Why do ex-mbb seem to be poor in implementing business?

Question

After working at my new company in Asia for a couple of months with many ex-mbbs, they seem to be really good at formulating strategy but not in implementing/building businesses. They took too much time on analysis which are topped over another analysis and so on to overcomplicate stuff. I think this might be good for a big corporate but the company I'm working for is still considered a startup. I think the commercial aptitude is rather poor, as a person who have worked in business development & account management as well as owning small business, and now strategic role, I think everything shouldn't be based on data.

I honestly think that if they are forced to start their own small business most would not fare better than general population with non-consulting work experience.

Answer 1

Hi Anonymous,

It might be a bit cliché but it's still true - generally consultants are good in consulting but not in implementing (except McKinsey Implementation and similar transformational practices). A brain surgeon is good in brain surgery, but not in orthopedics.

If you are trained in one speciality and do it for many years, it becomes your second nature. It's not good or bad - the real question is how does that match to the requirements of a specific role - especially in smaller more agile and action-oriented companies management by analysis of most consultants doesn't bring you that much further. I would not want to generalize that much that non-consulting work-experience is better since consulting industry still has by far the steepest overall learning curve, but you need to be careful choosing consultants with which exact background and experience (ideally some transformational consulting areas...).

Hope that helps - if so, please give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Answer 2

What you are talking about - is about qualities that can be developed as any other of them.

I'm sure we can't say so about every consultant. I might assume that you've made your opinion based on your circle and your experience.

Personally, I know ex-consultant who are very successful in running their own business.

Cheers,
GB

Answer 3

Hey there, fair point you raise. There are all types of people everywhere, however. Hardcore strategy consultants do become this way, so you must set expectations with them early on and be tight on it.

Consulting generally gives you many skills and does prepare you well for alternate careers. All depends on what each individual makes out of it and sadly some settle for the wrong end. But I would caution against generalising and take each case as it comes while having your guard up :).

Answer 4

Well, the required skills are just a bit different. Strategy consultants have desgined strategies, not implemented them during their MBB career. Just like a physicist would do poorly in building a car - although he knows how it works in theory - a strategy consultant will not be the first choice when implementing a strategy...There is just limited transferability in the two skill sets.

Answer 5

Hi there,

I think it depends on the tenure of the person. The more you stay in consulting the more you become risk-averse, also due to the increasing opportunity cost, and keen to a certain type of career which is not exactly entrepreneurial (there are exceptions of course – I know a partner who left BCG to start its own company and did very well).

On the other hand, I know a lot of people who left consulting relatively early to launch their own companies and have been quite successful.

Best,
Francesco

Answer 6

Hi,

Well, i would agree to certain extent based on what I have seen. Dont want to generalise though. In my last project as " Interim Head of Transformation India" for a global logistics company headquarted in London, I was reporting to a guy from Bain who was reporting to Group CEO.. His profile reads 16 years in Bain, and 22 years experience in total. The enterprise was going through a major change in terms of a digital transformation, SSC Transformation, Cost Optimisation and many other initiatives. This person, gem of a guy by nature but was finding it tough to handle transformation programs implementation. We have had lots of situations where-in things were going out of control due to the way he was managing the whole enterprise wide transformation. One culd easily figure out that he is not comfortable in complex multi year implementation programs.

Personally I enjoy transformation/implementation programs. They are fun because you basically roll up your sleeves and work on the ground, interacting with people across functions,business units, hierarchies. Sometimes I wonder whats the use of a strategy study of 12 weeks if ultimately the report sits on the CEOs desk without any action, there are many such instances.

Answer 7

Well of course! They don't implement business so why would they be good at it?

Ex-mbb skillsets include figuring out things quickly that no-one else can, answering vague, data-poor questions, communication effectively, framing problems, etc. etc.

They work in powerpoint, not in shops!