Introduction
Consultants are often hired to help organizations solve problems, but they don’t always deliver the results that organizations expect. In fact, many consultants end up disappointing their clients because of one simple reason: They don’t understand the challenges and goals of their client organizations.
Consultants don’t fit your culture.
Consultants have different skill sets and experience levels.
If you’re a small company and you hire a consultant with more than X years of experience, they might not fit into your culture. Your team might feel intimidated by this person’s expertise or feel like they can’t learn anything from them because they already know everything. In addition, if the consultant is used to working with larger teams at larger companies where there are more resources available, they may be frustrated by how much work has to be done manually in your organization (for example: having to create spreadsheets instead of using software).
Consultants can be expensive.
You can avoid overpaying by working with a consultant who charges based on performance and results. This is often referred to as an outcome-based fee structure. In the world of consulting, this means that your consultant is only paid if they deliver on their promises–and no more.
Consultants who bill hourly or per project will often charge more than necessary because there’s no incentive for them to do better work or spend less time on a project than necessary.
You’re not sure about the next steps for your project after hiring a consultant.
The first step to avoiding this situation is understanding that the consultant is not a magician. They do not have all the answers and can’t fix your problems with a wave of their wand. You should also be clear about what you want from them, so that you don’t think they’re going to solve everything when they don’t even know what those things are yet!
Once you’ve hired someone, make sure that everyone involved knows exactly how long their engagement will last and what happens if it doesn’t go well (or goes better than expected). If there aren’t any clear guidelines for either scenario, then there’s going to be some disappointment when things fall short or exceed expectations–and neither outcome is ideal!
Conclusion
Organizational consultants can be a great resource for your organization, but they’re not always the right fit for every situation. Consulting firms have different specialties and approaches, so make sure that you know what kind of help you need before hiring one.
