“How should we organize IT?”

It’s one of the most common—and consequential—questions in the CIO’s office.

The way IT is structured directly impacts how effectively it partners with the business, delivers value, and shapes enterprise outcomes. One popular model that periodically resurfaces is the idea of configuring internal IT teams to operate as “consultants to the business.”

At first glance, the model seems attractive. It borrows from the structure of external consulting firms, with IT staff positioned as advisors and solution providers to internal stakeholders. In some cases, this manifests as a few “consultant-like” roles serving as key interfaces to business units. In more extreme versions, the entire IT organization is modeled after a consulting firm—complete with proposals, pitch decks, and internal competitive bidding.

So, is this model visionary or flawed? Before weighing in, let’s examine the reasoning behind it—and where it tends to break down.

The Business Case for Internal IT as Consultants

Organizations adopting the internal consultant model typically cite three primary advantages:

1. Greater Commitment to the Enterprise
   Internal consultants are assumed to be more aligned with company values, strategy, and long-term success. They prioritize enterprise impact over profit margin.
2. Faster Ramp-Up
   Internal teams already know the systems, the stakeholders, and the culture—so project execution begins without the onboarding delay that often comes with external firms.
3. Lower Cost
   Internal consultants, in theory, offer similar capabilities at a lower cost. There’s no premium for sales overhead, partner markups, or profit margins.

On the surface, the model appears to offer the best of both worlds: business intimacy with professional polish.

Why the Model Often Falls Short

Despite its appeal, this structure rarely delivers on its full promise. In practice, it introduces several persistent challenges:

1. Skill Expectations Outpace Reality

Calling someone a consultant sets the bar high. The term carries expectations around communication, analysis, facilitation, and strategic insight. Many IT professionals haven’t been trained—or rewarded—for those capabilities. The label often precedes the skillset.

2. Lack of External Perspective

External consultants gain credibility by bringing best practices and cross-industry insights. Internal consultants, no matter how capable, operate within the confines of a single enterprise context. Their recommendations can feel insular, even when sound.

3. Credibility Gaps

No matter their expertise, internal consultants are often viewed as peers—not change agents. The “familiarity barrier” undermines their ability to challenge assumptions or disrupt entrenched thinking.

4. Role Confusion with Sales Behavior

Once positioned as consultants, internal teams may begin “selling” solutions or proposing new work in an effort to stay visible and relevant. This creates tension, undermines trust, and can blur the line between value creation and self-preservation.

5. Organizational Politics Create Constraints

External consultants are hired precisely because they can speak uncomfortable truths. Internal staff, embedded in reporting lines and office politics, rarely enjoy that same license.

6. Residual Cynicism About Consulting

Fair or not, consultants—external or internal—can carry reputational baggage. Stakeholders may bristle at being “consulted,” especially by colleagues from within.

A Better Way Forward: Consultant Capabilities, Not Titles

Here’s the paradox: The behaviors of effective consultants are exactly what internal IT teams should aspire to. But adopting the label of “internal consultant” often does more harm than good.

What works is building consulting-level competencies into IT roles—without the overhead of formalizing a consulting model.

That means elevating execution in areas like:

• Business analysis and stakeholder engagement
• Process mapping and facilitation
• Structured communication and executive presence
• Meeting discipline and follow-through
• Program and project leadership

These are not soft skills—they’re enterprise skills. And when IT professionals embody them, their credibility, influence, and partnership with the business expand dramatically.

The most respected IT leaders don’t call their teams consultants. They simply equip them to deliver with clarity, precision, and strategic intent—qualities any executive partner values.

Final Thought

Positioning IT as a consulting function can seem like a shortcut to relevance. But real influence isn’t built on optics—it’s built on trust, capability, and outcomes.

Instead of mimicking the consulting model, adopt its disciplines. Coach your team to think critically, speak fluently with the business, and deliver results that matter. That’s how you earn a seat at the table—not just as a service provider, but as a strategic peer.

So yes, run IT like a consulting partner. Just don’t call it that.

Let me know if you’d like a companion playbook for building consulting-grade capabilities across IT roles.