With so many ideas already within your company, you might wonder why hire a consulting firm? Here’s why:
It's not uncommon for companies to believe they can handle strategy internally. And it’s true there are advantages to this approach, such as knowing the business, navigating the culture, and getting the busy sales director into a planning meeting. However, consider the opportunity cost: the time and resources spent on internal strategy could be redirected towards other crucial areas of your business. Even internal strategy leaders often seek external expertise for long-term planning. Investing in a consulting firm today can drive growth for the next three years without compromising your internal operations.
Strategy is about making choices. Effective strategy planning involves bringing the right people together, following a rigorous strategic process, and broadening perspectives to explore alternative approaches for major growth challenges.
Many companies lack a full-time strategic lead and often delegate these responsibilities to known internal change agents. Any challenging issue is met with, "Give it to Joe or Sarah. They will figure it out." These change agents might spearhead initiatives like determining human capital needs to attract top emerging talent or staying ahead of AI advancements. However, this "special project" piles onto their workload and diverts them from other crucial transformation tasks where they add significant value. Thus, an ideal solution is to engage a consulting firm to support this transformation leader, providing them with a dedicated budget and authority.
This approach quickly brings in specialized strategic planning expertise, required only temporarily to craft and develop the strategy under their supervision. It also introduces essential structure to the process and alleviates the burden of coordination. One of the most significant benefits a consultant offers is the ability to listen, organize, and frame exceptional solutions for the client. That's where all those great ideas already known within a company get put to work.
In conclusion, while internal strategy development has its advantages, the value of external consultants lies in their ability to provide focused expertise, structure, and fresh perspectives. Investing in a consulting firm supplements your internal efforts, accelerates growth, and ensures your company remains competitive in a rapidly changing market. A smart choice today creates sustained success tomorrow.
