Here's how I tell within the first ten minutes.
I ask three questions before we talk about technology at all.
Who owns the decision to spend on IT: you, or a committee that meets quarterly? What happens to the business if a core system goes down for 48 hours: a minor headache, or a real crisis? And when was the last time your IT roadmap changed because the business strategy changed, not the other way around?
If you can answer all three clearly, you're probably not ready for me yet. You're ready for a really good IT director.
If you're hesitating on any of them, that's usually where the real conversation starts.
I've had executives thank me for telling them "not yet." Not because it felt good in the moment, but because it saved them a six figure engagement they weren't positioned to use well.
Most consultants are trained to find a reason to say yes. I'd rather find the reason to say no early, so the yes, when it comes, actually means something.
Which of those three questions would you struggle to answer clearly today?
If one of them gave you pause, let's talk it through.
Schedule a conversation