System Overload: When Consultants Sell Solutions and Owners Buy Trouble

Business coaches and consultants are often viewed as saviors for companies, especially when owners are grappling with challenges in streamlining operations and making their businesses more efficient. While there’s no denying the value they can bring, there is a darker side to the relationship that isn’t talked about often enough. Many of these consultants are acutely aware of the underlying fear that drives plant owners—the fear of being manipulated or blackmailed by their own people, or losing control over their business. This fear is fertile ground for business consultants to sell their services or products, often offering a "silver bullet" solution in the form of systems and processes that promise immediate improvement.

How Consultants Leverage Fear

Business consultants know that fear sells. They often capitalize on plant owners' anxieties about inefficiency, losing control, or being taken advantage of by employees. By tapping into this insecurity, they are able to pitch their consulting services as the solution to these perceived problems. The allure is clear: streamlined operations, increased control, and the promise of a well-oiled machine.

At first, the changes suggested by these consultants often lead to what we call "low-hanging fruits"—easy-to-achieve, short-term successes. This could be an improvement in productivity, cost savings, or even better compliance with operational standards. These quick wins are gratifying and often give owners a false sense of security. They begin to believe that their decision to hire the consultant was the right one, and that their obsession with systems is finally paying off.

The Hidden Danger of Quick Fixes

But here’s the catch: these initial successes are often superficial and unsustainable. They focus on surface-level issues, such as increasing output or cutting costs, without addressing the underlying complexities of running a plant. The systemic issues—people management, long-term strategy, adaptability, and innovation—are not dealt with in any meaningful way.

In many cases, the systems that consultants implement are rigid, designed to work in a controlled, ideal environment. Real-life operations, however, are dynamic and messy. Over time, these rigid systems fail to adapt to the evolving challenges of the plant. They create frustration among employees, who feel like their hands are tied, and bottlenecks in operations that were never anticipated.

The Consultants Disappear When Disaster Strikes

The critical problem is that, by the time the cracks begin to show, the consultants are long gone. Their job is to implement systems and offer advice for a short period. They may conduct a few follow-up meetings or offer some high-level oversight, but when things start to go wrong—when the systems break down, morale plummets, or the plant faces significant operational issues—the consultants are no longer around to help troubleshoot or course-correct.

This leaves plant owners in a precarious position. They’ve invested significant time and money into the systems suggested by the consultants, only to find that they are not equipped to handle the real-world challenges that arise after the initial honeymoon period is over. Worse, they may feel trapped, as they’ve already restructured much of their operations around these systems.

The Obsession with Systems: A Double-Edged Sword for Plant Owners

The Long-Term Consequences

In the long run, plant owners may find that their initial quick wins are overshadowed by the larger issues that were neglected. Systems become burdensome instead of helpful, and the very people who should be driving the plant’s success—its employees—are either disengaged or frustrated. The rigid systems that were once seen as a solution now feel like chains that prevent flexibility and creativity. 

When disaster does strike—whether it's a breakdown in communication, a significant operational issue, or a critical failure—the consultants are nowhere to be found. The owners, having placed too much trust in systems and not enough in people, are left to pick up the pieces.

Balancing Systems and People

The lesson here is that systems alone are not a panacea. Business coaches and consultants can help plant owners achieve some initial improvements, but these improvements are often superficial and short-lived. True, long-lasting success comes from a balance between systems and people. Systems should support employees, not replace or control them. People should be empowered to use systems as tools, not shackled by them.

Consultants may have expertise, but the day-to-day functioning of a plant depends on those who are in the trenches—your employees. As a plant owner, you must ensure that any system you implement keeps people at the center. Otherwise, you risk being left high and dry when the inevitable challenges arise, long after the consultants have left the building.

In conclusion, while business coaches and consultants can offer some value, plant owners must be careful not to place all their trust in systems designed by outsiders. People run plants, not systems. And if you ignore that truth, you may find that the quick wins delivered by consultants come at the cost of long-term success.