Ep. 139 — Wenn Projekte nur noch 2,5 Tage dauern: Warum das klassische Beratungsmodell nicht mehr funktioniert - mit Michael Nenninger

Send us Fan MailWas passiert, wenn dein Geschäftsmodell auf Zeit basiert, aber Zeit keine Rolle mehr spielt?Michael Nenninger, CEO von Voycer Digital und ehemaliger EVP Digital Consulting bei MSG, beschreibt, warum das klassische Consulting-Modell strukturell unter Druck gerät. Sobald AI Methoden reproduzierbar macht und Projekte von Wochen auf Tage schrumpfen, beginnt sich die Logik hinter Auslastung, Pyramidenstruktur und zeitbasierter Abrechnung aufzulösen. Im Gespräch zeigt Michael, wie sich Beratung von projektbasierter Arbeit hin zu systematischer, skalierbarer Wertschöpfung verschiebt und warum es für Führungskräfte nicht mehr um Effizienz, sondern um eine bewusste Neuausrichtung ihres Geschäftsmodells geht.In dieser Episode erfährst du:1. Warum AI den Wert von Beratungsleistung neu definiert.2. Wie Agentic AI die klassische Pyramidenstruktur auflöst.3. Warum schnellere Delivery dein Pricing-Modell unter Druck setzt.4. Wie sich Beratung von Projekten zu skalierbaren Systemen verschiebt.5. Welche neuen Wettbewerber durch AI im Consulting entstehen.___________Michael Nenninger ist offen für den Austausch zum Thema Geschäftsmodell-Transformation im Consulting.Wenn du Perspektiven teilen möchtest, vernetze dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-nenninger/Michaels Buchempfehlung:Die Logik des Misslingens | https://amzn.eu/d/04awGcZJ ___________Über den Host Sammy:Sammy und SAWOO bieten einen B2B-Community-Building-Service, der Dich als Vordenker in Deiner Branche etabliert und Dir hilft, echte, zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen zu Deinen Wunschkunden aufzubauen.Schreibe Sammy einfach via E-Mail unter [email protected] oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Bisherige Gäste des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au und viele weitere!___________Wenn Du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie Führungskräfte im Consulting mit aktuellen Themen der Branche umgehen, folge der LEADERS IN CONSULTING Community auf LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-consulting-dach  

Send us Fan MailKI ersetzt den Projektleiter nicht. Sie macht ihn unverzichtbar.Dominik Steffani, Partner bei H&Z Management Consulting, beschreibt im Gespräch mit David Anheier eine Verschiebung, die viele Beratungsführungen unterschätzen: Projektteams bestehen künftig auch aus Agenten, nicht nur aus Menschen. Für Dominik bedeutet das mehr statt weniger Verantwortung für den Projektleiter, der ein "bionisches Team" aus Mensch und Maschine führen muss. Er erklärt, warum viele Beratungen gerade jetzt beim Junior-Hiring auf die Bremse treten, welches Risiko das für die Führungspipeline der nächsten drei bis fünf Jahre erzeugt, und warum Neugier und Fragenstellen wichtiger werden als reine Geschwindigkeit.Dich erwarten folgende Learnings:1) Was Beratungen übersehen, wenn sie auf "Digital Natives" setzen.2) Wie Junior-Ausbildung heute die Führungsfähigkeit von morgen bestimmt.3) Wie sich die Rolle des Projektleiters durch Agenten im Team verändert.4) Wie Neugier verhindert, dass Beratung zum Durchschnitt wird.5) Wie sich Teamstruktur und Vergütungsmodelle in Beratungen durch KI verändern.___________Dominik freut sich über Austausch zum Thema KI, Führung und Talententwicklung in der Beratung. Vernetze Dich mit ihm auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-a-steffani/ ___________David ist Partner bei entero und verfügt über umfangreiche Erfahrung in der Salesforce-Beratung, insbesondere im Consulting von Beratungsunternehmen bei der Optimierung und Digitalisierung ihrer Prozesse.In den letzten zehn Jahren hat er Teams geleitet, komplexe Kundenbeziehungen verwaltet und digitale Lösungen implementiert, die die betriebliche Effizienz verbessern.Seine Leidenschaft gilt der Unterstützung von Unternehmen bei der Nutzung von Technologien zur Förderung von Wachstum und Transformation, um sicherzustellen, dass sie in einer zunehmend digitalen Welt wettbewerbsfähig bleiben.Schreibe David einfach via E-Mail unter [email protected] oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danheier/ 

Send us Fan Mail55% of the professional services market is running negative EBITDA.Most blame the market. Top performers don’t.Connor Budden, Global Director at SPI Research, joins Sammy to unpack what nearly two decades of benchmark data reveal about performance in consulting and professional services. While many firms point to difficult market conditions, SPI’s data shows that top-performing firms continue to grow and protect profitability by operating differently. Connor explains the five performance pillars behind SPI’s maturity model, why leadership has the highest impact on firm performance, and how the best firms build stronger systems across talent, client relationships, AI adoption, and project focus.You’ll learn:1. Why market conditions do not explain the full performance gap2. What the top 5% do differently across leadership and operating maturity3. How high performers use feedback, focus, and client outcome tracking4. Why AI adoption works better through small, compounding improvements5. Where to start if your firm wants to move toward higher performance___________Connor Budden is open to connecting about professional services performance, benchmarking, and operating maturity.If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-budden/___________Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast

Send us Fan MailAI is not just changing consulting delivery. It is exposing how your firm is built.Gianluca Barletta, Partner and Global Head of Data Science at PA Consulting, explains why the consulting firms that win in the AI era will not simply be the ones with the most tools. They will be the firms that hire for learning ability and creative thinking, equip their people safely, build the data foundations needed for enterprise-scale AI, and make augmentation a leadership decision at every level. Gianluca shares why many AI pilots fail once they meet real organizational complexity, how client expectations are shifting toward faster business value, and why AI-native early-career talent may be one of the industry’s biggest opportunities.You’ll learn:1. Why AI pilots often fail when they meet legacy systems and fragmented data2. How hiring criteria are shifting from technical depth to learning ability3. Why partner-level AI fluency matters for firm-wide adoption4. How AI-native talent can accelerate the next consulting model5. What separates volume-led firms from ingenuity-led firms in the AI era__________Gianluca Barletta is open to connecting about AI augmentation, data foundations, and the future consulting model. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-barletta-phd-44080910/Sarah Edwards is Chief Product Officer at Kantata and has spent over 30 years helping professional services firms scale, transform, and deliver measurable business value across the US and Europe. She is passionate about how AI is reshaping the consulting industry, from how firms win work and deliver outcomes to how they empower talent and strengthen client relationships.Get in touch with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahedwards3/More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast

Send us Fan MailDie wichtigste Entscheidung beim Teamaufbau ist nicht wo, sondern mit wem.Christoph Hinz, Co-Head Transaction Services bei RÖDL teilt seine Erfahrungen aus dem Aufbau von Teams an verschiedenen Standorten und zeigt, warum nicht Markt, Pipeline oder Geschwindigkeit über Erfolg entscheiden, sondern die erste Führungspersönlichkeit vor Ort. Im Gespräch wird deutlich, wie viel Disziplin es braucht, dem internen Druck standzuhalten und erst zu starten, wenn die richtige Person gefunden ist. Christoph erklärt, warum Kompromisse im Hiring langfristig teuer werden, welche Kriterien wirklich zählen und wie Integration statt Akquise in den ersten Monaten den Unterschied macht. Zudem geht es um die Rolle von Kultur, lokaler Passung und warum Führung im Teamaufbau eher Enabling als Kontrolle bedeutet.Dich erwarten folgende Learnings:1) Warum der erste Hire den gesamten Standort strukturell prägt.2) Woran falsche Hiring-Entscheidungen früh erkennbar sind.3) Wie Integration schneller Wachstum ermöglicht als reine Akquise.4) Welche Kriterien bei der Auswahl der Führungsperson entscheidend sind.5) Warum zu frühes Starten langfristig teurer ist als Warten.___________Christoph Hinz freut sich über den Austausch zum Thema Team- und Standortaufbau in Beratungen. Vernetze dich mit ihm auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophhinz/?locale=en ___________Über den Host Sammy:Sammy und SAWOO bieten einen B2B-Community-Building-Service, der Dich als Vordenker in Deiner Branche etabliert und Dir hilft, echte, zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen zu Deinen Wunschkunden aufzubauen.Schreibe Sammy einfach via E-Mail unter [email protected] oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Bisherige Gäste des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au und viele weitere!

Send us Fan MailAI projects fail because leadership assumes deploying the tool is the finish line.In this episode, Dr. Anja Konhaeuser, Co-Founder and Partner at OMMAX, explains why AI transformation cannot be treated like a traditional technology rollout.The real challenge starts once the solution is live: employees need to trust outputs, workflows need to change, roles need to be redefined, and leadership needs to actively model the new behavior. Drawing from OMMAX’s work with clients across AI, data, and digital transformation, Anja shows why the old 80/20 logic has flipped: AI may now be 20% technology and 80% organization. For consulting leaders, this episode offers a clear view of where AI projects really succeed or stall: not in the technical build, but in whether people, processes, and leadership behavior change after implementation.You’ll learn:1. Why AI adoption requires more than technical deployment2. How leaders misread AI when they treat it like an IT rollout3. What employee groups need different adoption strategies4. Why visible leadership behavior determines trust in AI5. How consulting delivery changes when adoption becomes the real work___________Dr. Anja Konhaeuser is open to connecting about AI transformation, adoption, and organizational change. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anja-konh%C3%A4user-28282297/___________Anja’s recommendations:You Are the Placebo | https://www.amazon.de/-/en/You-Are-Placebo-Making-Matter/dp/1781802572/r Why We Sleep | https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144324/ ___________Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients. Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/For more perspectives on how leaders are navigating topics like this, follow the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Community on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadersinconsulting-en 

Send us Fan MailWhen AI commoditizes delivery work, consulting firms have to prove where their real value lives.Olly Purnell, Managing Partner and co-founder of Q5, argues that consulting is being pushed back toward a more precise advisory model: specialist expertise, clear scope, and judgment clients cannot easily replicate. As AI makes research, benchmarking, reporting, and analysis faster and cheaper, firms built around scaled delivery and broad service portfolios face a harder question. What are they truly known for? Olly shares why Q5 has operated more like an architect’s practice since 2009, why fixed-fee, fixed-scope work can create sharper client value, and why future-ready consulting firms still need to invest in young talent.You’ll learn:1. Why AI weakens the economics of large delivery teams2. How specialist firms can create advantage in uncertain markets3. What makes generalist positioning increasingly vulnerable4. Why fixed-scope advisory changes the client relationship5. How future talent keeps expertise from becoming outdatedOlly Purnell is open to connecting about specialist advisory, AI, and the future consulting model. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-purnell-organization-health/ Sarah Edwards is Chief Product Officer at Kantata and has spent over 30 years helping professional services firms scale, transform, and deliver measurable business value across the US and Europe. She is passionate about how AI is reshaping the consulting industry, from how firms win work and deliver outcomes to how they empower talent and strengthen client relationships.Get in touch with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahedwards3/ More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast 

Send us Fan MailThe next consulting advantage is not account-led or expert-led. It is a combination of the two.Dr. Karsten Ballüder, Partner at Deloitte and leader of the firm’s European Application Modernization practice, joins David to discuss how consulting firms can stay differentiated when AI makes generic knowledge and polished output easier to produce. Karsten argues that relationships still open doors, but they are no longer enough on their own. In complex, mission-critical work, clients need confidence that the people in the room have seen the problem before, know where it tends to break, and can bring expertise that is not simply available to everyone through AI. This conversation explores the tension between account-led growth and expert-led credibility, why internal incentives can block real collaboration, and what consulting leaders need to build if they want trust and expertise to reinforce each other.You’ll learn:1. Why generic consulting output is becoming harder to defend2. How account leaders and experts create value together3. Why lived delivery experience matters more in the AI era4. How internal incentives can keep the right expertise out of the room5. What experts must do to become commercially visible inside the firm___________Dr. Karsten Ballüder is open to connecting about consulting growth, expert leadership, AI-driven commoditization, and the relationship between trust and expertise.If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karsten-ballueder/ ___________Karsten’s reading recommendation:Getting Things Done | https://www.amazon.de/dp/0143126563 ___________David is a Partner at entero and has extensive experience in Salesforce consulting, particularly in advising consulting firms on the optimization and digitalization of their processes. Over the past ten years, he has led teams, managed complex client relationships, and implemented digital solutions that improve operational efficiency. His passion lies in helping companies use technology to drive growth and transformation, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly digital world. Simply write to David by email at [email protected] connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danheier/ ___________For more perspectives on how leaders are navigating topics like this, follow the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Community on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadersinconsulting-en/  

Send us Fan MailSelling inputs led to price pressure. Selling outcomes delivered a 20:1 ROI.Most consulting firms don’t lose pricing power because of competition. They lose it in how they define their value. In this episode, Rob Ferrone, Founder of Quick Release, explains how his firm moved from selling person-days and deliverables to owning measurable business outcomes.After facing increasing commoditization, Rob and his team reframed their work around cost, speed, and quality impact. This shift unlocked significantly higher pricing, stronger client access, and scalable growth. Through real examples, including a $21M impact project with 20:1 ROI, Rob breaks down what actually changes when consulting firms move from execution to outcome ownership, and why this model is becoming critical in an AI-driven market.You’ll learn:1. Why selling inputs like time and headcount leads to pricing pressure2. How to reframe consulting work around measurable business outcomes3. What it takes to access senior stakeholders and “the keys to the castle”4. How to structure outcome-based pricing with upside potential5. Why solving client problems creates more demand, not less___________ Rob Ferrone is open to connecting about outcome-based consulting and pricing strategy.If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ferrone/___________ Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients. Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ 

Send us Fan MailThe most dangerous place in consulting today isn’t the bottom…It’s the middle.Mid-sized consulting firms continue to grow, but many are becoming structurally fragile without realizing it. In this episode, Amol Punekar, Regional Director of Business for the UK and EU at Lyzr AI, explains why only service-led models create non-durable revenue and increasing pressure over time. He outlines how firms get squeezed between scaled incumbents and niche specialists—and why competing on effort is no longer viable. The conversation explores how productized, IP-led offerings change revenue quality, improve margins, and create long-term defensibility, along with what it actually takes to make that shift inside a consulting organization.You’ll learn:1. Why service-led consulting creates fragile, reset-every-year revenue2. How the “squeezed middle” makes mid-sized firms structurally vulnerable3. What productized services change in margins, win rates, and positioning4. How to identify what to productize using the “three-time rule”5. Why most firms fail—and the leadership trade-offs required to succeed___________ Amol Punekar is open to connecting on enterprise AI transformation and IP asset-led consulting models. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amol-punekar-3760671/___________ Amol’s book recommendations:The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio | https://www.amazon.de/dp/1471196690/ Visualize by Maya Raichoora | https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Visualise-Maya-Raichoora/dp/1846048524/ ___________ Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients. Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/___________ More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast