ABSTRACT
The success or failure of a consulting project is often determined in large measure long before a contract is signed or anyone has agreed to work together. This is true whether the consultant and client have never met or if they have worked together on many projects. In either case, the first phase of a project-typically the first face-to-face meeting-is extremely important, as this is when the expectations and goals of the project are established. If the consultant and client have never worked together, then the first phase of the project is also when both parties assess whether they will be able to work together effectively and comfortably.
