How a Consultant’s Report Nearly Sank Our Transformation— And What Saved It 

Ever seen a team smiling at a risk report, blissfully unaware they’re heading straight for disaster? That was nearly us—a few years back, managing a major transformation with a panel of big-name advisors.

One project faced a non-negotiable regulatory deadline. The consultant review flagged a delivery risk, but the language was classic consultant-speak: carefully worded, easy to soften, and just ambiguous enough for the Steering Committee to “accept the risk” and move on.

🤔 Here’s the thing:
When the pressure is high and the language is fuzzy, people will always choose the pleasant interpretation. That’s how big promises get broken.

I wasn’t in the meeting, but when I heard what happened, I sent a blunt email to the executive:
“You can’t just accept this risk—you have to manage it. You’ve made promises to the regulator, the board, and your customers. This isn’t just a potential issue—it’s a preview of disaster if you do nothing.”

To his credit, he listened and brought me to the next Steering Committee.
I dropped the consultant-speak and spelled it out: Act now, or you’ll break those promises—with real consequences.

We ran a contingency workshop, made tough calls, and put real plans in place.
✅ The deadline was met. The promises held. Disaster was averted.

💡 What I Learned
1️⃣ Consultant-speak is dangerous. Ambiguous risk language gives wiggle room for wishful thinking—especially under pressure. That’s how critical issues get ignored.
2️⃣ Risks are warnings, not paperwork. A risk report is a snapshot of a bad future you can still avoid. If a risk can be “accepted” and nothing changes, was it really a risk?

🚦 Transformation Health Check
If you want to move beyond box-ticking and get an honest, independent picture of your transformation’s real health, we can help.
We offer a focused, independent 5–10 day Transformation Health Check—no sugarcoating, no consultant-speak. Just clarity, insight, and a clear path forward.

Contact Rainman Advisory if you want your transformation to deliver on its promises—not just its paperwork.