Consulting is often glorified, but it's common to see consultants who spout random facts, offer rationalizations, and underdeliver significantly. The job involves sucking up to seniors and pretending to know things you don't. Admitting ignorance is frowned upon, leading to a culture of covering up. It's a masterclass in office politics, but the notion that consultants add economic value is questionable. Many just take a cut from company profits while demanding overwork and underpaying employees.
Would an entrepreneur, who has built a profitable business from scratch and spent years in the industry, really need the insights, forecasts, and estimates from an MBA, CA, or Engineer who only signals confidence without substance? Consultants, emboldened by business school theories, often believe they add real value. Yet, investors don’t rely much on CA audit reports, and reputable policymakers often disregard consultant insights.
In our fast-changing world, capitalism won't let consultants exploit companies forever. Companies should hire people with more skin in the game, not consultants with little accountability for results.
[PS: I'm still a consultant, & ready to suck up to my seniors for career growth]
