On Management Consulting

Banshee and crew, The Race to Mackinac

Beware of consultants offering advice. Though many of us aspire to be “trusted advisers,” that role is rarely sought out by clients.

Consultants are more like explorers, architects and engineers than sages. Simply put, consultants organize projects to help clients seek out, design and build sustainable business models. To each role they apply specific tools, skills and temperaments which extend and complement the capabilities of the client. Typically the client sets out the mission, the consultant charts the course, and the client provisions the resources, commissions the expedition, and claims the spoils. At each stage of the journey consultant and client reflect on what they have learned and derive the business implications. As the they learn, they rewrite the specifications for the business model.

For, guided exploration and reflection (and not repetition) are the basis of learning. Consultants should be expected to organize projects that help their clients apply directed learning to the development of more effective business models.

To learn more about our work in consulting, read about our Practice or check out our Case Studies.

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