THE PROBLEM WITH CONSULTANTS

I recently emailed my client, a president of a global corporation, that I ASAP needed to sit down with him to establish measurable outcomes for each of his direct reports I am working with. We both recognize that a focus on top priorities is critical...but that those may differ in reality or interpretation. As important is helping him meet the expectations of his manager (and I am not yet privy to those details...but should be).

Here is his response:

"Just great, Alan. Glad you are engaged at your usual high
standard. I agree that measurable outcomes are necessary. My axe
with management consultants in the past is they never follow up with us to keep
us honest."

What never surprises me is the lack of clarity of expectations down the chain of command in most organizations. So my role frequently becomes one of helping executives articulate expectations, communicate them effectively and create an owner mindset to achieve.