Home » Blog » People Management » What makes a good consultant? 156 surveyed CEOs reveal the answers
People Management
2 min read

What makes a good consultant? 156 surveyed CEOs reveal the answers

Some CEOs don’t think about hiring a consultant until faced with challenges their teams are unable to overcome. Other CEOs bring consultants in readily when a challenge presents itself.

We wanted to find out more about execs’ top priorities and biggest challenges; where they run for help on key business issues; and their perspectives on strategy, management, and talent consultants. To accomplish this, we conducted a survey of 156 CEOs, presidents, and chairpeople as part of our What CEOs Really Want From Consultants Report.

https://piworldwide.wistia.com/medias/1a8yyc4jjg

Four major findings from our report

For CEOs, strategy and people come first … and then there’s everything else. As a consultant, your offer needs to resonate with CEOs. And to resonate, you need to know what matters most to them. Read more

CEOs are looking for more than just traditional management consulting. Read more

Our survey data shows that while CEOs are confident, the majority have the humility to know when they need help. Read more

CEOs are shifting away from expensive, customized consulting projects. Some CEOs resist consultants; some embrace consultants. Read more

Management consultants should offer talent strategy solutions.

We also found that in the past five years, nearly 70 percent of CEOs needed help with talent strategy and execution, whereas 65 percent needed help with business strategy and execution. This tells us that consultants who focus on strategy and leave people problems for others to solve are missing a huge opportunity.

Based on the results of our report, it’s important to make sure you complement your strategy consulting solutions with talent strategy solutions. By joining our  Certified Partner Network, consultants can save on time, push past growth blockers, and shift into a higher gear with concrete data and results.

Join 10,000 companies solving the most complex people problems with PI.

The latest from our blog

Business Strategy

68% of employees want AI training more than job guarantees. Here’s why.

This is HR's moment. Employees want transparent communication and real skill development — and our 2025 AI at...

Talent Optimization

HR: The unsung hero of your company’s AI story

We surveyed more than 1,000 employees and HR professionals about AI rollouts, training, concerns, and upskilling. One theme...

Behavioral Assessments

Demystifying employee behaviors with behavioral data

Learn how employee behavior impacts team performance and organizational culture. Discover practical strategies to assess and improve workplace...

Behavioral Assessments

My life as a PI Promoter

See how this Promoter uses her behavioral strengths to bring out the best in the people around her....

Talent Optimization

The ultimate guide to the offboarding process

A talent optimization take on offboarding: tips, tools, and data insights for HR leaders and managers to turn...

Employee Engagement

4 reasons why good employees leave

Explore the main reasons employees quit, and discover effective methods to retain your top talent and boost organizational...

Employee Engagement

Turning the September Slump into a September surge: Navigating seasonal shifts for business growth

For HR teams, it's key to understand the factors behind the September slump, so you can better predict...

Business Strategy

Effective exit interview questions to improve retention

Discover essential exit interview questions and actionable tips for conducting them. In the long run, this may help...

Company Culture

Company culture: Why it matters and how to build it effectively

Explore everything to know about company and workplace culture, including real-world examples of highly engaged company cultures.

Back to top
Copy link