Business Consultants. I have been told that our mere presence gets things done. Say the word consultant and most people roll their eyes. But for some, they can be a lurking force; compelling people to do things like run away, be very motivated, or prepare for the worst.
And, dear reader, it’s all true. *high-pitched string quartet intensifies*
The cliché of the consultant as bogeyman is hard to shake. We’re seen as clipboard-wielding auditors, standing at the back of the room, silently judging. Or worse, as McKinsey-style mercenaries who bill by the hour, drain budgets, and leave behind a trail of baffling flowcharts.
But the reality, at least for those of us who aren’t in the business of jargon and billable hours, is less sinister and far more useful.
Presence matters
People behave differently when someone is there to hold the room, to keep time, to ask the question that everyone else has politely ignored.
Organisations often need that nudge. It’s not that the staff is lazy or incompetent. It’s that most workplaces do what they’re employed to do, and it’s rare that a consultant’s purpose and drive are part of someone’s third priority, let alone their first.
In actual businesses, priorities compete, emails pile up, meetings spiral. Progress becomes optional. The simple act of showing up with intent, listening, prodding, and insisting on clarity, shifts the dynamic.
A consultant’s work isn’t just about creating strategies. It’s also about creating the environment for their implementation. The plan created has to deliver once the consultant leaves.
Three Horizons
In the language of the “Three Horizons” model, presence stabilises today, catalyses tomorrow, and, crucially, ensures the future isn’t dependent on the consultant sticking around.
So yes, I’ll admit it. I am a lurking figure in the corner. But not a villain. More like a conductor: pushing the tempo, bringing in the brass, cutting off the violins when they get carried away. Without someone to drive it, the music never quite leaves the page.