Open any RFP for consulting services and you’ll almost always find one requirement near the top of the list: “proven experience in our industry.”
It’s understandable – organizations want assurance that a consultant can speak their language, understand their unique challenges, and navigate their context.
But here’s the danger: when industry familiarity becomes the main filter, you may end up with a consultant who knows the jargon but struggles to challenge assumptions, see beyond the obvious, or design solutions that break new ground. Peter Drucker said, “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” Industry familiarity can sometimes lock both client and consultant into yesterday’s logic.
What truly differentiates a great strategy consultant is not how many years they’ve logged in one sector, but how well they can:
- Identify the root of the problem, not just its symptoms.
- Bring fresh, cross-industry insights.
- Navigate complexity and connect dots across technology, operations, finance, and people.
- Translate strategy into outcomes that stick.
Michael Porter famously reminded us that “the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” To make those choices well, you want a partner who can see across domains. A consultant who only knows one vertical may give you a sharper mirror of yourself, but a consultant with breadth – for example, someone who understands business models in retail, efficiency in manufacturing, innovation in technology, customer behavior in CPG, and regulation in healthcare – can give you lenses you didn’t know you needed.
In a world where technology is reshaping industries at warp speed, this cross-functional perspective is not a luxury – it’s essential. If your consultant doesn’t understand data, digital platforms, or AI possibilities, can they really help future-proof your business? Strategy today is not siloed; it is integrative. It’s about seeing how marketing connects to operations, how finance shapes culture, and how technology reshapes customer experience.
So the next time you’re evaluating a consultant, here are ten questions worth asking:
- How quickly can they grasp the real issue beneath the surface?
- Do they bring cross-industry insights that spark new ideas?
- Can they simplify complexity without oversimplifying it?
- How do they approach building solutions that actually work in practice?
- Will they push your team to think differently, even when it’s uncomfortable?
- How do they balance strategy with execution?
- Will they transfer knowledge and build internal capacity – not just deliver a report?
- How do they measure success and impact?
- Will they tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear?
- Do they leave the organization stronger after their engagement?
These questions shift the focus from résumé credentials to transformative capability. They ask not just “do you know my world?” but “can you help me reimagine it?”
Because at the end of the day, strategy is not about copying best practices from within your industry – it’s about creating advantage. The best consultants aren’t merely insiders; they are integrators. They know enough about your sector to respect its realities, but enough about other sectors to challenge its conventions. And that is where the real value lies.
Manu Sharma
https://manusharma.ca
