Believe Quote by Walter Kiechel
“People believe that management consultants are mostly useless parasites. Up until about 1980 it was consultants more than anyone else who came up with the critical concepts behind strategy. The history of strategy suggests there are lots of things consultants can do for a company that the company can't typically do for itself.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Lords of Strategy by Walter Kiechel, 2005
Consultants historically shaped strategy, challenging the view they are merely parasites.
In simple terms: Consultants add unique strategic value.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the strategic contributions of consultants.
Themes
strategy
consulting
business history
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
informative
historical
When to use this quote
- corporate planning
- business transformation
- leadership development
Key Concepts
economics
innovation
organizational design
Questions to Reflect On
- What value do consultants truly bring today?
- How can companies balance internal and external expertise?
A Different Perspective
Modern consulting may be limited by conflict of interest.
![“In the absence of expert [senior military] advice, we have seen each successive administration fail in the business of strategy - yielding a United States twice as rich as the Soviet Union but much less strong. Only the manner of the failure has changed. In the 1960s, under Robert S. McNamara, we…” quote by Edward Luttwak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b55/edward-luttwak-63709_art-of-war_in-the-absence-of-expert-senior-military_133876.jpg)
