My first consulting project involved me working with multiple consultants. I believe there were around 8-9 of us.
In one incident, the client informed us that (despite requesting our deliverables and invoices be sent in a timely manner), they have other projects they’re working on. From multiple interactions with various staff, lack of clarity on internal protocols, and more, to say it was a challenge is an understatement, and it showed me how difficult it could be being a consultant.
It’s been a while since I’ve touched on a consulting-specific topic, and this month’s Ask Nicole touches on something I’ve been noticing more.
Why do organizations hire consultants? Specifically, why do they hire multiple consultants at the same time?
From a practical standpoint, consultants are hired because staff capacity is maxed out, and it can be financially feasible to hire a consultant as opposed to onboarding a full or part time staff member.
Also, consultants are viewed as a strategic resource to address specific organizational needs and can serve as an objective sounding board.
When a client informs me of other consulting projects happening in tandem, I’ll ask if my work aligns with what they’re doing and if I’m expected to interact with them in any way.
Sometimes, client organizations have a general sense of how all this will work. But sometimes, they haven’t thought about it.
Not only haven’t they discussed whether the consultants should engage with each, they may not have discussed their expectations for how staff engage with all of these external people either.
More funding + less staff = desire to hire consultants. What makes the most sense for your organization may be based on where your current circumstances.
But what happens when an organization realizes they’ve hired too many consultants?
Hiring consultants can provide valuable expertise and resources to nonprofits, but hiring too many consultants can have several potential drawbacks and negative consequences. For one, creating an over-reliance on consultants may result in a loss of control over operations and decision-making. Consultants may also have different priorities or strategies, which can lead to conflicts with organizational expectations.
Secondly, nonprofits may become dependent on consultants for critical functions, such as fundraising, marketing, or program management. This dependency can make it challenging for the organization to function effectively when the consultant’s contract ends or if they decide to discontinue their services.
Also, hiring multiple consultants can result in a fragmented and disjointed strategic approach, with each consultant having their own vision and strategy, which can lead to conflicting priorities and confusion, particularly among staff.
So how do we fix this?
Ideally, you have a strategic plan that identifies your current strategic priorities. With these priorities, you’ve identified how these priorities will be met and the capacity needed to complete them. If hiring a multiple consultants is the better approach, consider budgeting constraints.
Consider if hiring multiple consultants places a strain on your staff. Hiring multiple consultants results in multiple perspectives, multiple areas of expertise, and multiple people that may not fully understand your organizational history, culture, and unique challenges. Some consultants are mindful of taking up too much of your staff’s time while others aren’t. Staff leadership may also prioritize the consultant’s perspective over staff’s, which adds to the strain. Also, setting the expectations for how and when staff and consultants engage with each other is crucial.
Consider spreading your consulting support throughout the fiscal year. This may be the most financially feasible, and it could be easier for your staff as well. When hiring multiple consultants, someone needs to oversee their work. If you and your staff are already strained, this increases when multiple consultants are submitting their deliverables at the same time for your feedback.
Next, consider whether you can hire one consultant or one team with multiple areas of expertise versus hiring multiple consultants who may not be familiar with each other, especially if you anticipate their work aligning.
Consider assessing the effectiveness of hiring multiple consultants. Without clear metrics and evaluation processes in place, your organization may struggle to determine the impact of consultant-driven initiatives.
Lastly, if you’re hiring multiple consultants, it may be time to hire more staff. If you’re hiring multiple consultants for the same type of work, you’re better off onboarding a staff member. Even if you onboard a staff member, your organization can also still work with trusted consultants. With one expert full time on staff, it’s reduces the need to hire multiple consultants.
Key takeaway
Avoid the pitfalls of hiring too many consultants by assessing your consulting needs, establish clear goals and expectations for consultants and staff, stagger when consultants are onboarded, and be honest about when it’s time to just hire a staff person. Striking a balance that leverages consultants’ skills while being mindful of staff capacity can help reduce staff overwhelm of working with too many consultants.
Raise Your Voice: What should you keep in mind when hiring multiple consultants? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.
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