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Consultants and Executives - 6 Relationship Misconceptions to Dispel

As an executive and an organization, you are always finding ways to add value to your product, improve processes, productivity, and revenues. Yet you might not have the resources available in-house to perform at the pace you would like to.


Consultants can effectively fill up the gap, and bring in additional value, often beyond the scope of a single project. However, companies need to find the right balance between being consulting-averse and consulting-dependent. And Executives play a major role in this relationship dynamic.


6 Relationship Misconceptions That Need to Be Dispelled


1. Executives Love to Hate Consultants


There is a multitude of reasons why Executives don’t like to work with Consultants. Some are based on their personal experience; some are just urban legends. A more balanced and professional approach will be much more mutually beneficial.


2. Some Executives Don’t Understand the Nature of Consulting


Unfortunately, there are Executives who have never worked with Consultants. Some companies just don’t work with consultants as a rule. Some regions in the world are less accustomed to working with Consultants too. And some functions within the organization are less likely to use the help of Consultants.


But more broadly, while executives tend to navigate across functions in a Company, they can have a narrow vision of Consulting. If they started their career in Operations, they would be very familiar with Lean Operations, Operations Excellence, or Procurement Consulting.


But when they are moving to Strategy, they might be less familiar with Growth Strategy, Innovation, or Market Entry Strategy Consulting.


3. Executives Don’t Always See How Consulting Creates Value


They might feel that they have the resources in-house to do the work, or think Consultants are just regurgitating what they told them and have little expertise. Only 35% of executives say that the consulting firms they’ve worked with have added more value than they took in fees, according to Source Global Research. That’s actually a disappointing statistic. 


But high-quality doesn’t necessarily mean value. This is a big point, and clear evaluation and objectivity are very necessary in this case, with projects in question.



4. Working with Consultants is to Executives ‘Admitting’ Can’t Do Their Job Right


We can attribute this to egos or other personality-driven issues, but in reality, it’s far from the truth. And it should never be the case.


5. Executives Need to Realize Their Own Misunderstanding in How They View Consulting


We have identified two main mistakes here: a negative perception of Consulting and inefficient Consulting Procurement capabilities.


You probably have former Consultants in your teams. In 2015, there were 30,000 alumni from McKinsey alone, working about 450 running billion-dollar-plus organizations, according to the Financial Times. If they have spent enough time in a Consulting Firm, they have a very clear and most probably objective, understanding of what consulting is and is not.


6. Hiring Consultants is an Admission of Failure


Working with Consultants has great benefits, and by no means, represents a failure in execution. It is actually a way to accelerate business growth. The value created by Consultants, whether it is tangible (i.e., savings, or increased revenues) or intangible (i.e., Leadership or Process Optimization), can be measured and proven.


And last, building a solid consulting Procurement capability and measuring the performance of your Providers (and acting on it), will increase the satisfaction of your teams when working with Consultants, and impact the ROI of your Consulting Projects positively.


Final Thoughts


Dispelling the misconceptions that often create a divide between consultants and executives is not just essential but also a transformational step towards fostering productive collaborations. It is vital to recognize that executives and consultants bring unique skills and perspectives to the table.


Executives should understand that consultants are not adversaries but rather allies in achieving organizational goals. Moreover, the value created by consultants may not always be immediately apparent, but their expertise can help address critical issues and drive innovation.


The stigma associated with hiring consultants as an admission of failure must be replaced with a recognition that it signifies a commitment to continuous improvement and an acknowledgment that no single individual or team possesses all the answers. Consulting engagements are opportunities for executives to enhance their own understanding of their organization and industry, enriching their leadership capabilities.


Ultimately, bridging the gap between executives and consultants requires a shift in mindset, breaking free from preconceived notions. By fostering open communication, understanding the unique roles each party plays, and appreciating the value that consulting can bring, organizations can harness the power of this dynamic relationship to achieve excellence, drive innovation, and ensure sustained success.


Collaboration between executives and consultants is not a sign of weakness, but a testament to their commitment to achieving greatness. It is a partnership that, when nurtured with trust and respect, can lead to extraordinary accomplishments in today's ever-evolving business landscape.

Author

Author-profile

Helene LAFFITTE

Capabilities

Communication, Risk & Compliance

Industry

Agriculture, Professional Services

Language

English

Location

Asia, Europe, Latam, Africa, North America, Oceania, Middle East

Type

Official

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