컨설턴트 되는 방법과 "Marvin Bower"

오래 전에 취득한 국내외 자격증(기술사, 감리사, ITIL, CMMI ..) 때문에
가끔 지인들로 부터 "컨설턴트" 되는 방법에 대해 자문 요청을 받을 때가 있다.

그럴 때 마다 떠오르는 사람  - 마빈 바우어(Marvin Bower)

   * Bower At A Glance
     - Born : 1903 in Cincinnati 
    - Died :  2003 in Delray Beach, Florida
    - Education : B.S in economics and psychology from Brown University in 1925
                        J.D from Harvard Law School in 1928. MBA from Harvard Business
    - Achievements : Helped found McKinsey & Co. in 1939. Served as managing Director
                             of the firm from 1950 to 1967.
                              Served as director and partner there until retirement in 1992.
                              Wrote best seller "The Will TO Manage" (1966) and
                              "The Will To Lead" (1997)

개념조차 없었던 "컨설턴트"라는 신종 직업을 새롭게 해석하고, 창조한 이 ...

지금의 맥킨지를 만든 사람

회사를 운영하기 위해 무차별적으로 직원들을 해고하고, 비용을 절감하는 식으로 알고 있던
당시의 분위기속에서, 최고경영자인 CEO들에게 참된 목소리로 성장과 발전에 도움을 주려고 했던
그의 비전과 가치관은 돈에 위해 돈을 버는 일을 하지 않았던 그의 철칙

하지만 전문가로서의 사회적 책무를 조금이라도 벗어나기도 하면 가차없이 직원을 해고하는 사례나
회사 주식공개시 파트너들에게 장부가격으로 지분을 넘기는 "진정한 프로"

당시의 경영컨설팅은 나이 지긋한 회사 원로들이 하는 간단히 조언이나 충고에 불과했던 것에 비해
그는 갓 MBA에 마친 젊고 유능한 인재들을 채용하여 맥킨지식 원칙에 따라 철저히 트레이닝 시키고,

경험을 쌓게 함으로써 절대 정체되거나 현실에 안주하는 직원들을 만들지 않게 했으며,
그들을 단순히 부하가 아닌 파트너로서 인정하고, 회사에 헌신토록 했던 그의 애정과 노력

검정 양말, 양복, 하얀색 와이셔츠등에서 보이듯 철저한 자기관리와 점심시간도 가볍게 여기지
말라는 그의 원칙과 리더쉽은 세월이 지나 현재까지도 어떤 기업도 도달할 수 없는 경영컨설팅의
대표적 기업으로 성장시킨 원동력 ...

사실에 기초한(based on facts) 컨설팅 기법, 단 한가지라도 제대로 배울수만 있다만 ....
그래서, 컨설턴트를 원하는 후배들에게 언제나 책만을 추천한다. ^^*


추천 도서 :
McKinsey's Marvin Bower: Vision, Leadership,
                                  and the Creation of Management Consulting

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0471755826/ref=s9_asin_image_1-1966_g1/105-1337990-9805221?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=19J0T984BVTQQ0169FFX&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=278240301&pf_rd_i=507846


On Leadership

The performance of business leaders during the next decade will play a major role in determining not only business but political and social trends for a long time to come. Here are some of the principal reasons:

1. Business leaders control the economic well-being of and stockholder.
2. The course of business shapes public opinion.
3. Business leaders shape public opinion.

So, in addition to his or her prime responsibility of managing his or her enterprise at a profit, the business leader of today is faced with new and larger responsibilities. And, at the same time, the job of managing his or her enterprise at a profit is increasing in complexity. Consequently, the imposition of additional responsibilities makes the nation’s task of developing an adequate number of properly equipped executive leaders a staggering one indeed.
Marvin Bower, 1949

A leader is a man or woman who has the character to build trust and respect and the other qualities and attributes to attract and motivate constituents (followers) and to work with them to achieve the goals in which the leader and the constituents all believe. And leadership can best be learned on the job where people are interacting with each other in real situations.
Marvin Bower, 1996

On Business Values

Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing. Typical examples of basic beliefs that recur frequently in the most successful corporations:

1. Maintenance of high ethical standards in external and relationships is essential to maximum success.
2. Decisions should be based on facts, objectively considered.
3. The business should be kept in adjustment with the forces at work its environment.
4. People should be judged on the basis of their performance, not nationality, personality, education, or personal traits and skills.
5. The business should be administered with a sense of competitive urgency. Marvin Bower, 1967