Let’s talk about something that’s quietly strangling a lot of consultancies.
No, not bad clients. Not feast-or-famine revenue swings. Not even the relentless march of AI bots pretending to be thought leaders.
I’m talking about a crisis of confidence.
A staggering number of consultants - brilliant, seasoned experts - are terrified of putting themselves out there.
Video? Too cringe.
Posting on LinkedIn? What if nobody likes it?
Speaking up boldly? What if people disagree?
So instead, they play it safe. Stick to email lists. Go to networking events where the same five people shake their hand. Maybe even pay to be in the room at some swanky dinner, just to be seen.
And all the while, some less experienced, less insightful, less competent competitor is hoovering up their ideal clients - simply because they had the audacity to be visible.
Brutal, isn’t it?
Here’s the deal:
If nobody sees you, nobody trusts you.
If nobody trusts you, nobody hires you.
If nobody hires you, you might as well start writing your Consulting Lessons Learned memoir now.
So, the question is, are you really going to let fear stop you from winning?
If so, that’s fine. Just know that while you’re overthinking your next LinkedIn post, your competitors are out there, scooping up the clients that should be yours.
Now, get out of your own way.