Breaking the Illusion: Consulting is Dead—Unless You Do This

They’re leaving. Not just a few, not just the disgruntled—entire teams of Partners are walking out the door.

And they’re not just leaving firms. They’re shedding an identity that no longer fits.

This isn’t just a talent drain. It’s an identity crisis shaking the very foundations of consulting.

The question isn’t why they’re leaving. The question is: What are they becoming?

If you’re still thinking this is about autonomy, pay, or even AI, you’re already behind.

This is about Identity. And if you don’t get that, you won’t just lose your Partners—you’ll lose the very soul of your firm.

Seeing the Shift, But Missing the Opportunity?

James O'Dowd your insights are spot-on about the seismic shift shaking up the consulting landscape. The exodus of entire Partner teams is a narrative that’s only gaining momentum. But here’s the kicker: it’s not just about autonomy, pay, or even AI. It’s about Identity.

The Untold Truth:

Partners aren’t just leaving firms—they’re shedding an identity that no longer fits. They’re not just chasing independence; they’re craving authenticity—the freedom to shape their own narrative, to innovate without legacy constraints, and to lead with purpose, not politics.

But here’s the real threat: AI isn’t just an efficiency tool—it’s the ultimate democratizer. It’s not just helping smaller firms compete; it’s dismantling the traditional hierarchies that kept the big players on top. When expertise becomes democratized, authority gets decentralized. And that’s a power shift no one saw coming.

The Real Disruption: It’s Not AI—It’s Identity

James is right that AI is reshaping consulting. But AI isn’t the disruptor—Identity is.

Partners aren’t just leaving for autonomy or pay. They’re leaving because they no longer recognize themselves in the firm’s narrative. They don’t see themselves in the legacy systems, the outdated playbooks, or the compliance-driven cultures.

?? Mark A. Rogers’ Insight:

“Partners aren’t walking away from consulting. They’re walking away from a narrative that no longer fits. They’re not just leaving firms—they’re shedding an identity that’s holding them back.”

?? Insights Without Borders doesn’t just help organizations adapt to Change. We help them create their Identity, to own their narrative and lead with purpose.

The False Premise of Retaining Talent

James stated:

“For established firms, the challenge is twofold: retaining top talent while adapting to the disruptive forces of AI.”

But here’s the problem: This framing is fundamentally flawed.

Retaining talent is an outdated narrative. It assumes people want to stay confined within legacy systems, playing by someone else’s rules. In reality, they don’t want to be retained—they want to be enabled.

?? Mark A. Rogers’ Perspective:

“Stop trying to retain talent. Start enabling Leaders. The future doesn’t belong to those who hold on. It belongs to those who let go.”

Consulting firms are asking the wrong question. It’s not about how to retain Partners; it’s about how to enable Leaders who will shape what comes next.

?? Insights Without Borders has been challenging this narrative since 2015. We don’t help organizations retain talent—we help them create ecosystems where leaders can thrive, innovate, and transform.

The Real Threat Isn’t AI—It’s Obsolescence

James wrote:

“AI is a key driver behind this transformation, enabling firms to scale rapidly with smaller teams, reduce costs, and adopt more profitable business models.”

Yes, AI is a force multiplier. But AI isn’t the real threat. Obsolescence is.

AI is merely exposing what’s already broken: the rigid hierarchies, outdated playbooks, and compliance-driven cultures that are suffocating creativity, stifling innovation, and driving the best talent away.

?? Mark A. Rogers’ Counter-Punch:

“AI isn’t replacing consultants. Obsolete mindsets are. If your leadership is still dictating Change instead of co-creating it, you’re already behind. The future won’t wait.”

Why Retention is the Wrong Metric

James mentioned:

“To remain competitive, firms must offer compelling incentives and clearly articulate their value to top talent.”

That’s precisely the problem.

Incentives and value propositions are transactional. They’re built on a compliance mindset—offering just enough to keep people from leaving. But that’s playing not to lose, not playing to win.

?? Insights Without Borders sees it differently:

“We don’t play by the old rules of retention and incentives. We play to inspire, to enable, and to create.”

The real question isn’t how to keep Partners from leaving. The real question is: Why would they stay?

Are they staying because they feel valued, inspired, and enabled? Or are they staying because they’re trapped by golden handcuffs and legacy contracts?

If it’s the latter, they’re not staying—they’re just waiting for the right moment to leave.

The Untold Opportunity: Create Next, Don’t Imitate

James astutely noted:

“New firms are capitalizing on leaner operations and lower overheads, leading to increased profitability.”

But here’s the missed opportunity: It’s not about leaner operations. It’s about leading the narrative.

New firms aren’t just leaner. They’re braver. They’re not following best practices—they’re creating Next Practices. They’re not playing it safe—they’re creating the future as they go.

?? Insights Without Borders’ Philosophy:

“Stop looking for best practices. Start creating Next Practices. The future doesn’t belong to those who wait. It belongs to those who create.”

This isn’t about adopting AI or reducing costs. It’s about changing the game. It’s about leading the narrative, not just managing the Change.

The Call to Unfollow

?? It’s time to unfollow the outdated. ?? Unlearn the limiting. ?? Unlock the future.

?? Stop manhandling Change. Let it breathe. Let it lead.

? Start enabling it.

Disrupt the Scroll. Capture the Mind. Rewrite the Story.

This isn’t just about thought leadership. It’s about thought disruption.

It’s about rewriting the story of consulting itself.

Because the future doesn’t belong to those who wait.

It belongs to those who create.

Ready to Disrupt? Let’s Continue the Conversation.

Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or message me directly.

This is the narrative shift they don’t want you to see.

The revolution has already started.

The question isn’t whether you’ll be affected.

The question is: Will you lead it?