Looking back at my biggest failures across almost thirty years as an independent consultant, I had to admit that the causes were not always beyond my control. Quite often the culprit was my own ego.
Passion is not a bad thing in itself. Believing in a client, caring deeply about the outcome, and being determined to make a project succeed are qualities worth having. But they can also blind you. You stop seeing the warning signs clearly, or you see them and convince yourself you can push through anyway. You tell yourself: not on my watch. And that is where the trouble starts.
What I have learned, later than I would like to admit, is that no amount of belief in a client’s noble intentions changes what their organisation is actually capable of delivering. Realistic expectations have to be grounded in the client’s real capabilities, resources, and commitment, not in your conviction that this time it will be different. No single consultant, however driven, can change the DNA of an organisation through sheer determination.
Consultants are not celebrities or rockstars. The job calls for clear eyes, a level head, and enough emotional distance to see the situation as it actually is. The last thing a client needs is another expert who has inhaled the same fumes as everyone else in the building.
Leave your ego at the door. Your clients will be better served for it, and so will you.
