1. You've spent almost two decades leading inside some of the world's most structured organizations, and then made a deliberate shift to fractional and consulting work. What was the moment — or the realization — that told you formal authority was never really the point?
To put this into perspective, in my mind there was never a question of not having formal authority; rather, it was always about how I can stay relevant and be more meaningful in the little time I have at my disposal. And all this by not getting involved in corporate red tape; instead, focus on getting value delivered quickly. Sometime back in Dec-Jan 2022/23, when my key stakeholder (CEO designated) had to cut short my engagement over a phone call in a very surprising move, I stepped back. Instead of sulking over what had happened, I tried to appreciate the fact that ways of working are in fact changing and they are evolving rapidly - especially within leadership roles. That was probably a trigger or a moment when I first realized the importance of being an “embedded operator” solving bigger problems instead of being a final decision-maker or a pure advisor.
2. When you walk into a new engagement today, you have no org chart, no direct reports, no institutional backing. How do you describe what you actually bring to that room — and how has that answer evolved over the years?
There is always an org chart and institutional backing - question is where do you see and find yourself fitting into it meaningfully? With fractional roles, no one (including yourself) cares about org charts - rather the focus is to ensure that your sponsor exactly knows and cascades to the rest of the organization why you have been brought onboard. Usually you operate at the same or one level below your sponsor - that makes it easier for you to prove your value add. One must remember that getting you onboard was a decision of the sponsor or someone advising the sponsor. Your part is to get things done!
The Power of Influence
3. Trust is an indispensable currency for a consultant, but it usually takes time that most engagements don't afford. What's your approach to earning enough credibility, fast enough, to actually move things?
The lesson I learnt over the years is to work with a leader (sponsor) who looks at you as quintessential. Someone who would have seen your work and operating pattern in the past. So as soon as you have your foot in the door, this takes care of getting that first “credibility” cheque deposited. What follows thereafter is mainly driven through your years of experience and how you go about reaching those short-term engagement goals, which would add up to strategic objectives behind those engagements. Your first few reviews are important (happened every 2–3 weeks in the present agile environment) for you to stay in that zone.
4. Senior leaders inside corporates are often protective of their turf. How do you navigate that dynamic — being an outsider with an opinion — without triggering defensiveness or resistance?
That’s the beauty and best part of fractional roles - you don't have to be an advisor (best done by advisory firms, BIG 4s or likes of them) unless asked for. Rather, you focus on being an embedded operator. You don't work with Senior Leaders in order to act as a shield; rather, you work as a multiplier. There are plenty of articles on the internet talking about fractional roles, their cost arbitrage, and how these roles have been enabling faster turnaround - the bottom line is, you have been brought into an ecosystem because no one else is there to meet certain objectives. So, if you are playing with the right sponsor, you don't see much defensiveness or resistance. At the same time, all senior leaders care about is that fractional roles should not disrupt the ecosystem and the basic fabric of the organization culture.
5. You've worked across North America, Europe and APAC. Does leading without a title feel different across cultures? Where is it hardest, and where does it come most naturally?
Each region has its own work culture and underlying challenges whether you have titles or no titles. Europe’s operating pattern is more structured and layered - that means you would get an equal seat when it comes to discussing progress of initiatives/engagements/projects where you are part of. But that may not be the case if the forum touches other aspects of the organization (people, strategy, P&L, etc.). Your gateway to the top is through your supplier/partner manager. The overall pace would be slow, but outcomes would be clear. North America, India and SEA are a bit different - work patterns are faster paced, heavily outcome-driven in a short period, and at times untidy (or even messier). So, you have to mould yourself accordingly. I believe each region teaches you to be a better version of yourself. Personally, Europe has taught me to be precise and accurate, even though that would mean more time for engagement completion. Other markets have taught me speed and agility. And I am still learning!
The Hard Truths
6. What is the single biggest mistake you see consultants and fractional leaders make when they try to lead inside a corporate — something even experienced professionals get wrong?
Fractional roles need a mix of different skills and not just your core technical skills. Few common mistakes people in fractional roles make:
Firstly, you need to be equally good in positioning, marketing your value add, and connecting your milestone-based outcomes to the original problem for which you were brought in. By doing this, you are eventually seeding the ground for future work through indirect business development. You are your own sales representative. On the ground, you cannot be seen as someone giving instructions only - people don't expect that from Fractional Leaders, rather they want to see them as enablers.
Secondly, people in fractional roles end up thinking that they can sign up for more work in parallel. This doesn’t help and takes away the focus. If you are there to solve a strategic problem of your sponsor, you need to put your 100% into it - mind, time and effort.
Thirdly, given senior-level fractional roles cost 25-30% less to a corporate as compared to full-time roles, many people in senior fractional roles think that they are being paid less and end up doing mid-way bargaining or leaving engagements. One must stick to what was agreed at first place. Once you build the trust and rapport, you would have more opportunities to renegotiate.
7. There's a fine line between being a trusted advisor and overstepping. Have you ever crossed it — or come close? What did that teach you?
Enterprises mostly look at Fractional Leadership Roles in order to bridge the leadership gap. There is a concept of “Fractional Twins”. So while you are pairing with some leader, one must be cognizant of the fact that your success is by and large seen through the success of your pairing partner and his/her overall enablement. That also means, you need to create opportunities and the right set of conditions for your pairing partner to make decisions. This is not easy to do initially and does not come naturally. You learn with time and slowly build on top of it. I am still learning it as well 🙂
8. Corporate leaders sometimes dismiss consultants as people who "borrow your watch to tell you the time." How do you make sure your value is felt, not just invoiced?
Unfortunately, that’s how the perception has evolved over a period of time and there is no easy escape to it in a broader industry context. A fancy presentation by an external strategy and consulting firm on a new initiative doesn’t guarantee a successful execution, hence you need people who have broader experience from Lead -> Order -> Cash.
In my experience, unless you do not have skin in the game, you will not be able to change that perception. During one of my assignments with a leading European company operating in digital marketing and communication, I deliberately pushed for milestone-based payment. It meant that I didn't get paid a single penny for a good 5 months, impacting my cash flow severely, but eventually it resulted into a great relationship which multiplied the trust factor. But those are the choices you have to make based on your confidence, engagement in hand, and what motivates an organization to hire you. Sending invoice weekly/biweekly/monthly doesn't hurt, but sometimes you have to detour to reach your final destination.
The Identity Shift
9. After decades of building teams, owning P&Ls, and holding senior titles — was there an identity adjustment when you stepped into a role where none of that was visible? How did you work through it?
Luckily for me, during many of my engagements I was hired as an FTE with a prior understanding on exit strategy as soon as engagement objectives are met and closed. So, things were visible to me but yes, they were hazy as well. Again, going back to my earlier points, with experience you learn and grow within the defined operating boundaries and these boundaries do exist whether you have the title or not. So, I would say, if you keep this as a secondary thought, you would be able to navigate the journey with much ease. At the end of the day, all you care about is the success of the business you are working for and your own financial success tied to it.
10. What do you know now about influence and leadership that you wish someone had told you at the start of your corporate career — before titles became the default measure of authority?
One of my key lessons has been: Consistency -> Credibility -> Positioning. This simple mantra fosters growth in a systematic way which is sustainable. Titles come and go during the process. I would have loved to have seeded this in my mind early in my career, especially when I was in the 8-12 years of experience bracket. Reflecting back, somewhere I lacked in “consistency” during the first half of my career and that is something I have been trying to work upon ever since, with some success. Titles have always been a measure of authority - they get you a seat, a conversation, an opportunity to have your POV heard - but again, it’s not everything. In modern times, when you look at large enterprises, titles still hold lots of merit, but in fast-growing startups and SMBs you are more respected if you keep them outside the door and let your skills and influencing power do the job for you.
Looking Forward
11. GCCs, startups, and large enterprises are all increasingly turning to fractional and consulting leadership. Do you think Indian corporate culture is ready to truly embrace leaders who operate without a title — or is there still a long way to go?
As GCCs, startups and large enterprises are seeing non-linear growth just in time and rapidly, the rise of on-demand leadership is happening. You would agree that the leadership pipeline in a formal way takes a long time - you identify a talent, map it to a future role (2-3 years down the line), and invest your resources in developing that individual. With the pace at which growth is happening and expected to come in (inorganic, M&As, shift in strategy, market, etc.), organizations have been trying to build the leadership before the actual product-market fit happens. It gives them not only the cost advantage but also helps them experiment on the viability without taking too many risks. Capital expenditure pressure is much there when you see the landscape of Seed -> Series B; hence the buildup is happening where you have a blended leadership team comprising FTEs and fractional roles.
And all this has just started happening. I would say it is in an embryonic stage within Indian corporate culture. Going by different reports emerging from policy-making bodies and research firms, this segment is poised to grow in the near term (1-3-5 years) as innovation takes priority. Fractional leadership roles are great success stories within an ecosystem which are in a phase where growth/transitioning, capability building, market entry are happening for the first time.
12. For a senior professional considering this shift — from a titled corporate role to consulting or fractional leadership — what's the one thing they must make peace with before they make the move?
For senior leaders, or for that matter anyone else, this is not a “make or break” career decision - this is a choice you would make given your personal priorities. The question is, “Why are people opting for fractional roles in the interim or for the rest of their career?” And the reason/answer could be very personal - especially now when we have been living in a post-pandemic era where we are more informed on the kind of uncertainties which may come our way and impact they would have on global markets, personal health, finances and overall wellbeing. For some people autonomy in their career is important, while for many better work-life balance and reduced burnouts are the main drivers. So, my suggestion would be to be clear on what drives you for the next 1-3-5 years and reflect back/assess on your journey periodically.
One last thing on this topic where people would need to make peace is: You have to bake your own cake! No one else will do it for you. You would be on a shoestring!
--Ends--
For business enquiries or professional collaborations, Vineet Sood can be reached at vineetsood2003@gmail.com or via LinkedIn
