In the business of Strategic Consulting, one often encounters doubt and cynicism regarding the very idea of external consulting: “In the end they are just going to tell me what I already know”, “How can anyone who doesn’t know my business, tell me how I should run it?”, “I need to show results in the field, not a PowerPoint presentation that gathers dust on the shelf” and so on.

Legitimate statements, and sometimes, even justified ones.

But often these feelings may stem from unfamiliarity, the experience of an unsuccessful process, or the result of the very difficulty that is an inherent part of change processes. Fortunately, for most managers today in business or non-business organizations, it is clear that formulating a strategy is an essential factor which requires a professional process.

So why is it a good thing?

The basis for formulating a strategy is the understanding, that being able to characterize, define and agree to a coherent, clear strategic path for the organization’s activities, is of vital importance.

A path what will allow common language and joint movement of the organization in a defined and agreed direction.

A path that will enhance our relative advantages versus the competition, that will increase our added value in the market and for our clients, and will focus on the arenas in which we are going to be “playing” (and those in which we are not).

A path that will serve as a basis for consistent executive decisions, definition of goals and clear operative tasks, characterizing and effectively measuring improvement and progress.

And another thing:

In addition, over and above the final output and the ‘big words’, the strategic process offers added values which sometimes escape us:

• the opportunity to lift up your head and look farther from one's daily, unending work load, to review reality from ‘above’
• An opportunity to get a new perspective and outside feedback regarding the activity of the organization in a way that isn’t usually possible
• The ability to involve employees on various levels and make them all part of the process
• The opportunity to view familiar things in a new and different way, as a basis for creativity and innovation