latest additions to the Twennie library

Why do organizations issue Requests for Proposals, and what does their motivation reveal about your chances of winning? Bryan Leach examines five scenarios: clients seeking expertise, favouring a preferred consultant, testing an incumbent’s pricing, replacing an underperforming consultant, or gathering methodologies for their own use. Through stories from his consulting engineering career, Bryan demonstrates why the competitive playing field is rarely level. Understanding the client's intentions before investing in a proposal can help firms make better pursuit decisions and avoid wasting valua

What makes clients genuinely satisfied with their consultants? Bryan Leach explores ten sources of client satisfaction, from understanding a client's business and showing appreciation to being responsive, soliciting feedback, encouraging joint decision-making, and owning up to mistakes. Through stories from his consulting career, Bryan illustrates how seemingly simple behaviours can strengthen relationships, build trust, and distinguish one consultant from another. His central message is that clients already expect technical competence. What elevates their satisfaction is exceptional service,

Delivering a quality report on time and on budget might earn a consultant only five out of ten on the Client Satisfaction Scale. So how do you reach eight, nine, or ten? Bryan Leach explains how consultants can move beyond meeting contractual obligations by giving clients comfort, helping them look good, and contributing to their success. Through stories from his engineering career, Bryan demonstrates how personal relationships, trust, and thoughtful client service influence satisfaction, reduce price sensitivity, and strengthen long-term relationships. Technical competence matters, but people

Consulting engineers work in many types of business relationships, from transactional contracting to trusted strategic partnerships. Bryan Leach explores how adding value and strengthening relationships can transform customers into long-term clients. Through a memorable story about an environmental monitoring contract at a pulp mill, Bryan illustrates how three decision-makers within the same client organization viewed a competitive proposal very differently. While the contracts manager focused on price, the environmental director valued technical collaboration, and the mill manager emphasized

What do consulting engineers really sell? At its core, consulting engineering is the business of selling competence for profit. This video explores the knowledge, skills, experience, value judgments and professional networks that form individual and organizational competence. It examines why consulting firms are knowledge-based businesses whose greatest value lies not in physical assets, but in their people, intellectual resources and client relationships. Through examples and a memorable oil-company story, viewers are encouraged to recognize the value of their firm’s intangible assets—and ne

The relationship between employees and employers has changed. Long-term employment security can no longer be assumed, making career development increasingly an individual responsibility. Bryan encourages professionals to think of themselves as independent contractors who are currently providing their time, abilities and effort to an organization. From that perspective, managing a career becomes an active rather than passive process. This introductory video establishes the foundation for Bryan’s Managing Your Career series and the practical lessons he has learned during a long career in consult

Careers no longer necessarily follow a single upward path through one organization. Bryan contrasts the traditional “objective” career of advancement, status and professional progression with the “subjective” career built around a collection of meaningful life experiences. He then introduces five career “gets”: Getting Secure, Getting Ahead, Getting High, Getting Free and Getting Balanced. What you want from work can change significantly through different stages of life. Bryan encourages you to periodically ask what you are currently getting from work—and how you will manage your career if you

Bryan describes two forms of career currency: performance currency, earned by consistently delivering excellent work, and relationship currency, developed by investing in people and allowing them to know you. Both contribute to the relationships and networks that create opportunities, influence and support. He distinguishes task-based cognitive trust—built through competence, reliability and communication—from affective trust created through personal connection. Strong networks may also produce champions and advocates who support your advancement. Bryan challenges professionals to assess both

New positions, relocations, challenging assignments and other career opportunities inevitably create choices—and choices can create fear. Bryan examines the relationship between fear, risk and performance through three zones: the comfort zone, where performance may stagnate; the danger zone, where fear and risk become excessive; and the high-performance zone, where challenge stretches our capabilities without overwhelming us. He also explores the emotional discomfort associated with change and why it can eventually lead somewhere better. Careers are full of choices, and Bryan’s message is simp

Consulting engineering is both a technical and a people business. Bryan explores why self-awareness and emotional intelligence can be as important to career success as technical ability. Personality and strengths assessments can help professionals understand how they process information, interact with others and contribute to teams. Rather than devoting enormous effort to turning weaknesses into average performance, Bryan encourages people to recognize and develop their strengths. Regular reflection on where you have been, where you are now and where you want to go can turn self-awareness into