The most common objection to engaging outside consulting help is not about the quality of the work, it’s about the return. How do you know if the engagement will be worth it? How do you measure success? Is there a way to evaluate value before you’re looking at it retroactively? These are legitimate questions, and […]
Consulting ROI: How to Measure the Value of a Strategy Engagement Read More »
One of the most consistent sources of dissatisfaction in consulting relationships is misaligned expectations. This is generally not about outcomes, although that can certainly be a case, but more often this is about the process. Clients who don’t know what to expect from the engagement experience are poorly positioned to assess whether it’s on track,
What Clients Should Expect From a Consulting Engagement: A Transparent Guide Read More »
The standard due diligence process for selecting a consulting firm is poorly designed. Most evaluation processes focus on credentials, firm reputation, and case studies. These inputs tell you very little about whether this engagement, with this team, on this problem, will produce the outcome you need. What follows are eight specific questions that cut through
How to Evaluate a Consulting Firm: 8 Questions Before You Sign Read More »
Most CEOs wait too long. The signals are gradual (this is temporary), the internal narrative is optimistic (the team is on it), and the act of bringing in outside help feels like an admission. That reasoning is expensive. The problems that warrant outside operational help rarely resolve on their own, they compound. This article gives
When to Bring In Outside Operational Help: A Decision Framework for CEOs Read More »
The question “what does a strategy consultant do” has a functional answer. He or she develops frameworks, conducts market analysis, builds business cases, and recommends strategic direction. This is accurate as far as it goes. But it doesn’t explain why some strategy consulting engagements produce durable change and others produce a well-designed deck that sits
What the Best Strategy Consultants Actually Do (That Others Don’t) Read More »
The distinction between operations consulting and management consulting is genuinely confusing, partly because the terms are used inconsistently by firms, partly because the categories overlap in meaningful ways, and partly because the most useful consulting work often requires both. Understanding the difference matters when you’re deciding what kind of help you actually need. What Management
Operations Consulting vs. Management Consulting: A Plain-Language Guide Read More »
