Boiling The Ocean

What is one of the least understood roles of a consultant or advisor? Believe it or not, it's giving permission. Now before you jump to conclusions, let's be clear here that we're not talking about permission in the literal sense. But it's nonetheless true that companies and individuals often hire consultants to confirm, validate and sometimes even provide external justification for a decision that they have already made. Today’s episode of BTO is all about the process of making decisions and the role consultants play in that process. Using this as a starting point, we discuss: - External validation and the impact of confirmation bias: What kind of advice are people really looking for, and what are the contexts that can prompt them to seek a seal of approval? - This behavior on both an individual and institutional level: are companies – and some consulting firms – any different than individuals in this regard? - What to do if someone comes to you to validate a decision and what to do if you think it’s the