The consulting industry has found there is a lot of money to be made in describing complexity and risk in ever more detail. As awareness of complexity increases, uncertainty about how to act grows and it triggers client instinct to get more information and, hey presto, another project!
It’s one thing to acknowledge complexity and quite another to deliberately amplify it and fritter away time.
Consultants and intermediaries such as industry bodies and not for profit organisations can add enormous value and accelerate innovation by making the complex simple.
Firms, members and shareholders want to know that their leaders and advisers understand the complexity they face and can navigate a path through it.
The real value is created by lighting the path out, not by lighting and scrutinizing every part of the maze.
It is a lesson I gained in working as a senior executive in an industry service organisation that faced painful challenges. I had the experience of working with professional consultants who made the complex simple. They helped light the way and strengthen confidence to take action.
That experience is one reason why I moved into consulting, as I really understood just how valuable good advice is for leaders and industries in challenging situations.
The most successful professionals in every field are supported by advisers, mentors or coaches to help them learn and adapt faster and to perform at their best when it matters most.
For those of you planning to accelerate out of 2020, I am excited to share as a Black Friday offer a 20 per cent discount for my coaching program. The discount is available for those who sign up by Friday 4 December, to commence in 2021.
I have limited places available.