Here's a strange discovery after 20 years in strategy consulting: we've been spending most of our time on the wrong things.
- Mat Jones
- Jan 10
- 1 min read
Two weeks ago, I explained how we compressed 4-6 weeks of traditional research into hours. But something unexpected emerged from this shift - a revelation about what actually drives value in growth strategy work.
Picture this: I'm sitting with a client's executive team, discussing market entry options. Instead of the usual "let me get back to you after we research that," we're pressure-testing assumptions and adjusting our analysis in real-time. Someone raises a critical question about customer segmentation - within an hour, we have comprehensive data to inform the discussion.
The traditional consulting model forced us to make an impossible choice:
Spend weeks gathering complete information (but run out of time for deep strategic thinking)
Or make faster decisions with incomplete information
But here's what happens when research time compresses from weeks to hours:
Strategy discussions start Day One. Not Week Six.
Executive teams engage deeply throughout the process, not just at milestone meetings
Questions get answered when they matter - during key strategic discussions
Teams can run multiple scenarios rapidly, testing more options
Most importantly: senior consultants spend time on actual strategy work, not managing research teams
One CEO recently told me: "For the first time, I feel like we're actually doing strategy work, not just waiting for it."
The irony? By dramatically reducing time spent on research, we're finally able to focus on what matters: making better strategic decisions.
Next week I'll share specific examples of how this plays out in practice. But first: What would you do differently if you could get answers to any market question in hours instead of weeks?
