Editor's Note: Our 1999 Top Ten Consultants: Ten People Who Helped Shrink the World.

You'll likely recall the theory that claims all of us who walk the earth are separated by a mere six acquaintances. It's a number too small to be believed, unless, of course, you're a consultant. No other profession likely affords an individual a greater global view than consulting. And no one list of people reveals this better than Consulting Magazine's inaugural Top Ten Consultants. Individually, each of our Top Ten has risen to the lofty heights of the profession, but only together have they shrunk the world.

A navigator, a trailblazer, a diplomat — The same skill sets that distinguish our elite ten would likely suit an expedition into an uncharted land.

Be it George Shaheen mobilizing his firm to aggressively move into the e-commerce space, or Roland Berger scouting out his next acquisition, the profession's top consultants are influencing the ebb and flow of commerce at the world's estuaries of business and thought. And while they are frequently overshadowed by the captains of industry whom they serve, the weight of their influence is felt across every commercial sector and every geography.

Among the consultants profiled, you'll likely find a few surprises, as well as some unique personality traits.  While one of our Top Ten boasts of not having an MBA, another refuses to discuss age.  Whatever you discover, we hope we've revealed something about your profession that may inspire you and fortify your determination.

After you're finished reading our Top Ten, we urge you to read on.  You'll find plenty of features in our third issue, including articles on the awesome power of rainmaking and a look at how consultants are hurrying to grow their e-commerce credentials. This issue is once again packed with interviews and commentary by top consulting personalities. You can explore the career and beliefs of Grant Thornton's new CEO, Dom Esposito, and hear the likes and dislikes of a multibillion-dollar telecom client.

And so, just as consulting's rich veins of subject matter have yielded another issue and we begin our reporting for the next, I'm struck by the notion that the consulting profession's nomadic nature and cross section of clients have set consultants apart and narrowed the number of acquaintances that separate them from everyone else who walks the earth. It's hardly an original thought, but it's one that may best convey the unique role of the consulting profession. In an economy where business leaders are being measured by feats of global prowess, it may be wise to keep in mind that to truly shrink the world, it takes a consultant.

Jack Sweeney, The Editor