"There's a lot of money in prolonging a problem, telling the client what they already know, not taking the steps to solve it, and just sprinkling in some buzzwords." - NumbaJockeyNumbaJockey nailed it. Consultants get paid to ponder, strategize, optimize, align, accelerate, etc. But rarely at a strategy consulting firm do we help the client to execute.
I once worked with a guy who had done several projects at a large auto manufacturer. He described, with some condescension, how our firm had given our clients all these brilliant strategies, but the client had never implemented them, and therefore it was their fault. My response was that if the strategies aren't implemented, it's a worthless strategy, and that's our fault.
For the consultants out there, how often does your "strategy" recommendations, ACTUALLY get implemented? Clients always say great things about the work at the final brief out, but what percentage actually result in changes at the client?