Consultants Saying Things

Business architecture stands at a critical crossroads as AI-driven disruption and accelerating change challenge traditional practices. In this live recording from the Twin Cities Business Architecture Forum, four industry veterans debate whether the profession is properly equipped for the future, examining everything from framework fatigue to the irreplaceable human skills that no technology can a...

Happy Christmas! The Consulting model is totally collapsing! Well, perhaps it is just the traditional consulting pyramid business model that is being disrupted. Check out this episode for 5 things you need to know about it... We Discuss: Can AI do all the consulting work, making consultants obsolete? What happens to the consulting pyramid structure when AI eliminates junior analyst roles? How can...

With AI, the consulting industry faces an existential crisis beyond technical roles. Traditional strategy and advisory work is now threatened. Check out this episode for 5 takeaways to help you navigate this change... We Discuss: What are consulting firms actually selling in the age of AI? Is "strategy through execution" enough going forward, or do consultants need to provide something m...

It's hard to sell 'architecture' consulting gigs since people frequently don't know what it means or what they're gonna get for their money. Check out this episode for 5 takeaways to help you get better at selling architecture... This is our first ever LIVE podcast recording at the BCS Enterprise Architecture Annual Conference in 2024. We Discuss: How do you build trust early i...

Two seasoned consultants sharing their unexpected journeys into consulting and what has kept them engaged in the field throughout their careers. Here are 4 things you should learn about getting into consulting... We Discuss: Why did they go into consulting? Why stay in consulting throughout a career? Key Highlights: Chris and Whynde share their journeys into consulting, with Whynde moving from bio...

Enterprise Architects are just really good technologists and all they really need to know is the latest thing about AI or Agents or Gonkulators or Flux Capacitors. 🤖 🛸 🤓 Yeah. Right. Whynde Kuehn and I recently attended the Next Generation SAP Enterprise Architecture Learning Forum at SAP HQ in Newton Square, PA. We spoke to some of our friends who were also attending the event. Our question? W...

Is it difficult to find work these days if you've spent your consulting career as a generalist? What is the real value of broad experience in today's market and is it actually an advantage rather than a limitation? There are 6 things you need to know... We Discuss : Is being a "jack of all trades, master of none" truly a disadvantage when transitioning from consulting to industry...

It's that time of year. Overeating. Overthinking. Overimbibing. But full of festive spirit and reflection. What are YOU reflecting on this last week of 2024? On this show we have a tradition of recording an end-of-year discussion. This year we share our most profound learnings from 2024... But it isn't pie in the sky stuff... No. We always keep it fresh and practical for the cats out there... We D...

There's a train of thought that says all consultants are in sales. Maybe. But there is definitely a change in bizdev as you progress from Analyst to Partner. Making the transition from a delivery-focused consulting role to one that requires business development can feel like stepping into an entirely new career, especially when you haven't spent years cultivating relationships with potenti...

Management consultants often grapple with the challenge of articulating what they do while simultaneously questioning if what they do truly matters. Watch this episode for 6 takeaways you need to know about meaning and purpose in consulting. We Discuss: What do consultants even do? Why do people struggle to explain what consultants do? Is it enough to just be doing it for the money? Are consultant...

Finding and landing clients can be a daunting challenge for even the most seasoned professionals. Consultants want genuine opportunities to help solve problems and make a meaningful impact. There are 6 takeaways you need to know for transforming the sales process. We Discuss: How do you ask for business without using standard sales approaches that feel phony? How do you find people to have initial...

In the fast-paced world of consulting, the ability to ask insightful questions can be the key differentiator between average and exceptional performance. Here are 7 things you need to know about the art and science of effective questioning to generate superior outcomes. We Discuss: How can consultants ask good questions without appearing incompetent? Is the Socratic method overused in consulting?...

The consulting industry stands at the cusp of a profound transformation, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and changing business landscapes. Here are 5 things consultants need to know about adapting and thriving in the future of 2035. We Discuss: How will the role of consultants change by 2035? Is there a historical analog for the current pace of change in consulting? What sh...

The rise of AI in consulting is akin to the demise of the buggy whip industry in the early 20th century. Just as the automobile rendered buggy whips obsolete, AI and large language models threaten to automate many tasks traditionally performed by consultants. Here are 7 things you need to know about adapting to survive this disruption. We Discuss: What is the threat AI poses to consulting? How do...

For ambitious consultants aiming to establish themselves as thought leaders and advance to senior decision-making roles, deliberate career planning is important. Here are 5 tips for actively managing your consulting career. We're joined by Patrick Milholland who in his career has served in every major C-Suite position but found his groove with a non-profit career, specifically his utlimate goa...

We spend our lives gaining knowledge of the world around us. Unlearning things, making room for new knowledge or corrected or updated knowledge, is a skill we aren’t usually taught and don’t often practice. Here are 8 important things to know about Unlearning. We're joined for this discussion by Pete Cafarchio who is an executive coach that helps transform leaders, teams, and cultures. Pete is...

With focus on people, practical tips, managing uncertainty, anticipating trends, and weighing digital impacts - our annual Christmas Special is chock-full of useful and relevant stuff for consultants. We Discuss: First appearances on the podcast by each of the cast and current reflections on what each of us said back then Best-of moments from 2023 and why they are relevant Predictions for 2024 Key...

The digital age has offered countless opportunities for connection, but the depth and authenticity of these connections often fall short. Check out these 5 strategies for growing professional communities. We Discuss: Why do these communities matter? What problem are they solving? What are some challenges faced by consultants when seeking to build authentic, supportive networks? What are some strat...

Consulting is known for long work hours, lack of work-life balance, tedious work, and sometimes lack of meaning. Here are the 5 things you should know about consulting and disillusionment. In this episode we discuss: What causes consultants to become disengaged or lose passion for their work over time? How do consulting firms try to engage and motivate their employees? Do these things work? What w...

The Corporate IT group is sometimes viewed as a black hole consuming resources and getting in the way of getting business done. Almost like some don't know what Corporate IT does... Some in the enterprise don’t really know how to engage with and leverage technology to deliver value. If it is hard for those who work FOR the company, it can be even harder to navigate corporate IT as a consultant...

Consultants are required to have multiple sets of skills. One of those involves bringing people together in workshops to address problems or work out complex tasks. Many consultants are terrible at it... In a recent thread in Reddit's r/consulting community, a junior consultant posted that they were running their first workshop and wanted the community's input on how to effectively run thi...

Clients don't hire consultants to learn about our unique frameworks or totally novel perspectives or listen to our thought projects on topics like AI, data strategy or new product development. They hire us to help drive outcomes. Sometimes these are outcomes that the client has already defined, other times they need some help divining what should actually result from a particular strategy or p...

Vacation is a great time to contemplate life, work, and life and work. The two can frequently be at odds for most people. When we can relax our brains for minute, there's an opportunity to check-in and assess whether the work that we do and the life that we lead support one another. We hear all about work life 'balance' but that concept suggests compromises and doing neither work nor l...

AI is taking over the world. It is suddenly and urgently intruding into everything. It can think better than you, faster than you, treats your kids better and is taking your job. What is a consultant to do? Personally I've been giving everything AI-related a generous dose of side-eye. I see possibilities but also a lot of danger and a more than a standard level of hype. But when it comes to co...

Which is worst? Too much ego in the workplace, not ENOUGH ego in the workplace, an inability to read the room and tune to the right level of ego needed for the moment? The answer is Yes. Ego can lead to self-deception and self-sabotage. Where humility is required, we often find exactly the opposite. We so often encounter (or embody) a total lack of awareness of how actions and behavior are perceiv...