Ignoring The Very Advice They Paid For

The Paradox of Hiring Consultants: Why Business Leaders Often Resent the Advice They Seek

In the world of business, hiring consultants and advisors is often seen as a smart move for overcoming obstacles, navigating challenges, and identifying new opportunities. Business owners and leaders seek out external experts to provide an objective perspective—hoping that with their specialized knowledge and experience, these professionals will help them make more informed decisions, optimize operations, and ultimately improve their business.

However, despite paying for these services, many business leaders end up resenting, ignoring, or dismissing the very advice they sought. What drives this paradoxical behavior, and why do business owners often reject the guidance that they have invested in? To understand this, we must delve into the psychology behind the situation and explore key psychological concepts that influence decision-making, such as the Dunning-Kruger Effect, false pride, imposter syndrome, emotional intelligence (EQ), and managerial maturity.

The Psychological Drivers Behind Rejection of Expert Advice

1. Dunning-Kruger Effect: Overestimating One's Own Expertise

One of the most common psychological biases that explains why business leaders dismiss advice is the Dunning-Kruger Effect. This cognitive bias occurs when individuals with limited knowledge or experience in a particular area overestimate their own competence. Many entrepreneurs and business leaders who have built their companies from the ground up can develop a sense of overconfidence in their abilities. They believe that their personal experience and instincts are sufficient to tackle problems, even when they are outside their core expertise.

When an external consultant provides advice that challenges the business leader’s assumptions or suggests a different approach, the leader may dismiss the advice, believing that their own understanding of the situation is more accurate. They might feel that the consultant doesn’t truly understand the nuances of their business and therefore ignore the input. This overconfidence can lead to a resistance to change, even if the consultant’s advice is backed by years of experience and solid data.

2. False Pride: Protecting One’s Ego and Identity

For many business leaders, their decisions are closely tied to their ego and self-worth. Their business represents not just their livelihood, but also their personal identity. When a consultant offers advice that challenges the way the business is run, it can feel like a personal attack. Accepting external advice might imply that the leader's ideas or strategies are flawed, which can be uncomfortable or even humiliating.

In many cases, the business leader may choose to ignore or reject the advice to protect their pride. It’s easier to cling to their current way of doing things than to admit that they might need help. This false pride often stems from the desire to appear infallible in front of their team, peers, or even their customers. The fear of being perceived as weak or incompetent can override the willingness to take outside advice, even if it could lead to a better outcome.

3. Imposter Syndrome: The Fear of Being “Found Out”

On the flip side of false pride lies imposter syndrome, a psychological phenomenon where high-achieving individuals feel like frauds. Despite their success, they fear that others will eventually uncover their perceived incompetence or inadequacy. Business leaders experiencing imposter syndrome might hesitate to accept advice because they feel they should already have all the answers. They fear that taking advice could make them appear less knowledgeable or capable, leading to a sense of vulnerability or exposure.

In such cases, a business owner might feel like they are simply “getting by” and that any acknowledgment of needing help is a sign of weakness or failure. As a result, they may ignore or resent the advice provided by consultants, believing that they should be able to solve the issue on their own.

4. Low Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Difficulty with Self-Awareness and Empathy

Emotional intelligence (EQ) plays a significant role in a leader’s ability to receive and process feedback. Leaders with high EQ are typically more self-aware, open to feedback, and able to regulate their emotions when confronted with challenges. On the other hand, leaders with low EQ might struggle to handle criticism or suggestions for improvement, especially when it comes from an outside source.

Leaders with low EQ may experience heightened defensiveness when a consultant presents advice that conflicts with their own perspective. Instead of embracing the consultant’s input as an opportunity for growth, they may react with anger, frustration, or dismissal. This emotional barrier can prevent them from objectively considering the value of the advice and can lead to resentment toward the consultant.

5. Managerial Maturity: Lack of Experience in Taking Advice

A lack of managerial maturity can also explain why some leaders resist outside advice. Managerial maturity refers to the ability of leaders to recognize their limitations, acknowledge when they need help, and be open to learning and adapting. Business owners and executives who have reached a certain level of success might feel that they’ve "figured it out" and are less likely to seek or accept advice.

In many cases, leaders may be in denial about their need for improvement or change. They may have built the company on their own vision and strategies and thus may find it difficult to accept that their approach is no longer working as well as it once did. Managers who have not developed a high level of maturity may see external advice as an unnecessary intrusion rather than a valuable resource.

6. The “Better the Devil You Know” Mentality

Many business leaders resist change, even if the current situation is suboptimal. This is the “better the devil you know” mentality, where the fear of the unknown outweighs the perceived benefits of change. Business leaders may be comfortable with their current methods, even if they’re inefficient, because they’re familiar. The idea of changing strategies, adopting new systems, or restructuring the business might seem too risky, and they may dismiss consultant advice out of fear of the consequences of transformation.

7. Confirmation Bias: The Need to Be Right

Another cognitive bias at play in the rejection of advice is confirmation bias. This occurs when individuals selectively seek out or interpret information that confirms their preexisting beliefs or assumptions, while ignoring information that challenges them. Business leaders who are set in their ways may have already convinced themselves that their current strategies are the best course of action. When a consultant offers advice that contradicts this belief, the leader may filter out the consultant's input or even look for flaws in the advice to maintain their own perspective.

In these cases, the leader may actively resist advice not because it’s flawed, but because it doesn’t align with their current worldview. Their need to be “right” becomes more important than the pursuit of better solutions.

Why Do Leaders Sometimes Prefer Their Own Failure to Another’s Success?

The question arises: Why would a business leader choose to stick with their own flawed strategies, even at the risk of failure, rather than embrace advice that could lead to success—even if it’s not their own idea? There is a deep psychological aspect at play here. At its core, this behavior stems from pride and identity.

For many leaders, the thought of success that doesn’t come from their own decisions feels hollow or less authentic. They may subconsciously prefer the “comfort” of failure on their own terms to the uncertainty of success that’s based on someone else’s recommendations. The fear of losing control, appearing vulnerable, or surrendering authority may be greater than the fear of continuing to struggle with ineffective strategies.

Moreover, there’s a fear of losing face or status. Leaders who have achieved a certain level of success may feel that accepting external advice diminishes their authority or reputation. It’s easier to justify failure when it’s your own, than to risk failure based on someone else’s idea—and that, for some leaders, becomes a paradoxical but deeply ingrained mindset.

Conclusion: Navigating the Complexities of Consulting Relationships

The paradox of hiring consultants and advisors, only to later ignore or resent their advice, reflects the complex interplay between cognitive biases, emotional barriers, and a leader’s personal identity. Understanding the psychological forces at play—such as the Dunning-Kruger Effect, false pride, imposter syndrome, low EQ, managerial maturity, and confirmation bias—can help consultants navigate these dynamics and build stronger, more productive relationships with business leaders.

By recognizing these psychological challenges, consultants can provide more effective advice by presenting it in a way that addresses the underlying fears and insecurities of the leader. Similarly, business leaders can benefit from being more aware of their internal biases and emotional reactions, opening themselves up to more productive feedback and, ultimately, greater success.

Paul Fioravanti, MBA, MPA, CTP, is the CEO & Managing Partner of QORVAL Partners, LLC, a FL-based advisory firm (founded 1996 by Jim Malone, six-time Fortune 100/500 CEO) Qorval is a US-based turnaround, restructuring, business optimization and interim management firm. Fioravanti is a proven turnaround CEO with experience in more than 90 situations in more than 40 industries. He earned his MBA and MPA from the University of Rhode Island and completed advanced post-master’s research in finance and marketing at Bryant University. He is a Certified Turnaround Professional and member of the Turnaround Management Association, the Private Directors Association, Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Association of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&MA), the American Bankruptcy Institute, and IMCUSA. Copyright 2024, Qorval Partners LLC and/or Paul Fioravanti, MBA, MPA, CTP. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution without permission.?

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