Beyond Surface Solutions

The pitfalls of consultants who miss the core issues

Every day countless organizations turn to consultants for expert advice and insights. While many consultants excel at identifying problems, a critical aspect often gets overlooked—the ability to pinpoint and address the core issues that drive these challenges. It’s not uncommon to encounter consultants who provide a laundry list of problems but fall short of getting you focused on the ones that drive all the other ones.

Identifying surface-level issues is like treating symptoms without understanding the underlying disease. Consultants who focus solely on the peripheral challenges may offer quick fixes that provide temporary relief but fail to create lasting, transformative change. It’s like whac-a-mole – merely punching in the dark won’t go far to stop those pesky little critters from rearing their ugly heads again and again. It’s a cycle of recurring problems and frustration for any organization.

Imagine a business grappling with declining employee morale. A consultant might propose team-building exercises or perks to boost morale without delving into the underlying factors causing dissatisfaction. Is it a leadership issue, a lack of communication, or perhaps an organizational culture problem? Failure to address these core issues may result in short-term improvements, but the fundamental challenges persist.

When consultants prioritize symptoms over causes, they risk creating a culture of dependency. Organizations may find themselves repeatedly seeking external expertise without developing the internal capacity to discern and address their challenges. This reliance on external solutions can hinder the growth and resilience of a company, preventing it from becoming self-sufficient in problem-solving.

To avoid falling into this trap, organizations should seek consultants who bring a commitment and a process to prioritize the cause. These consultants go beyond merely pointing out issues; they work methodically to uncover the “leading indicators” that, once addressed, can lead to comprehensive and sustainable solutions. One of our colleagues said it best, “anyone can put dots on the white board but can they see the story that binds them?”

More useful consultants understand the importance of asking the right questions to get to the heart of the matter. They engage with key stakeholders, analyze data, and leverage their experience to identify patterns and connections that reveal the core issues. This approach not only facilitates problem-solving but also empowers organizations to focus their resources on problems where the return on investment is greatest.

Any leader who deals with issues on a daily basis knows the gravitational pull to solve that which is seemingly easy to solve. We don’t default to discerning the deeper issues, not because we don’t care but because we lack the time or the process. This is an opportunity for consultants to guide organizations through moments of transition and tension, if they so choose to take it on.