Strategic Consultation
Introduction
Strategic consulting is the process of assisting a business to chart a course for the future. A strategic consultant works with business owners and management team to develop a plan to achieve organizational goals. To do this, the consultant must have a thorough understanding of the organization’s current state and the external environment in which it exists.
The Role of the Strategic Consultant
The role of the strategic consultant is to be an objective advisor—offering an unbiased point of view to help the business owners and managers assess their resources, environment and strategy, and to suggest paths forward. A successful strategic consultant has the ability to look at a business or industry holistically, as well as in depth, with the ability to identify unique opportunities that the business can leverage to drive future success. The strategic consultant should act as a facilitator, allowing the owners and management team to interact with one another directly, while providing constructive input and guidance.
The Process
The first step of the strategic consulting process is to establish the goals and objectives of the organization. This is done by determining what the business is trying to achieve and why. This could include growing market share, increasing profitability, and achieving specific market positions.
The second step is to gather and analyze data about the external environment. This includes identifying the competitor landscape, customer trends, and industry trends. This analysis will provide insight into the opportunities and challenges facing the organization.
The third step is to analyze the internal environment. This includes examining the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, capabilities, culture, and resources. This process will help to identify areas of opportunity and risk.
Once the goals and environment have been analyzed, the consultant works with the organization to identify strategies and develop an actionable plan. This includes developing measurable objectives, and creating strategies and tactics to achieve those objectives.
Conclusion
Strategic consulting is an important tool for helping organizations create and implement successful strategies that lead to long-term success. A consultant must be able to identify unique opportunities and challenges, look at the organization holistically, and provide an objective point of view. By taking a methodical and analytical approach, a consultant can help the business create an actionable plan that identifies achievable, measurable objectives and strengthens their competitive position.
