From an outside perspective, it can sometimes be hard to gauge why companies would need external consultants to identify the problems with their organisation, and to fix them. The old joke about consultants is that they borrow your watch to tell you the time, but in actual fact, there are many reasons companies really need consultants to help address some of the most complex changes facing the business world.

Here are 10 factors which often play into clients hiring consultants from consulting firms or independents:

Independence 

Unlike a permanent employee, who may be subject to the internal ‘politics’ of an organisation, consultants bring an independent perspective to their work. A good consultant will always be unbiased and objective, and as they have no personal connection to the organisation. Their ‘out-of-box’ thinking means they can focus only on the goal/plan agreed with their client, without being caught up in internal distractions.

Creative thinking 

Without being tied to certain ways of doing things, or a company’s historic culture and methods, consultants can also deploy their objectivity toward important creative solutions. Without having to consider whether or not their future work might depend on currying favour with a business’ executives, they are able to deliver breakthrough insights and strategic thinking at odds with what a client might typically have thought of.