Consultants, experts and how contrasting skill sets create great cross-functional teams

05.02.2025

When businesses bring in external expertise, they often assume they need either a consultant or a subject expert. In reality, these roles serve different but complementary functions, and the best project outcomes come from leveraging the unique skills, traits and knowledge of both. 

Understanding their distinct contributions – and how they can be paired effectively – is key to delivering successful, high-impact projects. At Hyphen, part of the reason is why we believe so strongly in cross-functional teams is because we have seen those contributions and know how to build the optimal collections of talented, practically-minded individuals. 

Here, we will explain what each of these types of professional partners brings to client engagements and why the contrasts between them can be beneficial. 

The consultant: Strategic thinking and structured delivery 

Experienced when it comes to structured problem-solving, strategic planning, and project execution, consultants bring a methodical and disciplined approach to tackling business challenges. 

They approach business challenges systematically, identifying inefficiencies, designing solutions, and driving implementation. This knowledge of frameworks and in-depth analysis means they bring great versatility in terms of the projects they can contribute to, as these skills can be applied to all manner of industries. 

Another key reason for bringing in consultants is that they can be trusted to offer an external perspective. Unencumbered by internal biases or legacy thinking, they can introduce best practices from different sectors, helping businesses innovate and avoid common pitfalls. 

Offering more of a generalist perspective, they can quickly offer breadth – rather than depth – on any given project and are well versed in stakeholder management, making them valuable assets on a wide variety of projects. 

The expert: Precision and depth of knowledge 

Experts bring deep, subject-specific knowledge that makes them crucial when working on highly technical projects. These individuals have honed their skills and talent in a particular industry or discipline over years – or even decades – and can provide a trusted voice when facing a complex challenge. 

Whether it’s their in-depth knowledge of best practices, regulations, operational intricacies or emerging trends, these professionals can not only help spot opportunities for improvements, they can also help to mitigate risks. 

While some experts might not specialise in structuring projects or driving execution, they can still provide invaluable input into what can and should be done – or avoided – to keep an engagement running smoothly. 

In short, their focus is on accuracy, and their strength lies in their depth of knowledge, so while the breadth of projects they can work on might be small, the impact they can have can be transformative. 

Combining skillsets to maximise impacts 

By building cross-functional teams that capitalise on their contrasting skill sets, we can give our clients an ideal blend of practicality and pragmatism. 

After all, an experienced consultant might be able to build a scalable framework or provide a detailed plan but it could also lack the industry-specific detail needed for success. Similarly, a subject matter expert can share their deep knowledge but might also struggle to translate it into a structured, executable plan. 

Bringing in both aligned within a cross-functional team ensures the best of both worlds: strategic oversight, expert insight, and the ability to execute effectively. Businesses that embrace this approach don’t just solve problems; they create solutions that are both actionable and built to last. 

For all differing types of experience can be beneficial, the building of effective cross-functional teams still requires a lot more planning than just grouping individuals together based on their resumes. Cultural factors, personality types, diversity of experience, communication skills and decision-making authority are all among the many factors taken in consideration. 

The result of this pre-engagement work ensures that the teams we build are able to make an instant impact once on the ground and deliver the optimal, tangible results for clients. 

Partner with us for your biggest challenges 

At Hyphen, we understand that every project is unique. That’s why we build cross-functional teams tailored to your specific goals, leveraging flexible engagement models to ensure maximum impact. 

Whether you’re launching a transformational initiative, navigating a complex operational challenge, or exploring new growth opportunities, we can source the experts you need to realise your ambitions. Let us provide the expertise, innovation, and collaboration you need to succeed – on your terms. 

Contact our team and see how Hyphen’s approach can work for you.