10 Signs You Need a Management Effectiveness Consultant

In the “Management Practice and Productivity” report, researchers led by Stanford’s Nick Bloom found that “firms across the globe that apply accepted management practices will perform significantly better than those that do not. This suggests that improved management practice is one of the most effective ways for a firm to outperform its peers.” Companies that have strong management practices in place see better productivity, increased growth, and a “sustainable competitive advantage.”

A management effectiveness consultant can help your organization push manager performance to optimal levels. How do you know if you could benefit from this outside help?

Organizations generally find themselves in one of two different positions when they decide that a management effectiveness consultant may be a valuable investment:

1. The CEO of the company is in the top quartile of his/her sector but wants to fine-tune management practices and processes and bring in new ideas. It is like an auto enthusiast fine-tuning his car’s engine; it works fine, but it could be even smoother and more efficient.
2. The company is in the middle of the pack and wants to find efficiencies, improve processes, increase employee morale and productivity, and promote sustainable growth. There is the feeling that significant change needs to happen so they can break through and reach the top. The call for a management effectiveness consultant can come from the board of directors, the CEO, or even the management level itself. When executives or board members make the decision, these are the types of symptoms they are noticing:
   1. Work is not being done in a consistent manner across the organization.
   2. Work is not being done as effectively as it could be.
   3. Projects are late, over-budget, and/or failing to achieve results.
   4. There is a disconnect between the CEO’s strategic directions and goals and management-level implementation.

From an individual perspective, the following challenges can signal the need for help:

1. There is significant churn within the organization.
2. Managers are asked to attend too many meetings (there are always “too” many meetings! But often, managers are attending meetings that do not give a justifiable return on their time or add appropriate value).
3. Accountabilities and authorities are unclear, especially across functions.
4. Managers do not have the resources they need to get the job done.

The list could go on and on, but these are some general symptoms that an organization commonly sees, in varying degrees, before they take that next important step.