Motivations Beyond Money: Why Choose Management Consulting

As an experienced professional who has dedicated over four decades of my career to management consulting, I often encounter individuals who are weighing whether to pursue consulting as a career or considering it based on financial reasons. In my recent reflections, I discovered that my initial response to a similar question, written three years ago, now seems less effective than my current perspective. In this article, I will explore the reasons that truly motivated me to choose a career in consulting and how these motivations evolved over time.

Initial Career Choices

When I embarked on my career journey, I had considered several factors that justified my decision to enter consulting:

Supporting Interests and Strengths: Consulting offered opportunities to utilize my analytical, writing, organizational, presentation, and business skills. Helping Major Organizations: Consulting involves advising and assisting large organizations and influential individuals. Diverse Work Options: There were ample opportunities to work for various sizes of consulting firms. Prestige and Income: Consulting was considered a prestigious field, offering a good income.

While these factors were significant, they were more reflections of the environment and opportunities consulting provided rather than intrinsic motivators. Over time, I developed a deep passion for management consulting, and the primary motivators became more personal and intrinsic.

Main Motivators for Choosing Consulting

Enjoyment and Satisfaction: The primary reason I chose consulting was the sheer joy and satisfaction derived from advising and helping major organizations improve their performance and management processes. There is a profound sense of accomplishment when you help a company overcome a significant challenge and achieve its goals.

Working with Bright and Interesting People: Consulting is a team-based profession, and the people you work with can be one of the most significant draws. I have the privilege of working with some of the brightest, most driven, and interesting individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds. This constant interaction with talented professionals is both enriching and motivating.

Stimulation and Intellectual Engagements: Organizations hire consultants to tackle the toughest and most challenging problems. Whether it's dealing with political hurdles, entering new markets, gaining external perspectives, or unifying different parts of an organization, the work is generally intellectually stimulating and keeps you on your toes. The complexity of these issues drives a deep sense of engagement and fulfillment.

Embracing Change: Consulting is inherently about change. Consultants are often brought in to bring fresh perspectives and drive organizational transformation. This aspect of the job has provided me with the opportunity to see significant changes firsthand and to be part of the process of making that change happen. This constant need to adapt and innovate is both challenging and rewarding.

Reflections and Insights

While financial rewards can be an important factor in any career, my experience has shown that consulting offers much more than just financial compensation. The real satisfaction comes from the positive impact you can have, the opportunity to work with brilliant minds, the intellectual challenges, and the constant drive for progress and change. If you are considering consulting for financial reasons, it might be worth reassessing your priorities. Consulting may offer a much broader and more fulfilling professional experience.