Thinking small for BIG results
Aperture Solutions Group
Building a better government and a safer, healthier future
Big names such as McKinsey, BCG, and Bain dominate conversation around business consulting (1,2). These well-established firms bring methodologies and practices shaped by decades of experience and success. For buyers they also bring the security expressed by the phrase “nobody gets fired for buying IBM.” In the federal space, many organizations default towards larger partners (including these top tier consultancies) for similar reasons: confidence in resource pedigree and availability, familiar methodologies, and job cover/CYA/results that won’t rock the boat.
However, in a rapidly changing world, these plutons of strategy may provide informed perspectives but, where the rubber meets the road, the industry is beginning to acknowledge that smaller firms often provide more successful engagements (3). It is not surprising, but the benefits of being small make all the difference:
Commitment: By virtue of their size, smaller firms foster a strong sense of investment and dedication among team members and for projects. At larger firms, it is common for consultants to be assigned across multiple engagements; deep learning and real understanding of customer challenges is sacrificed. The personal accountability and dedicated service of a small firm leads to deeper engagement with stakeholders and typically leads to better outcomes (4).
Collaboration: Smaller firms bring their best people and most senior experts to work closely with the client. This boots-on-the-ground approach leads to a richer understanding of the client's needs and more effective solutions. Larger organizations staff engagements with recent college or MBA grads who are attracted by the prestige of the firm’s name. Customer projects are the proving grounds for their younger associates - seasoned resources from the big firms are typically occupied with business development instead of delivery.
Dexterity: Small firms are like jet-skis, big firms are like aircraft carriers. Smaller firms are more agile and adaptable given their leaner structure – company leaders and decision makers often contribute to engagements which allows empowered creativity. Big companies bring well established processes – but they are bulky and cumbersome. In a dynamic operating environment, the responsiveness of a small organization cannot be matched.
Aperture’s experience, and big firm research, indicates that companies who more deeply engage stakeholders in the transformation process - as small businesses are able to more consistently do - enjoy much higher success rates. So, while Aperture does not (currently) enjoy the prestige and name recognition of these big international consultancies, our advantages in terms of commitment, personalized service, agility, and adaptability are proven and undeniable.
We’d love to connect with you and your team to share how thinking “small”, can create big results.
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