Frequently Asked Questions

Should I hire Genuinely Neutral Consulting?

Here is what GNC does: we gather information on topics you specify and present it without interpretation, recommendation, or conclusion. Here is what GNC does not do: recommend, conclude, or advise. Organizations that need information without interpretation may find this useful. Organizations that need to be told what to do will not. The decision of whether to hire us is yours to make.

Are you expensive?

Our rates are: Information Audit — $4,500. Framework Introduction — $2,200. Stakeholder Listening Session — $3,000/day. Ongoing Retainer — $8,000/month. Whether these rates are expensive is a determination that requires comparing them to the value you expect to receive, which is a judgment we are not positioned to make for you. They are the rates.

What results do clients get?

Here are documented outcomes from client engagements: clients receive information. Some clients report that the information was useful. Some clients report that the information was not what they expected. Some clients have returned for additional engagements. Some have not. Whether these outcomes constitute "results" is a framing question we are not positioned to answer.

Can't I just hire a normal consultant?

Yes. Traditional consulting firms offer recommendations, strategic advice, and conclusions. This is a different service from the one GNC provides. Whether a traditional consulting engagement would serve your needs better than a GNC engagement is a determination we are not positioned to make for you. Both options exist. You may select either.

Do you have any opinions at all?

GNC consultants have opinions in their personal lives. We have opinions about methodology, research quality, and the reliability of specific information sources. We do not have opinions about client situations. This distinction is foundational. A consultant who forms no opinions at all would be non-functional. A consultant who forms opinions about client situations and then presents them as information would be dishonest. We are neither.

What if the information you provide points clearly in one direction?

We present the information. If the information points clearly in one direction, the presentation will reflect that. We do not add language suggesting that the direction is correct, advisable, or preferable. The direction is what the information shows. You decide whether to follow it.

A competitor of mine uses GNC. Is that a conflict of interest?

GNC does not share information across clients. Information gathered for one engagement is not available to other clients. A competitor's engagement with GNC does not provide them information about you. Our engagements are confidential in both directions. Whether this arrangement constitutes a conflict of interest is a legal and ethical question we are not positioned to adjudicate. We note that our policies prohibit information sharing across client engagements. We present this as information.

My brother runs a competing consultancy and said you were useful once. Should I trust that?

A. Kling's account of a GNC engagement is accurate, to the best of our knowledge. Whether you should trust it is your determination. We note that A. Kling's consultancy operates on an opinion-based model that is different from ours, and that A. Kling has stated publicly that our model is better for specific situations and worse for most others. This is A. Kling's assessment. We have no opinion about it. We present it as information you may have found your way to through other means.

Is this a real company?

This is a website. What it represents is information you may assess as you see fit. We have no opinion about whether you should take it seriously. We note that the question "is this real?" is one that requires a judgment about credibility, which is a determination we are not positioned to make on your behalf about ourselves. You may make it independently.