, leading to the success you truly deserve in your career and life. In this third and final episode, Cat and Stephanie continue their insightful conversation about supply chain management, focusing on the critical aspect of data. Key Points from Previous Episodes:   Cat and Stephanie covered important considerations for supply chain implementation in the first two episodes. They explored perspectives from board members, C-suite executives, project teams, and individuals within the organization in the second episode.   Focus on Data: Stephanie introduces the topic of data, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing data effectively in the context of supply chain implementation. Quality, Cost, and Schedule. She highlights t

Welcome to another episode of "The Art of Consulting Podcast" with your hosts, Andy Fry and Cat Lam. As seasoned IT consultants, CPAs, and professional development connoisseurs, we aim to bring you inspiring messages to help you discover the X factor in your professional field, leading to the success you truly deserve in your career and life. In this episode, your host Cat engages in an insightful conversation with Stephanie Forbes, an expert in the SEM space, focusing on ERP implementation. Stephanie, a seasoned speaker and senior leader in large-scale organizations, shares valuable insights to guide you through the ERP roadmap. They recap the last episode, delving into compensation structures for systems integrators and stakeholders involved in ERP implementations. This episode takes a people-centric approach, acknowledging the critical role individuals play at various organizational levels during ERP implementations.   Episode Highlights: Three Levels of People: Stephanie breaks down the discussion into

In this episode, Cat introduces Stephanie Forbes on the show. Stephanie is a seasoned executive with over two decades of industry experience in business risk management and supply chain. Stephanie's extensive experience includes successful leadership in teams, projects, and programs. Committed to advancing the supply chain profession. Stephanie shares insights through speaking engagements, mentoring, and leveraging her extensive network. The episode explores the importance of crafting a Request for Proposal (RFP) for ERP implementation, focusing on contract considerations. Episode highlights:   Contract Considerations - Stephanie outlines a four-step approach: start with the end date commitment, define the best scope, balance cost, quality, and schedule, and identify business systems and processes. - Discussion on potential pitfalls, unexpected change orders, and the significance of well-defined scope and balance.   Data Ownership and Privacy - Stephanie emphasizes the importance of intellectual prope

Welcome to another episode of "The Art of Consulting Podcast" with your hosts, Andy Fry and Cat Lam. As seasoned IT consultants, CPAs, and professional development connoisseurs, we aim to bring you inspiring messages to help you discover the X factor in your professional field, leading to the success you truly deserve in your career and life.   In today's episode, Andy shares an insightful experience he had while reviewing a book. When asked for feedback, he took a moment to clarify the author's expectations. This simple step made him realize the importance of understanding what type of feedback someone is seeking. As professionals, we often find ourselves in situations where others ask for our opinions or reviews, whether it's on a document, a presentation, or even a piece of code.   Andy emphasizes the crucial need to inquire about the specific feedback the person is looking for. Is it content-related, structural, or just a quick once-over for errors? Without this clarity, one may end up investing time in p

Introduction: Welcome back to the Art of Consulting Podcast, where we explore the Having to share an opinion without being argumentative. Today, we'll delve into a thought-provoking experience from John Wooden and how he’s ways and approach from sports is being used in business.   Episode Highlights:   -John Wooden - caoch basketball best of all time. He have the best way of managing people and approaching problems and looking at things in a different way. "You can disagree without being disagreeable." -Conversations don't have to become confrontational when you disagree with somebody.   -Our host shares a personal experience of situations where he encounters situations that he needs to disagree - like an approach or decision in a project. -Differentiated the Consultant and a contractor - consultants give solutions, plans and recommendations and from that they are open to agreeing and disagreeing situations. - To solve a problem, we need to put effort on finding a solution and come up with some level of k

Introduction: Welcome back to the Art of Consulting Podcast, where we explore the intersections of sports and business. Today, we'll delve into a thought-provoking experience from this summer, involving our host's daughter and her track and field journey. Through this story, we'll uncover valuable lessons about competition, sportsmanship, and striving for excellence. Episode Highlights: Lessons from Track and Field: • Our host's daughter participated in the US track Nationals, competing in multiple events, including high jump. • Despite coming in ranked first, she finished fifth in the competition, sparking reflections on competition and results. Acknowledging Excellence: • Our host shares a personal experience of neglecting to congratulate the winning athlete and her parents immediately after the high jump event. • This missed opportunity highlighted the importance of recognizing and respecting the accomplishments of others. The Competitive Landscape: • In both sports and business, competition is a constant

Title: The Power of Helping Others: A Journey of Transformation Episode Highlights: Starting from Humble Beginnings: • In 1993, after graduating from college, our host found himself working as an operations supervisor for a furniture retailer. • His responsibilities included managing the warehouse, office tasks like invoicing and sales processing, customer service, and deliveries. • The challenges of customer service and frequent delivery mishaps were draining, and he questioned his long-term career prospects. A Chance Encounter with Marjorie: • Marjorie, a colleague, saw potential in our host and introduced him to a life-changing opportunity. • Marjorie's brother, a vice president at Oracle, needed someone for a crucial role during maternity leave. • Our host's journey into the world of Oracle began, opening doors to a new career path. Lessons from Mentors: • Throughout his consulting career, our host had the privilege of being mentored by experienced professionals. • These mentors accelerated his learning c

**Podcast Title:** "Mastering ERP Implementation: Insights from an OCM Expert"   **Show Notes:**   **Introduction:** In this episode of Art of Consulting, we dive deep into the world of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementation with a focus on Organizational Change Management (OCM). Our special guest, Frederique Oberlin, an OCM extraordinaire with 18+ years of experience, shares invaluable insights and wisdom gained from various ERP projects.   **Episode Highlights:**   1. **Understanding Organizational Change Management (OCM):**    - Frederique defines OCM as the people side of a software implementation, emphasizing the importance of bringing employees along the project journey from the beginning rather than surprising them with a new system at the end.   2. **Challenges in ERP Implementation:**    - The conversation highlights how employees sometimes create their own processes outside of the ERP system, known as "shadow IT," due to various reasons like system limitations or lack of training.   3. **