I've lost count of how many founders have told me, "We tried consultancy before and it didn't really change anything."
The frustration isn't with the concept of consultancy itself. It's what they actually got: templated advice, one-size-fits-all models, and binders full of frameworks that never made it off the shelf.
But here's the reality. When done properly, strategic consultancy can completely change how a business performs. Not through buzzwords or PowerPoints, but by aligning people, leadership behaviour, and execution.
So why do so many founders miss out on that value?
Most founders don't need someone to tell them what growth looks like. They need someone who understands how to get there within their reality. The problem with this is that many consultancy programmes rely on pre-packaged methodologies that look good in theory but ignore the nuances of each business. The result? A plan that doesn't fit the company's culture or market context.
Every founder has different commercial pressures, leadership patterns, and team dynamics. The work only sticks when the programme recognises that and adapts accordingly.
That's where personality assessment becomes invaluable. When you understand how a founder actually makes decisions under pressure, what motivates their senior team, and where personality clashes create friction, you can design solutions that work with human nature rather than against it.
Most consultancies skip this step. They focus on strategy and structure whilst ignoring the people who have to execute it.
Founders live under pressure from investors, markets, and the business itself. There's always another fire to put out, another client to secure, another quarter to hit.
That pressure narrows focus. When you're in constant motion, long-term capability building feels like a luxury. But it's exactly what separates companies that grow sustainably from those that stall.
Because when you're only ever reacting, you're not leading. You're surviving.
A good consultancy programme creates alignment between three growth forces:
When these work together, growth becomes predictable rather than chaotic. When they don't, you see the same cycle: strategy workshops, bold ambitions, and then slow erosion as day-to-day realities take over.
At RSG, we use Hogan psychometrics and behavioural analysis to understand how leaders operate, how teams respond, and where execution typically breaks down. The outcome isn't another strategic plan. It's a leadership operating system that holds under real-world pressure.
One of the biggest misconceptions about consultancy is that it adds more to the CEO's plate. The right programme should do the opposite. It should free them.
When a founder spends most of their week firefighting, they're not leading. They're managing crises. Strategic consultancy, done well, builds the structure, capability, and clarity that removes that burden.
That means a senior team that can make decisions without constant escalation, a clear rhythm of accountability where progress is visible and measurable, and a CEO who can finally focus on growth rather than just operations.
If the CEO is doing everyone's thinking, the business isn't scaling. It's stalling.
When founders commit to a structured consultancy programme, the benefits compound quickly.
It's not about working harder. It's about leading smarter.
Most founders don't get real value from consultancy because they've never experienced it done properly. They've had advice, not partnership. Templates, not transformation.
The question is: when was the last time you had the space to step back and look at your business objectively? Not as the founder caught in the day-to-day, but as the strategist who can see what actually needs to change?
That's the gap strategic consultancy should close.
Ready to get real value from consultancy rather than just advice? Get in touch to discuss how we help founders scale with confidence and clarity through programmes tailored to how your team actually operates.