Let’s be honest—consultants don’t always have the best reputation. You’ve probably heard the joke:

“A consultant is someone who takes your watch away to tell you what time it is.”

And if you’ve worked with consultants before, you may have felt this way yourself. Maybe you’ve wondered:

• “Why am I paying so much for advice I already know?”
• “Do we really need external help for this?”
• “Are these consultants just using our project as a training ground for their junior staff?”

You’re not alone. Many executives have a love-hate relationship with consultants. On one hand, consulting firms bring expertise, fresh perspectives, and structured problem-solving. On the other, they can feel like an expensive necessity, especially when the value they provide isn’t immediately clear.

Mas aqui está o problema: Dismissing consultants outright can be a costly mistake.

When used correctly, consultants are not just advisors—they are accelerators. They help businesses tackle complex challenges, drive transformation, and execute faster than internal teams alone. However, getting real value from consulting requires the right mindset, approach, and engagement strategy.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• O real reasons executives dislike consultants
• O misconceptions that fuel this skepticism
• How to ensure consulting engagements deliver real value
• What executives can do to fix their consulting approach and get better ROI

By the end, you might not love consultants—but you’ll see why hating them outright could be hurting your business more than you think.

Executives Don’t Always Understand the Nature of Consulting

Here’s a truth that might surprise you: many executives who dislike consultants simply don’t understand how consulting works.

That’s not an insult—it’s just a reality. Some executives have never worked with consultants, while others have only seen them used in a limited way. Their perception of consulting is often shaped by urban legends, past bad experiences, or narrow exposure to certain types of consultants.

Not All Consulting Is the Same

One of the biggest mistakes executives make is assuming all consultants are alike.

Think about it: If you spent your career in Operações, you might be familiar with Lean Consulting, Procurement Optimization, or Supply Chain Efficiency experts. But when you move into a Strategy role, you suddenly hear about Market Entry Consulting, Innovation Strategy, or Digital Transformation Advisors—and it all feels foreign.

It’s no wonder some executives are skeptical. If you’ve only seen consulting from one perspective, you might assume consultants only work in that way—which is far from the truth.

Consulting Adoption Varies by Region and Industry

The way companies use consultants also varies dramatically by region and industry.

• In some regions, hiring consultants is second nature—part of a mature business culture where external expertise is a standard tool for decision-making.
• In other parts of the world, hiring consultants is seen as a last resort—a sign that leadership isn’t strong enough to solve problems internally.
• Algum setores, como finance, tech, and healthcare, rely heavily on consulting for regulatory, strategy, and operational expertise.
• Others, like manufacturing or retail, tend to use consultants more selectively, often for cost-cutting or efficiency improvements.

If an executive has spent most of their career in a “low-consulting” industry or region, they might view external advisory as unnecessary, overpriced, or even a sign of weakness.

Executives Need a Broader View of Consulting

Consulting isn’t just about telling leaders what they already know—it’s about bringing fresh insights, industry best practices, and structured methodologies to solve problems faster.

The best executives don’t reject consultants outright—they learn how to use them strategically. Understanding the different types of consulting, when to use them, and how to engage them properly is the key to turning skepticism into a competitive advantage.

The Value Perception Problem: Do Consultants Really Add Value?

Every executive, at some point, has asked the same question:

“Are these consultants really worth the money?”

It’s a fair concern. After all, when a consulting firm walks in with a high price tag, executives naturally wonder if they’re getting their money’s worth—or if they’re just outsourcing work that could be done internally.

And they’re not alone in their skepticism.

Executives Often Feel They Could Do the Work Internally

Many senior leaders believe their own teams could handle the same tasks that consultants are hired for. They assume:

• “We already know our business better than any consultant ever could.”
• “If we just had more time, we could solve this ourselves.”
• “Why should we pay outsiders to tell us things we already know?”

On the surface, these are valid concerns. If consulting was just about replicating internal work, it would indeed be a waste of money.

Mas aqui está o problema: The best consulting firms don’t just “do the work”—they bring an outside perspective, industry benchmarks, and a structured approach that internal teams often lack.

Only 35% of Executives See Real Value—Why?

Even so, not all consulting engagements deliver great results.

According to Source Global Research, only 35% of executives say that the consulting firms they’ve worked with have added more value than they took in fees.

That’s a disappointing statistic—and it fuels the perception that consultants aren’t worth the investment.

But here’s the real issue: high-quality doesn’t always mean high-value.

Why High-Quality Consulting Doesn’t Always Mean High-Value

A consulting firm can produce:

✅ A beautifully designed strategy deck
✅ A rigorous market analysis
✅ A cutting-edge technology roadmap

And still fail to create real value. Por quê?

Because value isn’t about deliverables—it’s about impact.

• If consultants create a great strategy but the company never implements it, there’s zero value.
• If consultants run an efficient cost-reduction program but internal teams resist the changes, there’s zero value.
• If consultants provide deep market insights, but executives ignore their recommendations, there’s zero value.

In other words, consulting ROI isn’t just about the quality of the work—it’s about how well the organization uses it.

💡 The real problem isn’t just consulting itself—it’s how companies buy and manage it. Without the right procurement approach, businesses risk overpaying, underutilizing, or choosing the wrong consultants altogether. Tools like Consource.io help solve this by bringing structure, transparency, and data-driven decision-making to consulting procurement

How Executives Can Ensure Consulting Adds Real Value

If executives want to get the most out of consulting engagements, they need to:

🔹 Clearly define the problem before hiring consultants (don’t use them as an easy way out).
🔹 Engage internal teams so they buy into the solutions (avoid resistance).
🔹 Hold consultants accountable for real outcomes—not just PowerPoint slides.
🔹 Choose the right consultants for the job (not all firms are created equal).

Consultando can be a powerful accelerator for business growth and transformation—but only if executives take an active role in making it valuable.

The Fear Factor: Does Hiring Consultants Mean You Can’t Do Your Job?

Let’s address the elephant in the boardroom—many executives secretly worry that hiring consultants makes them look weak.

There’s a lingering stigma attached to bringing in external expertise. Some executives fear it sends the wrong message:

• “If I bring in consultants, will my team think I’m incapable?”
• “Will my boss assume I’m not up for the job?”
• “Does this mean we’re failing as a company?”

And when consultants are introduced poorly, those fears aren’t entirely unfounded. But the truth is, hiring consultants isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a strategy for acceleration.

Where the Stigma Comes From

There’s a common (and outdated) belief that a strong leader should have all the answers e never need outside help. But in today’s fast-moving business environment, that expectation is unrealistic—and frankly, dangerous.

Think about the most successful executives in the world. They never operate alone. They surround themselves with:

• Executive coaches to sharpen their leadership
• Industry analysts to provide market intelligence
• Technology experts to navigate digital transformation
• Strategy consultants to unlock new opportunities

Yet, when a company hires consultants, it often gets framed as a last resort instead of a strategic move—which creates unnecessary resistance.

How Poor Internal Positioning of Consultants Breeds Resistance

When consultants are introduced with the wrong framing, internal teams can quickly turn against them.

🚩 The Wrong Way to Introduce Consultants:
❌ “We brought in consultants to fix what’s broken.”
❌ “Leadership doesn’t trust the internal team to solve this.”
❌ “We need outside experts because we don’t have the right skills.”

This type of messaging immediately makes employees defensive. It creates an us vs. them dynamic where teams see consultants as competitors rather than collaborators.

🔹 The Right Way to Introduce Consultants:
✅ “We’re working with consultants to accelerate progress and bring fresh insights.”
✅ “They’ll help us sharpen our strategy and execute faster.”
✅ “This is a partnership—our internal knowledge + their external perspective.”

When positioned correctly, consultants aren’t a threat—they’re an asset.

Why Hiring Consultants Is an Acceleration Strategy, Not a Failure

Hiring consultants doesn’t mean you can’t do your job—it means you’re smart enough to recognize when external expertise can give you an edge.

Top executives don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. They leverage the best resources—both internal and external—to move faster and achieve better results with fewer mistakes.

💡 Think of it this way:

• Companies hire investment bankers to guide billion-dollar deals—not because their CFO is incompetent, but because bankers add expertise and speed.
• Businesses use law firms for complex legal matters—not because their legal team is bad, but because outside experts bring deeper specialization.
• Organizations bring in consultores to tackle big strategic, operational, or transformation challenges—not because leaders are failing, but because collaboration creates better solutions.

No final do dia, success isn’t about doing everything alone—it’s about making the best decisions for the business.

Consultants vs. Executives: Who’s Really Learning from Whom?

One of the biggest frustrations executives have with consultants boils down to this:

👉 “Why am I paying a premium for junior consultants who don’t know as much as my team?”

This perception—often referred to as the “school bus” problem—is deeply tied to the profitability model of large consulting firms.

Let’s unpack what’s really happening here—and how executives can navigate this challenge to get the expertise they actually need.

Are You Paying to Train Junior Consultants? The “School Bus” Problem

Most large consulting firms operate on a pyramidal structure, meaning:

1. Senior partners sell the project – They’re the rainmakers who win high-ticket consulting engagements.
2. Mid-level consultants manage the execution – They ensure deliverables stay on track.
3. Junior consultants do most of the heavy lifting – The fresh MBA grads crunch data, create reports, and deliver recommendations.

💰 Why does this happen? Because it’s highly profitable for consulting firms.

• Senior partners bill at $8,000–$15,000 per day, but they don’t work on your project daily.
• Junior consultants bill at $1600–$2500 per day, and they do the bulk of the work.
• The consulting firm maximizes margins by keeping low-cost talent working on high-fee projects.

While this model works well for some types of projects, it can lead to frustration when executives feel they’re training the consultants rather than the other way around.

Not All Consulting Firms Operate This Way

The good news? Not every consulting firm follows the same model.

✔️ Some empresas butique focus on hiring seasoned experts rather than young analysts.
✔️ Some specialist firms bring in only highly experienced consultants for niche projects.
✔️ Some large firms structure teams differently, providing more senior involvement in execution.

The key is knowing which type of firm to hire for which kind of project.

How to Select the Right Consultants for Your Business Needs

If you match the right consulting firm to the right type of project, you’ll avoid frustration and maximize value.

🔹 When to Use Large Consulting Firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)
✅ Best for broad strategic initiatives (market expansion, M&A, digital transformation).
✅ Helpful when you need benchmarking & global best practices.
✅ Effective when the internal team is too stretched to execute.
❌ Risk: Junior-heavy teams may lead to knowledge gaps and internal pushback.

🔹 When to Use Boutique or Specialist Consulting Firms
✅ Best for deep industry expertise (AI strategy, supply chain optimization, regulatory compliance).
✅ Ideal when you want senior consultants directly executing the work.
✅ Often provide more personalized service e higher flexibility.
❌ Risk: May have limited global reach compared to large firms.

🔹 When to Use Independent Consultants or Advisory Networks
✅ Best for highly specialized needs (one-off expert insights, niche market analysis).
✅ Useful when you only need guidance, not full project execution.
✅ Often more cost-effective than big firms.
❌ Risk: Limited team bandwidth—you won’t get a full team behind your project.

The Bottom Line: Consultants Should Be an Extension of Your Team—Not a Burden

If you feel like you’re training the consultants instead of the other way around, that’s a red flag.

But that doesn’t mean consulting itself is the problem—it just means you need to refine your selection process to find the right fit.

✔️ Define your project clearly before engaging consultants.
✔️ Ask firms about team composition upfront. (Who’s actually doing the work?)
✔️ Prioritize expertise over brand name when necessary.
✔️ Don’t just accept the standard consulting model—negotiate for senior involvement.

The best consulting relationships happen when executives take an active role in choosing the right partners—ones that truly add value instead of just filling slides.

Great Strategy, Zero Execution? The Consulting Trap

Consultants love to deliver big, bold strategies. But when it comes to actually making them happen, things often fall apart.

Executives frequently complain that consultants provide:

🚀 Visionary ideas—but no clear roadmap.
📊 Beautiful PowerPoint decks—but no real implementation plan.
💡 Complex models and frameworks—but no practical steps to execute them.

The result? A strategy that looks great in theory but never gets off the ground.

This is what we call the execution gap—and it’s one of the biggest frustrations executives have with consulting firms.

Strategy vs. Execution: Why One Firm Can’t Do It All

One of the biggest mistakes companies make is assuming the same consulting firm should handle both strategy design and execution.

But here’s the reality:

✔️ Some firms excel at strategy design—but struggle with execution.
✔️ Others are great at implementation—but lack the vision for high-level strategy.
✔️ And very few firms truly master both.

💰 Why does this matter? Because the price tag isn’t the same.

• A high-end strategy firm will charge a premium for big-picture thinking, but they may not be the best fit for rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done.
• On the other hand, an execution-focused firm might be excellent at turning strategy into action—but lack the deep expertise needed to design a disruptive, game-changing strategy em primeiro lugar.

Companies must be cautious before hiring the same firm for both phases. While some firms offer both services, they often use different teams—and the expertise that makes someone great at designing strategy isn’t the same as what makes someone great at executing it.

💡 Even large firms recognize this gap. Some have even built dedicated implementation arms, separate from their strategy divisions, to handle execution differently.

How to Ensure Consultants Deliver Actionable Solutions

To avoid the execution gap, clarity is everything.

Here’s how to make sure consultants don’t just deliver ideas—but actually help turn them into results:

✅ Clarify expectations from the start.

• Clearly define what you expect in deliverables before signing the contract.
• Ask: “Are we getting a high-level strategy, an execution plan, or hands-on implementation support?”

✅ Push for a concrete action plan.

• A strategy without an execution roadmap is useless.
• Make sure consultants outline actionable next steps, responsibilities, and timelines.

✅ Don’t assume a one-size-fits-all firm.

• Some firms excel at estratégia, others at execução—know the difference.
• If your firm partners with multiple consultants for different phases, that’s completely normal.

✅ Ask about implementation partnerships.

• Even large firms partner with other experts for execution.
• Ensure your consultants either have strong execution capabilities or can recommend trusted partners who do.

The Bottom Line: Strategy Without Execution Is Just Wishful Thinking

No final do dia, great ideas don’t drive results—execution does.

If executives want real impact from consultants, they must:

🔹 Understand the firm’s true strengths—are they strategists or doers?
🔹 Demand execution-focused deliverables—not just presentations.
🔹 Be open to working with multiple firms—instead of forcing one to do everything.

Because in consulting, expertise isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the difference between success and failure.

How to Shift Executive Mindset and Get Real ROI from Consultants

Executives don’t dislike consultants just because they’re expensive. The real issue often comes down to two fundamental problems:

1️⃣ Negative perceptions about consulting – Many executives view consultants as unnecessary, overpriced, or ineffective.
2️⃣ Poor consulting procurement and engagement – Companies fail to define clear objectives, select the right firms, or measure ROI properly.

When these two problems go unchecked, consulting engagements become frustrating, costly, and underwhelming.

But when executives shift their mindset and engage consultants strategically, they can maximize ROI and unlock real business impact.

Measuring the Real Value of Consulting: Tangible vs. Intangible ROI

Executives often struggle to measure consulting success because value isn’t always obvious right away.

🔹 Tangible Value (Easy to Measure):
✅ Cost savings (e.g., procurement optimization, operational efficiencies)
✅ Revenue growth (e.g., new market entry, improved sales strategies)
✅ Process improvements (e.g., automation, digital transformation)

🔹 Intangible Value (Harder to Measure, But Just as Important):
✅ Better decision-making (e.g., data-driven insights, risk mitigation)
✅ Leadership development (e.g., executive coaching, upskilling teams)
✅ Strategic alignment (e.g., clearer business priorities, unified vision)

💡 The Fix: Before hiring consultants, define how success will be measured. Align expectations between internal teams and consultants so that both tangible and intangible outcomes are recognized.

Best Practices for Consulting Engagement and Internal Alignment

Once executives reframe their perception of consultants e define clear success metrics, the next step is engaging consultants the right way.

✔️ Start with a well-defined problem.

• Don’t bring in consultants just because “something isn’t working.”
• Identify the specific challenge and what expertise is needed.

✔️ Choose the right type of consultant for the job.

• Is this a estratégia problem or an execução issue?
• Would a empresa boutique, large firm, ou independent expert be the best fit?

✔️ Ensure internal teams are aligned before consultants arrive.

• Nothing kills a consulting project faster than internal resistance.
• Communicate that consultants are here to accelerate, not replace, internal efforts.

✔️ Negotiate deliverables, not just hours.

• Instead of focusing on the number of consulting hours, focus on what they will deliver.
• Set milestones and hold consultants accountable for outcomes.

✔️ Don’t blindly extend contracts—assess results first.

• Consulting should not become a permanent fixture—it should solve a problem and exit.
• Regularly evaluate if consultants are still adding value or if the work should be brought in-house.

The Bottom Line: Consulting Works When It’s Done Right

Hiring consultants isn’t a failure—it’s a tool for acceleration.

Executives who understand how to engage consultants effectively:

🔹 Measure both tangible and intangible value—not just cost.
🔹 Define clear success criteria before starting a project.
🔹 Align their internal teams to ensure consultants are used strategically.

When done right, consulting isn’t just an expense—it’s an investment in smarter, faster business growth.

Rethinking Consulting—From Frustration to Competitive Advantage

It’s perfectly reasonable for executives to feel frustrated with consultants. They can be expensive, sometimes overpromise, and don’t always deliver the value expected.

But here’s the reality: consultants aren’t the problem—how they’re engaged is.

The key to getting real value from consulting isn’t just about gastando menos ou avoiding consultants altogether—it’s about smarter procurement, evaluation, and integration of consulting services.

Executives who know how to buy, use, and manage consulting strategically turn it from a cost center into a business accelerator.

But managing consulting engagements manually—tracking contracts, comparing firms, evaluating performance—can be overwhelming. That’s where technology comes in.

Enter Consource.io: The Smarter Way to Buy and Manage Consulting

If you want to maximize consulting ROI, you need a structured, data-driven approach—and that’s exactly what Consource.io provides.

✅ Find the right consultants faster—with vetted recommendations based on expertise and past performance.
✅ Track and compare consulting engagements—so you know which firms deliver real value.
✅ Ensure you’re paying the right price—with transparent cost benchmarks.
✅ Streamline procurement and management—so consulting delivers impact, not headaches.

Com Consource.io, executives take control of their consulting strategy—ensuring that every dollar spent drives measurable results.

 The smartest executives don’t just hire consultants—they manage them strategically.

The question isn’t whether to use consultants—but how to use them better.

🚀 Are you ready to start making consulting work for you? Check out Consource.io and transform the way you buy and manage consulting today.