Aleksandra Hristov

All good management consultants share the common foundation of their knowledge

In crisis, during major reforms, and due to abrupt growth of the economy or the particular sector,  managers need the advice and new forms of knowledge to achieve their goals. The job of management consultants is to give that advice, to transmit the knowledge, recognize the root of the problem, and therefore offer the appropriate solutions that are in the best interest of their clients.

Every management consultant has some specific personal area of expertise that he/she may be particularly good at. However, all respectable management consultants share the unique set of shared knowledge and experience. These include the analytical and interpersonal skills, coupled with the formidable base of recorded acquired skills of other colleague Therefore, management consultants can address the most complex problems at both the private and public sectors.

The first question that every management consultant should ask a new client is: “What are your business or organizational goals, and how can I best help you?

At the starting stages of working with a new client, when the initial analysis has begun, this is  usually the best time to understand exactly what the most important factor to the receiver of your service is.

If the consultant promptly realizes at the beginning stage of the analysis that what is expected would be more effectively provided by someone else the management consultant is obliged by our rules to immediately transmit that thought to the client, and if possible, recommend the best expert in that area.

After the analysis, and based on best practices, the management consultant makes the recommendations to the client. In all circumstances the client is always and invariably the one who makes the final decision and choose on which path to take and according to which  suggested actions.

Also, the management consultant can take part in the implementation of the project itself. At every stage of the consulting process various techniques and tools can be used. These include questionnaires, interviews, workshops, meetings, trainings, etc. Everything must be custom tailored to fit the specific client.

Such individuals with the already proven integrity record and their companies are accepted into the full membership of our Management Consultants Association of Serbia (UPKS) which since the year 2019 Is a full member of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI). UPKS is the only organization duly authorised by the ICMCI to, in line with the international standard, issue the coveted CMC (Certified Management Consultant) certificate to individuals in the Republic of Serbia. CMC stamp is the badge of honor given only to those who went through the entire certification process that is compliant with the international standards.

UPKS is registered in Serbia as an NGO, and all our members are engaged in professional management consulting. The Association was formed in 2009 as the answer to the growing need of the industries in Serbia to more easily identify credible qualified consultants  who can lead them through the fast-changing new business environment. The members of UPKS work for companies, organizations, and State institutional entities. All UPKS consultants come from the private sector to assure their independence, impartiality, and neutrality, to be able to act in accordance with our strict Ethical Code of Conduct in every situation.

According to the UPKS rules, every member has the chance to attain the prestigious CMC designation. First it is necessary to pass the training process plus provide past client engagement summaries, all this must be done while being mentored by another colleague who is already a designated CMC. The whole procedure ends with the final exam in the form of an interview with three previously certified members. This exam includes subject matters related to strategic management, managing change, consulting process, and last but not least, ethics.

The candidates must demonstrate knowledge, and competence in client handling. In the coming mid-term period, our association plans to introduce the introductory training to all those interested in management consulting regardless if they have any existing consulting experience.

The ICMCI is an international membership organisation and a network of the management advisory and consultancy associations and institutes worldwide, who have a common purpose and shared values and goals. The ICMCI, established in 1987, now includes 48 national institutes that cover more than 70 counties, and a Global Institute that services the rest of the world.

The vision of the organization is To be a leader in the development of management consulting as a global profession that drives social and economic success The mission of the organization is to build the profile, recognition and influence of the profession and its practitioners globally..

ICMCI is stimulating and supporting the national institutes in the process of their establishment through ongoing cooperation. This activity had significantly contributed to accelerating the adoption of the ICMCI Competence Framework and the related CMC rules and guidelines as the premier professional standard for management consulting worldwide. Consequently, the CMC designation gradually became the only globally recognized brand for individual management consultants.

The CMC designation is exclusively given to those management consultants that satisfy the highest criteria of competence and professionalism in advising clients while being faithful to the  standard Code of Ethics.

ICMCI, also known as CMC-Global, is very proud to hold the Special Consultative Status by the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

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Management consultants often hold a very powerful role in helping governments around the World, being habitually included in bringing the important economic decisions. However, consequently, the clients constantly have raised the bar of their expectations, demanding steep rules for innovation, efficiency, and ethical behavior while requiring the concrete proofs of advantages of using such a service.

As part of their role as a self-regulating entity, ICMCI has without doubt overtaken the leading role in establishing the ISO 20700:2017 standard. This success is the result of a proven track record of promoting invention, best practice, ethics, and excellence over a long period of time. The focus is always on the client, on full transparency, and interpersonal relationships also remain a very important part of the mission statement.

In general, almost everyone is an expert in the area of their own interest. However, the independent, direct, honest, and open management consultant has managed to bring the substantial value to the client more than once. The consultant’s main advantage is often in the fact that he/she has no outside motives and is almost guaranteed to very often bring new vantage point to the matter at hand.

As a matter of fact, it may be appropriate to use this opportunity to once more remind the reader of the primordial importance of always abiding by the ethical standards as the main root of all true and significant business and personal success in this demanding and difficult profession that mandates strength, courage, and experience.

Short biography of Aleksandra Hristov

Ms. Aleksandra Hristov is an attorney at law with bar exam, and internationally certified business management consultant (CMC). In the past she had success

fully completed the studies for the trainer in accordance to ICMCI standards, and ISO 20700 for management consulting.

Graduated the Program for Executive Managers in Government at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., USA.

Member of the Association of Management Consultants of Serbia since established in 2009.

In the field of communication, she spent more than thirty (30) years. Ms. Aleksandra had worked as a journalist and editor at independent media during the ninety nineties (1990-s). After the first post-Milosevic democratic government of the new Serbian prime minister Mr. Zoran Djindjic was formed, she was the chief of staff for the minister of education and sport, and of the director of the Center for the strategic communication of that same Government.

Since 2003 works as advisor to the top management of the leading corporations, organizations, the Government on projects related to creating and implementing the organizational and various business objectives. Starting in 2007 she is the owner and the director of the consulting company for the strategic communication Hristov Consulting d.o.o. that has the portfolio with EU, USAID projects, EBRD BAS, institutions and companies domestic and from the region. Hristov Consulting is the only consulting company in Serbia certified both for the communication strategies and the education in that area.

Ms. Aleksandra has been the advisor for communications and crisis PR to institutions, government ministries, NGOs and the companies such as Public Policy Research Centre, Youth with disabilities forum, IN Center, Mineco Group, SAT-TRAKT, Milenium insurance, UNIQA insurance, British Airways, OMV, Nuclear facilities of Serbia, Notary Chamber of Serbia, IK Eduka, Multipartner system, Metinvest SMC,  Anitex, Job d.o.o, Ministry of Ministry of Defense Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs etc. She is also a trainer in the field of the strategic communication, change management, public affairs and lobbying, and stakeholder handling. She also completed the training for lobbying and mediation in the Republic of Serbia.

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