ABSTRACT
Engagements begin when the consultants finally meet the client, and it is where cultural intelligence is the most crucial. Assignments usually become engagements when they involve more than just a handful of consultants. With respect to the firm-facing engagement processes, these tend to be associated with the internal management of the account, staff assignments and appraisals, and chasing unpaid bills. When building the engagement team, there is merit in considering the roles each team member will play and how these might fit the culture of the client. One of the most important and yet neglected processes in any engagement is the preparation of the consultants prior to their joining the team. Consultants often have to muddle through wasting valuable time trying to sense how to work with the engagement team and the client. Politics should be expected in any engagement, and dealing with its various dimensions is a core skill of the consultant.
