Should I Hire a Leadership Consultant?
When leaders ask if it’s the right time to hire an external consultant, they are rarely looking for a technical checklist.
When it IS time, the word I hear most as to why, is “shit-show.”
Sometimes that shitshow is happening between team members. Sometimes it’s happening between the ears of the executive. And other times, it’s the byproduct of corporate upheaval.
But the real answer to the timing question is simple.
There is no universally right or wrong time to bring in help. There is only the time that is right for you.
The truth is, If you’re actively asking yourself whether you should hire a leadership consultant, you’re not actually wondering if it’s the right move. You’re most likely just looking for permission.
You might be afraid of overspending on your budget. You might worry about being perceived as weak or incapable of fixing your own internal team. Or maybe you’re terrified of being the person who made a bonehead financial decision. Once you identify and resolve that exact fear, the hesitation disappears. You will know exactly whether you should move forward and what kind of partner you need.
Toyota Versus Porsche
Think of your leadership team like a fleet of Toyota Camry’s and Carolla’s. Fantastic, reliable vehicles that consistently get the job done. But sometimes, when you’re alone, watching your team do what you do, you fantasize about a fleet of Porsches.
A team defined by speed, precision, and handling. It’s an elevated experience from top to bottom. That is exactly what you get when you hire the right leadership consultant. You are taking your team from a Toyota state of mind to a Porsche level of execution.
Car commercials aside, let’s look at this practically.
What’s cheaper? “Fixing” what you have? Or buying something completely new?
When a senior leader is struggling, it’s easy to slap a label on them and start looking for replacements. But firing and hiring senior executives is insanely expensive. It is not nearly as sexy, but spending a small percentage of their salary to repair a “beater” is significantly cheaper. And when done right, tremendously economical.
Years ago, I worked with a client who was assigned to me by their boss. During our very first session, they told me not to bother because they were planning to quit anyway. I told them that was cool, but suggested they might as well learn what they could so they could use it at their next job. We went to work. Within six weeks, their colleagues were literally referring to them as “born again.” Today, fifteen years later, they are still at the same company, and their individual book of business is responsible for almost sixty percent of that company’s yearly EBITDA.
They spent 4.5% of this person’s annual salary on a leadership consultant, and they are still generating over half of their income from that single investment. Now that’s good math.
The Leadership Consultant You DON’T Want To Hire
If you want to avoid Porsche pricing for value service, you have to look closely at how the consultant operates. There are a few red flags that can signal a bad “repair” before you ever sign a contract.
Dollars for Hours Diagnosis
It’s incredibly easy for a consultant to copy and paste a report that says, "here is what we found and here’s what needs to change. See ya!" But an expert includes the initial diagnosis as part of the process. THEN they physically install the customized plan and follow it until the issues are rectified.
Vague Buzzwords Over Root Causes
Watch out for consultants who throw around vague, in-vogue language like “burnout” or “work-life balance” without ever zeroing in on the actual mechanics of the problem.
A great consultant will look at a burnt-out executive and might say, "they feel like they have to do their whole team's work, so what we are actually solving for is letting go of the death grip they have over their people."
Trendy tools give you generic results. But addressing root causes free up actual strategic bandwidth, allowing the leader to see downfield and bring in real dollars.
Template Packages and Lack of Connection
If a consultant tries to force your unique corporate culture into package one, two, or three, walk away. You need a customized plan that you build together. It’s alright if the consultant uses a standard package as a jumping off point. But you want someone who is willing to customize and adjust to what you actually need, and leave out what you don’t.
Most importantly, ask yourself if you personally feel seen and heard by them. Even if you are hiring them to coach the rest of your team, if you do not feel a sense of trust and understanding during your initial conversations, they will not be willing to go into the darkness to find the light with your people.
The Zebra Rule and Executive Resistance
You can lead a zebra to water, but if they do not want to drink, forcing them will only cause more resistance. When an executive or a team member actively resists the consulting process, you need a partner who handles it with honesty and strategic flexibility.
Subbing in the Right Personality
At The President’s Coach, If we realize there is a better personality fit for a specific member of your executive team, we will bring in another consultant at no extra cost to the client. The goal is to build trust and rapport as quickly as possible, creating a better experience for the individual, delivering results on time, and protecting the long-term relationship between the two companies.
The Dragon Boat Club Alternative
Sometimes an individual is genuinely not ready to work with a consultant. In those moments, a consultant should tell the hiring client the absolute truth. At The President’s Coach, we will openly tell an executive to save their money and instead pay for the resistant employee to join a dragon boat club, or something else they are actually interested in.
It is significantly cheaper, and you will get much better behavioral results for the company than forcing them into a room they hate. A real consultant will give you an honest, estimated timeline on when that person will be ready for development, if ever.
Giving Up the Roadmap
For the individuals who are ready but hesitant, the secret to creating buy-in is to let them build the roadmap. We ask them what they would be happy achieving during our time together and allow them to set the destination, ensuring the process moves at their pace. This establishes foundational safety, and creates the personal investment required for real transformation.
De-Risking Your Next Decision
When you lack data, a standard business choice feels like a scary, high-stakes risk. Hiring a leadership consultant is no different. The moment you allow yourself to acquire more information, the fear goes away, and the choice transforms into a standard vendor decision.
Taking the first step does not require a massive financial commitment. You can start testing the waters right now:
Go to Google and search for a leadership consultant or a private equity leadership consultant.
Scan the results, look at their approaches, and see who resonates with your specific style.
Fill out their contact form to set up a zero-commitment, introductory chat.
Treat the initial conversation as a simple information-gathering session. Once you speak to an expert who genuinely hears your problem, you’ll stop looking for permission and start building the Porsche level performance your company is capable of.
