Management Consulting Circa 1960: Booz Produces 125 Feet Of Reports a Year

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One of the doctoral students that I work with at the Center for Work, Technology and Organization, the irrepressible Isaac Waisberg, is working on a fascinating dissertation on what management consultants do. Yesterday, he successfully defended his dissertation proposal and I am looking forward to a great dissertation from him. Being a thorough researcher, Isaac has been meticulously studying the history of management consulting. In the process, he dug up this wonderful BusinessWeek cover story from 1960. Note the 1960 stamps from the Stanford library. The text says, essentially, that James Allen of Booz, Allen & Hamilton leads a firm that produces 125 feet of management reports a year — and I guess the picture provides the proof.

Of course, the consulting business has changed a lot in the past 50 years. It has grown massively and I am sure that Booz would be quick to argue that they do a lot more than produce reports (that was probably true then as well). I also suspect the current metric would be PowerPoint decks per year at many firms. But in other ways, the key question remains the same and one that drove us to write The Knowing-Doing Gap and is also the subject a chapter in Good Boss, Bad Boss: Are all those reports and the advice they contain a substitute for action or an impetus to action?

Comments

48 responses to “Management Consulting Circa 1960: Booz Produces 125 Feet Of Reports a Year”

June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Randy Bosch

There was certainly quite a few feet of “great work” in those reports, and (sadly) probably most of it “received and filed” by the commissioning “leaders”.
Today’s leaders often “listen” no better today to “new media” reports than they “listened” to paper in the past – but they’ve got the “buzz words” down pat!

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Well, as a former nonprofit “CFO” I can say the more information you give a board on the finances, the more likely you send them into a state of inertia because you make the false assumption that they have the critical thinking to pick through the detail and see the key trends. You have to draw pictures for them. Perhaps Management Consulting should go for graphic novel mode instead of textual details and tons of data.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Nathan

A colleague once said that the purpose of consultants is to prolong the problem. Like so many quips, there is an element of truth there.
Consultants can be a valuable tool. As is the case with any tool, they need to be used well. If the tool is not functioning (well), then you get rid of it. If the tool is not needed, you store it away. When needed, it needs to be ready to do the job.
I’ve had some tremendously productive interactions with consultants. The key is being prepared, especially with questions. Be wary of a consultant who tells you want you want to hear.
It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 4, 2010

Carol Murchie

Re: Nathan’s commentary, I really don’t think of consultants as the ones who can be held fully accountable for results, especially in the management consulting field. The consultant can introduce excellent ideas but the company has to follow through.
My maxim is that really top notch management consulting is like top notch dog training: a good dog trainer isn’t one who claims he or she will ‘fix’ your dog, but the one who will show you how to elicit that best behavior from your dog but ultimately it is up to you to learn what those best practices are and be attuned to what works and what doesn’t. You can’t hold the dog trainer accountable if what they demonstrated to you works but you stop using the methodology.

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 6, 2010

Ilya Zabegaev

Carol Murchie wrote: “It would be preferable if there were some reasonable way of holding consultants accountable.”
Actually, there is such way. Push your consultants work for a “success-based fee” approach. Identify for the consultants clear objectives in terms of financial or operational results for a long period of time (more than 6 months). But don’t use any type of “beauty KPIs” (in terms of “I like you”).

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply
June 7, 2010

Joe Marchese

The best consultants act as catalysts to enable something to happen that could have happened without them, but didn’t. The report, deck, whatever other deliverables, are most valuable when they serve to enable action toward the agreed goals. Absent that, they are interesting but not significant.

Reply