Consulting — Why Hands-On Implementation Consulting Is Poised to Overshadow Traditional Strategy Work

Consulting · 2026-03-17

OPENING The consulting industry is witnessing a decisive shift away from PowerPoint strategy toward measurable, on-the-ground implementation. This week's spotlight on Dewolff Boberg & Associates highlights a growing truth that many traditional consulting firms are reluctant to acknowledge: clients are increasingly demanding consultants who can roll up their sleeves and drive actual performance improvements, not just recommend them.

The era of leaving thick strategy decks behind and hoping clients can execute them is drawing to a close. While the major strategy houses still command premium rates for high-level thinking, the real growth is happening in firms that blend strategic insight with tactical implementation. Dewolff Boberg's performance-based model represents what forward-thinking clients are demanding – consulting partners who are willing to put skin in the game and stick around for the messy work of driving real change.

This shift reflects a broader maturation of the consulting market. Sophisticated clients have seen too many beautiful strategies fail in execution to believe that strategy alone is worth premium fees. They've learned that the gap between recommendation and results is where most consulting value evaporates. The firms that are growing fastest today are those that have built operating models around bridging this gap.

The rise of implementation-focused consulting also speaks to changing client expectations around measurement and accountability. When consultants are on site, working shoulder-to-shoulder with client teams to drive performance improvements, there's nowhere to hide from results. This transparency is uncomfortable for traditional firms accustomed to measuring success by deliverable quality rather than business outcomes, but it's increasingly what the market demands.

WHAT TO WATCH The next month will likely see more traditional consulting firms trying to build or acquire implementation capabilities, but this transition isn't as simple as hiring a few operations experts. The entire consulting model – from pricing to staffing to delivery methodology – needs to be reimagined around hands-on execution. Watch for growing tension between firms still clinging to the strategy-only model and those embracing the new implementation reality. The winners will be those who can maintain premium positioning while getting their hands dirty in the engine room of client operations.