Recently, we have been working with groups of internal consultants/advisors who have been struggling to develop relationships and establish credibility with senior stakeholders. It...Read more about Are you struggling to develop relationships and establish credibility with senior stakeholders?
Internal Consultants are expected to perform complex and challenging work and to act as trusted advisors without always having the skills, influence or credibility...Read more about Internal Consulting – the most challenging job ever?
As the business sage Peter Drucker famously noted:   “We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don’t spend nearly enough...Read more about To lead well – what should you stop doing?
We have become accustomed to talking about being data-driven. But should we be? ‘Data-driven’ implies that we are led by data. Data rules – and...Read more about Moving from ‘Data-Driven to Data Informed’
In conversation with the more junior participants on our programmes from big brand Firms, I’m struck by how many of them aren’t really considering...Read more about How do you sell a Consulting Career?
Back in November 2020, Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty were presenting the latest Coronavirus data on rising infection rates and potential consequences one Saturday...Read more about Switch from Analytical to Anecdotal: Storytelling in Presentations That Communicate Insight
One of the common traits of a toxic worker is that they are usually a top performer in the company. Herein lies the paradox...Read more about Managing the paradox of the poisonous performer

Points of View

Managers as Changemakers

Statistics differ on how many change programmes fail. Percentages from 40 to 70% are still cited regularly by reputable sources. Whatever the real numbers are,...Read more about Managers as Changemakers
Dissatisfaction with overall ability to sell is common amongst Boards and Exco across the world. In reality, most organisations have sales team who are...Read more about Why sales effectiveness training doesn’t always work
You’ve only got to listen to an interview with England’s lead analyst Nathan Leamon from June 20211 to realise that for years cricket, like...Read more about Data as information or interference?
Read our full Points of View overview.

The Openside Group’s Points of View is an extensive library of thought-leadership built over more than a decade, written specifically for professionals and leaders working in consulting, law, accounting, financial services and other advisory sectors.

The articles are deliberately challenging and thought-provoking, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world practice. Every piece is grounded in Openside’s deep experience of working with professional services firms across the globe and comes with practical recommendations that readers can act on.

The library spans a broad range of topics that matter most to people building careers and leading teams in professional services. On the technical side, readers will find rich content on analytical problem-solving, structured thinking, hypothesis-driven approaches, and critical thinking – the core intellectual skills that distinguish great consultants. Communication and storytelling feature prominently too, with articles exploring how to present with impact, craft compelling narratives and avoid the common trap of turning insight into a data dump.

Business development and client relationships are another major thread, covering everything from winning proposals and navigating procurement to building trusted advisor relationships and differentiating your firm in a crowded market.

Leadership runs throughout the archive – from practical tips for new managers stepping into their first leadership role, to the complex dynamics of Partner performance, development and succession. Alongside this sits a growing body of content on wellbeing, resilience and workplace culture, including a widely read special report on the “always-on” culture that dominates professional services.

More recently, Openside has turned its attention to the future of the profession – examining how AI is reshaping consulting, what the rise of Gen Z means for firms, and how skills-based development is changing the talent landscape.

Taken together, the Points of View represent one of the most comprehensive independent perspectives on professional development and performance in professional services available today.