How to engage consultants with clarity, alignment, and accountability
Consultants play a vital role in bridging knowledge gaps, supporting strategic planning, and driving change. Yet across Australian business, a troubling pattern is emerging:
The revolving door of consulting engagements with little satisfaction, weak accountability, and unclear ROI.
The Core Issue: Misalignment
Too often, consultants are appointed based on vague briefs or loosely defined requirements.
This leads to:
- Misaligned expectations
- Output-focused engagements without strategic clarity
- Frustration on both sides
The problem isn’t always the consultant – it’s the lack of definition at the outset.
Why Alignment Matters
When businesses engage consultants to solve capacity or capability gaps, they must also ensure:
- Clear scope and deliverables
- Defined success metrics
- Shared understanding of outcomes
Without this alignment, even the most capable consultants will struggle to deliver value.
Digital Rehab’s Approach
We help clients avoid the trap by providing:
- Procurement advisory: Crafting clear briefs and statements of work
- Vendor evaluation: Assessing consultants for competency, expertise, and fit
- Expectation management: Establishing KPIs and accountability from day one
While procurement processes vary by industry and business maturity, the fundamentals remain constant:
Clarity, structure, and strategic alignment.
Final Thought
Engaging consultants should accelerate progress – not create confusion. With the right foundations, businesses can unlock real value and avoid costly missteps.
