Blending Exploration, Exploitation, and Human Connection in Consulting

Back in 2017, I had the privilege of authoring two chapters in Management Consultancy Insights and Real Consultancy Projects (Routledge), one being “The Role of Client Knowledge in Consulting Projects: Explorative, Exploitative and Ambidextrous Approaches.”

The ideas we explored then – around how consultants can balance deep client insight with structured problem-solving and external perspective – continue to resonate strongly in today’s complex, fast-moving environments.

In my current work at Mosaic FSI, consulting across financial services in the areas of operational excellence and governance, risk, and compliance, I’m constantly reminded of one core truth:

Our role is not to compete with that knowledge but to unlock, structure, and accelerate it – using the right problem framing, tools, and lessons from other contexts.

But it’s not just about models and frameworks. The real difference comes from building strong relationships – being emotionally intelligent, social, and engaging. When clients trust you, they open up. And when they open up, the real work begins.

The best outcomes come from blending:

• Explorative thinking (what could be);
• Exploitative insight (what we know works), and;
• Ambidextrous approaches (shifting as needed);
• while staying grounded in strong human connection.

For consultants, these ideas are more than academic – they’re fundamental.

For those in consulting, the ideas from this piece feel even more critical now than when we first published it.