Why oh why are small businesses and corporate managers so afraid of outside consultants these days?

We find it continually challenging to get both small businesses (mostly in the restaurant, hospitality, retail and even nonprofit space) and some larger corporate communications staff to even have a conversation about sharing constructive and objective ideas on improving their operations and departmental functions.

What is it about using outside contractors that creates such institutional reluctance?  Egos?  Fear of losing control (odd when often times businesses are spinning out of control or have lost vision)?  Fear of the consultant getting all the credit for a fresh approach to marketing, PR, community relations?

Early in my career one of the wisest moves I made was to agree to meet a trade association consultant who pitched me on improving our fundraising operations.  I was new and figured he would, given his years of expertise in the area, at least give me some things to think about.   He did.

We engaged him to review our political fundraising operations and offer some recommendations.  He was always careful never to "steal the show" from me or my internal colleagues, but he was recognized as someone who championed these new ideas -- ideas that made us ALL look good.   We finished our engagement and went about implementing the plan and things could not have worked out better.  We set new fundraising records and were becoming a major player in trade association/political circles.

I guess I have never seen folks offering new ideas or wanting to brainstorm as threats.  Some aren't the right fits.  Some are.

With this economy I can somewhat understand internal staff being worried about asking for outside assistance in that may seem or appear to superiors as a weakness.  Everyone these days is concerned about keeping his/her job.  But what would cement that job security even more is to have even greater success doing that job -- and if it takes some fresh perspective, maybe it's time to take a chance on being open to new ideas, plans and strategies from a proven expert in the field.

Egos need to be cast aside.  We see this primarily in the restaurant business.  "Celebrity" chefs think just because they can cook they can do it all...from HR issues to crisis communications to reaching out to community leaders to build and sustain their businesses.  We have seen restaurant after restaurant shun our offers for even a complimentary sit-down and just padlock the doors.  Ego.  Simple as that.

They say "there is no 'i' in teamwork."

If you ask many successful small business people and corporate managers what's made them thrive, often times you'll hear stories about folks they've become associated with over the years who have provided counsel, critiques and objective advice, making them stronger managers and more successful in business.

We look forward to the day when egos get cast aside and people's minds become open to new ideas.  At the very least working with independent contractors can help build your network base, which isn't bad at all (and breeds goodwill) for business.