When do you need help?
Since I'm a consultant, it may seem strange that I launch into this post with an attack on consulting and consultants in general, but this article is an inside look at the dirty underbelly of the consulting industry.
Although the big-box consulting firms don't come off looking too good anytime you hear about how they staff up with recent college grads and send them out on engagements, it's really no more a general indictment of the industry than a bad experience with an auto shop indicates that the entire auto repair industry is a fraud. It just means you didn't do your homework and get a good mechanic the first time around. There are a lot of great consultants out there, but you can't assume you will get one just by dialing up Accenture or BCG or Booz Allen.
What I thought was more interesting than the state of big box consultants today, though, was the problems that the former consultant writing the article encountered in trying to work with clients. It basically devolved into the "read my mind and predict the future" category, which is something I have also seen many clients shoot themselves in the foot with. If you think you already know the answer and aren't prepared to countenance other opinions, why on earth are you paying big bucks to a consultant anyway? That's just insecurity, not real need. Make sure you have a need, and an open mind, before picking up the phone, and you're half way to having a much better experience than this guy's former clients.