Points of View

8 things to consider with buyers

What are the key ‘hidden and unspoken’ factors that critically influence buying decisions and how can firms adapt their approach to business development? Here...Read more about 8 things to consider with buyers

Points of View

Critical thinking: Learning from the old man with a hammer

You may have been told the business parable about a broken engine, and an old man with a hammer. The story goes: A giant...Read more about Critical thinking: Learning from the old man with a hammer

Points of View

10 Leadership Tips for New Partners

10 Leadership Tips for New Partners 1.  Know your staff and your fellow Partners Relatively early on, try to establish the name of their...Read more about 10 Leadership Tips for New Partners

Points of View

10 Practical Tips for a New Partner

1.  Know your staff and your fellow Partners You cannot expect nor do you deserve to lead or influence anyone in your firm unless...Read more about 10 Practical Tips for a New Partner

Points of View

Consulting as a Career, or as a Springboard to a Career?

Three seemingly unrelated events occurred last week. Firstly, the Global HR Director for a major consulting Firm posed the following question: We have traditionally...Read more about Consulting as a Career, or as a Springboard to a Career?

Points of View

Leading Virtually in the Absence of the Artefacts of Authority – Why Authenticity is Key

You are in your home office and your virtual meetings are ‘back-to-back’. Running late, you log onto the next meeting with your team. As...Read more about Leading Virtually in the Absence of the Artefacts of Authority – Why Authenticity is Key

Points of View

The Impact of Emotion on Loyalty and Buying Decisions

While driving to work last week, I found myself singing along to a few old favourite Christmas tunes. We all know the songs; we...Read more about The Impact of Emotion on Loyalty and Buying Decisions

Points of View

What’s changed about change?

It will sound familiar to anyone who has worked in an organisation of a certain size. A new transformation programme is announced. It is...Read more about What’s changed about change?

Points of View

Blocked in Lockdown – 10 things we have discovered

You may be able to listen to Dylan whilst attending a team meeting, talk to your Mum in a project update, or eat breakfast...Read more about Blocked in Lockdown – 10 things we have discovered

Points of View

The Openside Webinar Modules

Having spent the last year cataloguing and organising nearly 30 years’ worth of our Professional Services development materials, we were in a good position...Read more about The Openside Webinar Modules

Points of View

Women in Professional Services – 20 years on

By Harriet Johnson, Barrister and Openside Tutor For many, in 2020, the march towards true equality for women is almost taken for granted. The...Read more about Women in Professional Services – 20 years on

Points of View

Internal Consultants – Organisational Adrenaline or Decaffeinated Consultants?

Read more about Internal Consultants – Organisational Adrenaline or Decaffeinated Consultants?
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.