WHAT DOES A STRATEGY CONSULTANT DO, YOU ASKED – TOP MANAGEMENT CONSULTING EXPERT ANSWERS

Strategy consultants are advisors who help companies improve performance and growth by analyzing complex business challenges and developing plans to address them. Advisors’ day-to-day activities vary based on the client, project scope and area of focus, whether corporate strategy, operations, technology or organization design.

A major component of their role is to conduct an objective assessment of the client’s business situation, including pain points, competitive standing and market position. It encompasses synthesizing perspectives from key stakeholders through interviews, analyzing operational and financial data, and researching market trends. The assessment yields insights on strengths to leverage and priority areas needing improvement.

Equipped with a sound understanding, strategy consultants define the core strategic issue and present it as an engaging executive brief. It documents core findings and an initial point of view to be validated with the leadership team. Through collaborative discussions, they arrive at the pivot points that will shape the recommendations roadmap.

Strategy consultants leverage proven frameworks to develop solutions tailored to client needs. A typical engagement focuses on growth acceleration, performance improvement or organizational change. Examples range from entering new markets, introducing innovative pricing models to streamlining supply chains. The final recommendations highlight priorities, implementation timelines, resource needs and potential pitfalls.

A hallmark of top consultants is strong communication skills, especially simplifying complexity into compelling yet pragmatic ideas. This means presenting data-driven insights to diverse audiences in creative ways – reports, boardroom discussions, management offsites and company townhalls. Leading consulting firms also provide hands-on implementation support spanning project management, capability building and progress tracking.

The best strategy consultants think big yet stay grounded. They balance long-term vision with an understanding of near-term constraints. Their solutions are ambitious but realistic, mindful of barriers like legacy systems, siloed mindsets and change resistance. They remain flexible to adjust recommendations based on leadership input and rapid shifts in business environments. In sum, strategy consultants fuse an external lens with internal wisdom to catalyze transformation.