Through 'live' material from consulting practice and an historical review of advice-giving to pre-modern leaders, this book uncovers a distinctive 'feminine' discourse of management consulting. This new lens challenges current literature on management consulting that relies on established (masculine) images.

SHEILA MARSH is an independent consultant, working in the public and not-for-profit sectors since 1987. Her work spans organization development, management and leadership development, policy development and research. She co-developed an innovative research project on partnership working in health and social care (www.swampyground.org) and currently leads a Masters in Leadership programme for this sector.

List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgements Introduction PART I: CONSULTING: EXPLORING THE TERRAIN Consultants, Confidantes and Consorts: A Genealogy of Consulting and Advice-giving to Organizational Leaders Images of Consulting: What Currently shapes How We See Consulting and How it Works? Consulting as a Discursive Practice PART II: DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF CONSULTING INTERACTIONS Researching Consulting Interactions: From Process Ontology to Critical Discourse Analysis Women Consultants in Action: Critical Discourse Analysis of 'Live' Consulting Interaction Women's Stories about Consulting: Critical Discourse Analysis of Reflective Material PART III: MAKING SENSE What is Going on in Consulting Interactions?: Exploring Meta-themes of Power, Emotion and Values Femininities and Consulting: (Re-)animating a 'Feminine' Discourse of Consulting Towards a 'Critical Consulting' Practice: The Contribution of a 'Feminine' Discourse of Consulting NOTES REFERENCES INDEX