Podcast

40% of college students don’t know what a consulting firm does – and for those who do 35% learned it from entertainment sources like House of Lies. The average person would say the questionable practices of Marty and his team are an accurate portrayal of a management consulting firm. But why?

There are a few reasons why we have a BS perception of consulting:

1. Yes, just like any profession, there are BS-ers!
2. Most think consultants are overpaid
3. Some assume that consultants are getting paid to do things that the company could have done themselves
4. At times a company will have too much of a positive perception of their consultant putting more weight on what the consultant says over what an internal person has stated in the past

Truth is – When you bring in someone from an outside firm asking them to find creative solutions – that is the epitome of quality consulting. If that consultant is able to lead a team to conclusions they would not have – that facilitation brings value.

A true BS marketing moment is when top executives fail to utilize outside firms to help with creative problem solving. We must learn to be open to this. The top CEO’s with the most success are the ones that are able to figure out who the best people are for the job. A true leader will utilize a consultant and allow them to build internal and external teams. They will know when to put them on what job, at what time, and at what price. Above all they will listen to them and follow their expertise.

Ask yourself – If the solution to your problem is on budget, and on time, and achieves the goals that are in best interest of organization do you care that external firms were included in the process? The answer is no.

It’s time to start thinking of external resources as part of your team NOT VENDORS. When you change this way of thinking you define the key roles these outside resources are going to play. Leverage their expertise and be willing to move out of your own comfort zone and become a No BS leader!

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