I am...

...a professional consultant; and a damned good one at that. I've also had a lot of executive experience, mostly as an interim and almost always in difficult situations where existing Executives could not or, often, would not cut it.
And yet sometimes I hesitate to tell people what I do. I know many have a mind view of a consultant that is sleazy, grasping and of someone who won't take responsibility or do anything useful. So I bluster and discuss my 'other' career as an interim manager.
But they do go together.
As a consultant I am clear on my role. I give advice based on experience and research; general research and client specific research. This research will be based on desk- and book- work, examination of financials, interviews with stakeholders of all stripes and possibly things like polls, surveys and focus groups depending on the situation. There will be analysis of the financial results as well as scenarios run. There will be competitors and other consultants consulted. And so on.
What pops out the other end of all this is advice. Not implementation, though part of the advice may be on how to do the implementation.
That advice may include options or it may be a definitive statement. “Do X, Y & Z because…”
And I’ll write one of those widely derided reports. It will be thick; it will contain an Executive Summary; it will contain appendices. Why do I do this when we all know no one ever reads them?
Well to start with it’s not true that they are never read. In general they are read widely among the target audience and digested. I almost always give a live presentation to a group and often several groups, of my findings in which the audience can grill me to their hearts’ content over my findings and recommendations. My sponsors spend time mulling it all over among themselves and away from me.
Also it is often the only visible record of my presence and a necessary part of the process of getting paid because I’m doing this for money. Frequently lots of money and I’m keen to get paid. Nothing to be ashamed of.
And why then is there no implementation? Simply, because that’s not where I add value as a consultant. Very capable managers exist in my client companies perfectly capable as a rule of implementing a plan and recommendations. My skill is in looking at things both dispassionately and creatively, in analysis and synthesis. It is in seeing through the crap to what makes a difference and then persuading others to make it happen. It is a rare and valuable skill and I’m pleased to have it.
I am not ashamed to be a consultant. I am not going to make excuses for not implementing stuff. I don’t need to!