7 Myths About Consulting (and What Actually Makes It Work)

Busting Consulting Myths: What It Actually Looks Like to Work With a Thoughtful Consultant

In over 20 years of working across sectors and teams from family businesses to global organisations, I’ve heard it all.

"You must have a playbook for this."

"We just need a deck to align everyone."

"Consultants always come in with the answer."

These ideas are familiar. And also… untrue.

Here are a few myths I’ve had to unlearn and help others unlearn, over the years:

Myth 1: Consultants are all-knowing experts.

Truth: The best consultants are facilitators. We don't arrive with all the answers; we help uncover them. Our job is to create space for clarity, offer an external lens, and guide clients toward sharper framing, not just quick conclusions.

Myth 2: It’s all about strategy decks and meetings.

Truth: While communication and structure matter, real change takes time, iteration, and collaboration. Behind every sharp plan is a messy, deeply human process of testing, questioning, and reworking together.

Myth 3: Consultants are only for big companies.

Truth: Some of my most meaningful work has been with mid-sized and family-owned businesses. From helping founders prepare for succession to streamlining internal chaos, consulting isn’t about size; it’s about fit.

Myth 4: You have to be loud, assertive, or “charismatic” to be effective.

Truth: I’ve built my practice on deep listening, structured thinking, and quiet confidence. Impact doesn’t come from volume: it comes from insight, trust, and consistency.

Myth 5: Consulting is one-size-fits-all.

Truth: While approaches may repeat, no two organisations are the same. The best consultants adapt methodologies: they don’t force them. Culture, pace, and people matter as much as any framework.

Myth 6: Consultants are outsiders.

Truth: While we bring perspective, we must also acknowledge our own biases.

Being effective means building relationships from a place of humility, empathy, and self-awareness.

Myth 7: It's too expensive.

Truth: Good consulting creates exponential ROI, sometimes in money, sometimes in time, trust, or alignment. Done well, it prevents costly mistakes, accelerates learning, and lays the foundation for growth.

Let’s rethink it together!

Consulting doesn’t need to be flashy to work. It just needs to be real.

Real listening. Real problem-solving. Real systems thinking.

If you’ve worked with consultants, what surprised you, positively or negatively? If you’ve never worked with one, what’s stopped you?

Let’s open the conversation. I’d love to hear your take.