There’s a quiet shift happening in the world of executive leadership. The traditional path to the C-suite — 20+ years inside a single organization, rising steadily through the internal ranks — is no longer the default.
What’s replacing it?
Consulting.
Yes, the data shows that big firms like McKinsey, Accenture, and PwC are producing more CEOs than legacy companies like GE, PepsiCo, or IBM. But that’s only part of the story.
Because I’ve also seen another trend playing out up close: The rise of the private-practice consultant. The independent advisor. The solo strategist who gets tapped for a fractional leadership role — and eventually lands in the full-time C-suite.
These aren’t just McKinsey alumni. They’re entrepreneurs who’ve built consulting businesses on trust, delivery, and cross-functional savvy. And they’re increasingly being asked to step in, not just advise.
I’ve watched it happen over and over again.
A company brings in a consultant to lead a transformation project, or to advise on operations, marketing, or tech strategy. The relationship deepens. The consultant starts functioning like a de facto executive. And then, without a job search or public posting, they’re tapped to become the next Chief Operating Officer, Chief Strategy Officer — even CEO.
And honestly? It makes sense.
Whether you come from a global firm or you’ve built your own practice, the value consulting brings to leadership readiness is hard to ignore. Consider how consultants solve problems — and what that teaches them about people, power, and progress.
Consultants spend their days stepping into ambiguity. They have to bring clarity where there isn’t any, navigate competing priorities, and produce results — often without formal authority. They learn to listen better than most, ask sharper questions, and move decisions forward when others are stuck.
More importantly, consultants build muscle across multiple industries, cultures, and business models. They don’t just know how one company works. They know how many companies work — and where they break. They pick up on patterns that others miss because they’ve seen them repeated in different forms, in different contexts.
That’s a kind of leadership education you can’t replicate in a single corporate lane.
Consultants are highly adaptable — because they’ve had to be. They’ve worked with founders and boards. With Fortune 500s and startups. With teams in crisis and teams in growth mode. They’ve lived in other people’s business problems — and learned how to create outcomes that stick.
That flexibility is gold. Companies need leaders who can evolve quickly, communicate clearly, and lead cross-functionally. They need people who understand the interconnectedness of product, people, tech, finance, and brand.
Consultants often check all those boxes — sometimes more reliably than people who’ve risen up through siloed departments.
“Sometimes you have to experiment with a lot of ideas and see which one sticks. If you’re unsure, let the market decide.”
Dorie Clark
And then there’s the ownership mindset.
The best consultants — especially those who’ve built their own firms — treat every engagement like it’s their business on the line. That builds habits companies want in their executives: Accountability, urgency, value creation, and long-term thinking.
So yes, the bloom is off the rose for the old CEO factories. GE doesn’t have the corner on succession anymore. Consulting — both firm-based and independent — is the new proving ground.
To be clear, not every consultant wants to go in-house. Some thrive in the independence and pace of project work. But for those who are open to it, the path is there — and companies are increasingly looking their way.
The traits that make someone a great consultant — curiosity, clarity, adaptability, and action — are the very traits we need more of in executive leadership.
Not just in theory. But in practice.
And whether you earned them at McKinsey or on your own, they’re being recognized. Right now. In boardrooms and backchannels. Across industries.
At every level.
So whether you’re a consultant eyeing a long-term leadership role, or a founder or hiring exec wondering how to find your next great operator, this is the conversation I love having.
Reach out. I’m happy to share more on what I’ve seen work, what red flags to watch for, and how to position yourself — or your business — for the kind of leadership that actually lasts.