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Reviews
House Of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time by Martin Kihn
knfitzpa's review against another edition
3.0
Working for one of the firms mentioned in this book (though not myself a consultant), I was really expecting to spend a lot of time smirking and laughing at how true it was. And sure, I did some of that, but what I ended up doing more of was missing the energy of the tv show that's based upon it.
I mean, look: I know it's not fair to compare a pay-TV show to a nonfiction book. But this is management consulting! What other profession could possibly share stories so crazy, you'd swear they couldn't possibly be true? And yet I feel like the real Marty Kihn ends his story where it gets the most interesting. And because it's a nonfiction book and not a TV show, I won't know what happens next unless he writes a sequel: is he still consulting? Where did his next engagement find him (in the hierarchy especially)? What happens next?!
I mean, look: I know it's not fair to compare a pay-TV show to a nonfiction book. But this is management consulting! What other profession could possibly share stories so crazy, you'd swear they couldn't possibly be true? And yet I feel like the real Marty Kihn ends his story where it gets the most interesting. And because it's a nonfiction book and not a TV show, I won't know what happens next unless he writes a sequel: is he still consulting? Where did his next engagement find him (in the hierarchy especially)? What happens next?!
heyitsyii's review
3.0
PSA - this book has very little in common with the TV series, besides the "management consulting" bit, so don't bother if that's what you're looking for.
Yes, management consultants have a bad rap, perhaps deserved (maybe perhaps not). But the thing is, companies that hire these types of consultants (i.e., from the big three or so consulting companies) are largely those who can more than afford to throw away millions of dollars. (especially because they squirrel away their money overseas, and don't pay taxes?) And so they do, maybe to fix certain parts of their businesses or gain some type of efficiency somewhere... but also to "validate" the personal agenda of whomever solicited these services, no matter how indefensible the agenda is, business-wise. So yeah, MCs steal your watch and then tell you the time, but sometimes you give/gift them your watch for them to tell you the time.
I'm not a super fan of management consultants myself, but I feel like Kihn "humanized" these employees a bit.
Yes, management consultants have a bad rap, perhaps deserved (maybe perhaps not). But the thing is, companies that hire these types of consultants (i.e., from the big three or so consulting companies) are largely those who can more than afford to throw away millions of dollars. (especially because they squirrel away their money overseas, and don't pay taxes?) And so they do, maybe to fix certain parts of their businesses or gain some type of efficiency somewhere... but also to "validate" the personal agenda of whomever solicited these services, no matter how indefensible the agenda is, business-wise. So yeah, MCs steal your watch and then tell you the time, but sometimes you give/gift them your watch for them to tell you the time.
I'm not a super fan of management consultants myself, but I feel like Kihn "humanized" these employees a bit.
minneapolismerk's review
4.0
Working in an industry that employs many consultants and ex-consultants, I found this book hilarious! I wish I had this book when I started at the company - it helped me translate so much of the consultant-speak that's taken me over a year to get accustomed to.
shreyashk2006's review
2.0
It was entertaining in the beginning, but got a little whiny as it progressed.
meadowstream's review
4.0
A cynical insightful story of the authors experience in the management consulting industry verifies my own brief encounters with the likes. I especially found the interaction between the "firms" and it's collaboration with the MBA Schools very revealing. The industry is a self fulfilling prophecy come real. As I already experienced you often just buy access to really expensive smart "buzzy" advice, often provided in the "Deck" or ppt:s as we know them. A good read!
swekster's review
2.0
Rambling, with no structure or point. Yes, the emperor has no clothes, but everybody knows that. It's kinda truism that management consultants have, at best, dubious results. So what?
And what's the need for all the diatribes that constant travel is a pain-in-the-ass, and that points are a scam? And "What's the deal with airplane food".
A few of the case anecdotes were fun and easy to read, but the rest has the quality of a seldom written and never read teenage diary.
And what's the need for all the diatribes that constant travel is a pain-in-the-ass, and that points are a scam? And "What's the deal with airplane food".
A few of the case anecdotes were fun and easy to read, but the rest has the quality of a seldom written and never read teenage diary.
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