absurdity of management consultants

[Anonymous]

Thank you for making this post, op. I am in a new position (fed), and the level of bs I see at this new level is appalling. So many people in jobs with no actual function, meetings that could be emails (or instant messages), unnecessary "action committees," naming committees, etc. I don't know if I should escape the charade or silently ride it out until retirement.

Half of federal positions could be deleted, and there would be no significant function loss. I know the thread is about management consultants, but it applies to the feds, too, because the overarching theme is frustration with BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for making this post, op. I am in a new position (fed), and the level of bs I see at this new level is appalling. So many people in jobs with no actual function, meetings that could be emails (or instant messages), unnecessary "action committees," naming committees, etc. I don't know if I should escape the charade or silently ride it out until retirement.

Half of federal positions could be deleted, and there would be no significant function loss. I know the thread is about management consultants, but it applies to the feds, too, because the overarching theme is frustration with BS.

good idea they could get Deloitte to decide which half

[Anonymous]

John Oliver explains the management consulting industry pretty well here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AiOUojVd6xQ&pp=ygUITWNraW5zZXk%3D

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

+1
I'm convinced the higher ups who think if you slap a big consultant label to an end product, then it has more weight.

But, here's the thing, we have in house knowledge and capability to do it. Their final product tells us what we, the underlings, have already known. But, I guess it's more meaningful if it comes from "industry experts".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don’t get paid for their advice, they get paid for providing the opportunity to offload the responsibility for unpopular management decisions.

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been a 20’s management consultant!

If you’re being forced to take any sort of soft skills or leadership training, the conclusion you should draw is that you suck so hard
that your bosses tried this training because it’s cheaper and easier than firing you.

Nobody wakes up and decides it’s time for leadership training out of the clear blue sky.

There’s a small chance it’s not you and you’re there as cover because they can’t send just one or a few people.

But based on your post, it’s probably you.

This. Out of touch boomers thinking time Trump's youth's more advance skills and education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

Lol. If you were actually talented and valuable you would have been promoted out of the daily grind role. You’re in these classes because you’re not good at your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been a 20’s management consultant!

If you’re being forced to take any sort of soft skills or leadership training, the conclusion you should draw is that you suck so hard
that your bosses tried this training because it’s cheaper and easier than firing you.

Nobody wakes up and decides it’s time for leadership training out of the clear blue sky.

There’s a small chance it’s not you and you’re there as cover because they can’t send just one or a few people.

But based on your post, it’s probably you.

This. Out of touch boomers thinking time Trump's youth's more advance skills and education.

It’s not just Boomers. It’s pissy 40yo millennials that still haven’t been promoted to management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

Lol. If you were actually talented and valuable you would have been promoted out of the daily grind role. You’re in these classes because you’re not good at your job.

No, it means that you are not a mediocre tall white man who can make small talk about the bosses favourite sport. Everyone else disproportionately gets the boring grunt work that’s actually important for the business. For example cutting a ward managers bonus one year and using the money to hire an assistant nurse, INCREASED productivity where I worked. The front line is where the most value comes from, not fat cat underworked and overpaid managers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

+1
I'm convinced the higher ups who think if you slap a big consultant label to an end product, then it has more weight.

But, here's the thing, we have in house knowledge and capability to do it. Their final product tells us what we, the underlings, have already known. But, I guess it's more meaningful if it comes from "industry experts".

Agreed. It gives the appearance of doing a deep dive to resolve a problem. Appearance is the operative word. Add a hefty bill to it, and it definitely has the intended impact with no significant results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

Lol. If you were actually talented and valuable you would have been promoted out of the daily grind role. You’re in these classes because you’re not good at your job.

No, it means that you are not a mediocre tall white man who can make small talk about the bosses favourite sport. Everyone else disproportionately gets the boring grunt work that’s actually important for the business. For example cutting a ward managers bonus one year and using the money to hire an assistant nurse, INCREASED productivity where I worked. The front line is where the most value comes from, not fat cat underworked and overpaid managers.

Keep telling yourself this. 😂😂

[Anonymous]

Nah, I quit my overworked position 6 months ago and moved to a much easier job with a higher pay in the same large department. Everyone I bump into, including managers, tell me that the old section has gone to s*** since I left and they haven’t found a replacement willing to fill that role. Great front line staff preemptive spots potential fires and puts them out before management are even aware of it. When those staff leave problems arise that others weren’t aware even occurred since they used to be covered but now aren’t.

[Anonymous]

Agree with all these comments. And as someone told me the first day of business school, "the easiest way to make money is from other people insecurities, vanity, and laziness".

Hiring a management consultant appeals to all three of these for the typical executive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow you guys keep paying us. Been in the industry 30 years.

It's almost as if maybe these consulting firms might have something new or relevant to teach the blowhards that think they know it all.

No, it's that bad managers try to subcontract their jobs and are susceptible to marketing and bribes. The working talent are collateral damage.

Lol. If you were actually talented and valuable you would have been promoted out of the daily grind role. You’re in these classes because you’re not good at your job.

Says one more smug DCUMer who is so much more talented than all the proletarians.