In this episode, Dr. Sarah Holtan talks to Dr. Drumm McNaughton, who is a consultant at The Change Leader and podcast host of Changing Higher Ed. They talk about the benefits of potentially hiring a consultant for a college or institution. They discuss how it's about foresight, being able to see ahead, and help everyone navigate what's to come and get ready for that.

Drumm advocates for the importance of having a strategic plan that sets your institution on its path forward. Without proper planning, you may end up spending more money than is necessary. Though getting outside expertise can be expensive, it's often worth considering to make sure all bases are covered in advance.

Drumm's keen insights have helped countless institutions find the perfect consultant to meet their specific needs. Internal hires can offer a unique set of advantages that come from a broad range and depth of experience, but his advice for any aspiring consultants is clear: if your motivation isn't solely to help students achieve success then you're in the wrong line of business. Listen to transform your institution by learning the powerful strategies to hire a consultant.

Episode Highlights

04:17 - So, there are multiple ways that a consultant can help. And the benefits is you're getting expertise that you wouldn't normally have on your staff to be able to walk you through specific problems or to take your institution to the next level.

10:48 - It's got to be a good fit from a personality perspective. Will they be able to relate to your institution? And more importantly, will your institution be able to relate to them? Will there be the mutual respect there that needs to be?

16:09 - If you can hire internally, do it. With a consultant, you're not necessarily paying for time. What you're doing is, at least with good consultants, you're paying for their experience, their ability to get to the core issues, the gestalt of what the problem is, and to be able to solve that.

18:38 - If you get into a situation and you need a consultant, find someone who is going to be able to work with you and your budget.

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Sarah Holtan, PhD

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Drumm McNaughton, PhD

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