I do not believe in consultants

"I do not believe in consultants"

"I don't think you add much value, my experience previously hasn't been great!"

"I think you look at my watch, tell me time, and charge me for it."

These are all things I heard from a senior exec in a large multinational, and he was telling me and my partners this after we had won the gig.

And it's an all-too-common sentiment: consultants are just trying to get you pay them for things you could do yourself.

It's a fair comment, something I hear all the time.

If all I'm doing is telling what you want to hear, googling stuff, setting up a dashboard and sending you a report along with my monthly bill...

You are definitely better off taking care of it yourself.

I'd say - Fire the consultant! Hire a contractor instead!

But what about those times, when you're pushed into a corner and have no idea how you'll achieve that 10% cost out your promised your CFO?

Or when you're wondering how exactly to start and carry out huge transformational change?

Or when you just need half an hour with a trustworthy expert to lean on for advice?

These are times when it pays to have a consultant around.

The ones that are good, will put their money where their mouth is.

They'll accept your risk as their own and deliver!

Seasoned people, with battle scars and years of experience to watch your back!

They won't just look at your watch, tell you the time, and charge you for it.