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It seems that management in most organisations can't believe something unless they've paid vast sums for it. So they can't believe their own staff if they say X

by niccl 1mo ago

It seems that management in most organisations can't believe something unless they've paid vast sums for it. So they can't believe their own staff if they say X, even if it's right, because they haven't paid enough for it. Then the consultant comes along, interviews the staff, finds they say X, tell the client, charge buckets for it, and are believed. Weird human behaviour... disclaimer: ex management consultant

chanux 1mo ago
> So they can't believe their own staff if they say X, even if it's right, because they haven't paid enough for it. Smooth, but deep burn. Masterfully done!
vrighter 1mo ago
I see it often at work. I say something and it's met with "you have a very bad attitude". They hear the exact same thing (ex. "we should see where our responsibility begins and ends according to the contract made with the client, and tell them to fuck off otherwise") from someone else, and then it's the next big thing.
zipy124 1mo ago
Almost like a Veblen good lol. The quality is seen as higher because price is higher.
red-iron-pine 1mo ago
the perception is that employees have an incentive to lie: to cover their ass, to cover their incompetence, to be or stay lazy, to ensure their bonuses are better, etc. in theory, an expensive outside consultant does not have those incentives: they are being paid 800/hr, have no dog in any fight, have a fixed contract and no reason to worry about getting promoted or fired next cycle, and have already been pre-vetted for expertise. if I do not have faith in my goober, fork-and-spoon operator employees, I pay for these folks to validate the approach. that's not incompetence, that's due diligence. it's not my money, nor my department -- it's the shareholders -- and I need to convince them that I've done all I can to confirm we need to invest X million in initiative Y. however in practice consulting falls victim to plenty of bad behaviors, rent seeking, and risks, too

by niccl 1mo ago

chanux 1mo ago

> So they can't believe their own staff if they say X, even if it's right, because they haven't paid enough for it. Smooth, but deep burn. Masterfully done!

vrighter 1mo ago

I see it often at work. I say something and it's met with "you have a very bad attitude". They hear the exact same thing (ex. "we should see where our responsibility begins and ends according to the contract made with the client, and tell them to fuck off otherwise") from someone else, and then it's the next big thing.

zipy124 1mo ago

Almost like a Veblen good lol. The quality is seen as higher because price is higher.

red-iron-pine 1mo ago

the perception is that employees have an incentive to lie: to cover their ass, to cover their incompetence, to be or stay lazy, to ensure their bonuses are better, etc. in theory, an expensive outside consultant does not have those incentives: they are being paid 800/hr, have no dog in any fight, have a fixed contract and no reason to worry about getting promoted or fired next cycle, and have already been pre-vetted for expertise. if I do not have faith in my goober, fork-and-spoon operator employees, I pay for these folks to validate the approach. that's not incompetence, that's due diligence. it's not my money, nor my department -- it's the shareholders -- and I need to convince them that I've done all I can to confirm we need to invest X million in initiative Y. however in practice consulting falls victim to plenty of bad behaviors, rent seeking, and risks, too