Welcome to this, the inaugural issue of the Journal of Practical Consulting (JPC)! The last few months have been a period of intelligence gathering and discovery. One of the major discoveries made is that there are many and varying interpretations of the word "consultant." More critically, especially from the point of view of a journal, not every consultant writes! For this reason the formal label "journal" may be prohibitive.  But, that's a future story.

The thinking behind the JPC is to extend the work of leadership consulting beyond the gates of academia and offer a platform for discussion of practical or applied consulting. Key to the remit that JPC has established for itself, is improvement of the practice of consulting through the sharing of specific recommendations based on experience. Encouraging multidisciplinary dialogue is also an important plank of what we hope to achieve.

In this first issue, we cast a preliminary net that includes articles exploring tools that consultants might find useful and which also provide insights into specific industries and communities of interest. Pitched midway between a theoretical and practical orientation, the ideas in this launch issue is to demonstrate the natural connection between loosely theoretical and applied pieces. In subsequent issues we will focus more directly on applied consulting themes in fulfillment of our aim to promote success in the consulting environments of today and of the future. We welcome your comments and general observations on the fascinating world of practical consulting. With its constantly shifting frontiers, diversity of consulting platforms, contested professional standards, and blend of technical-cultural concern, the opportunities for learning and sharing are considerable. I hope you will join us in what promises to be an exciting venture!

Dr. Bramwell Osula
Editor