The most important experience

“He is a very experienced consultant, so he knows how to read organizations” - said one consultant about another consultant. I shook my head:

“No, it doesn’t work that way. The more top executives tell you about their visions for the company, the less everyone else shares their problems and ideas with you, and the harder it will be for you to read the organization.”

“So, you don’t think our experience as consultants is important?”, he asked.

“Yes”, I said.

"I just think that the accumulated experience and insight that lives among the tens of thousands of people who work in the organization is more important."