Hello Reader,

Part 3 of the Engaged Epistemology Series - 3-minute read

Where we are in the series: We’ve established that knowledge work is becoming relational (Part 1) and explored how to structure learning partnerships (Part 2).

Now we tackle the economics: how does this actually make your work more valuable as a solo operator over 60?

My late mentor Denis Hitchens, a brilliant marketing strategist, found himself increasingly frustrated.

Project after project, he was applying the same frameworks, delivering predictable solutions.

The work that once energised him had become mechanical. and frustrating to him.

Sound familiar?

The Expert Trap

Most experienced professionals launch into consulting by packaging their decades of expertise into repeatable frameworks—their proven mental models and approaches.

Their logical strategy: we have knowledge, clients have problems we can solve.

Denis had developed brilliant marketing frameworks through years of experience.

They worked. Clients got results.

But here’s what he discovered: while his frameworks were repeatable and profitable, they weren’t growing. Each project used the same mental models without challenging or expanding them.

The reality: when you only apply existing frameworks, your expertise becomes static. You’re not learning from new contexts—you’re just repeating what you already know. Your mental models calcify instead of evolving. The work becomes intellectually deadening because there’s no growth, no discovery, no challenge to your thinking.

And seriously, after a lifetime of work, why would you want to continue doing the same old, same old?

Why There’s an Alternative

Post-industrial organisations aren't factories with simple input-output problems. They're culturally complex systems where the stated problem often isn't the real problem.

Here's the danger: when clients brief you on what they think they need, they're often wrong about the root issue.

• Traditional consulting takes the brief and applies proven solutions.
• Collaborative consulting questions the brief itself.

Denis discovered an alternative approach illustrated by his colleague, Margaret, an HR consultant facing a similar challenge.

Instead of accepting the brief ("fix our remote work culture"), she started with: "Help me understand what's unique about how culture actually operates here. What patterns do you notice that might not fit standard approaches?"

Through exploration, the real issue emerged. Their top performers weren't struggling with remote work skills—they were struggling because their leadership style depended on physical presence for trust-building. The "culture problem" was actually a relationship intelligence challenge.

This insight couldn't come from applying existing frameworks. It emerged from questioning the original brief and thinking through the specific context together.

Three Business Benefits

1. Intellectual engagement returns: Each project teaches you something about how organisations really work, making subsequent projects more sophisticated rather than more repetitive.
2. Premium positioning through problem definition: Clients pay more for someone who helps them understand what they’re really dealing with, not just someone who executes solutions to surface symptoms.
3. Sustainable competitive advantage: Your ability to question briefs and think through complex contexts can’t be replicated by younger consultants following proven methodologies.

The Simple Shift

With your next client conversation you may like to try this:

• Instead of: “I’ll assess your situation and provide recommendations”
• Try: “What makes this challenge different from others you’ve faced? Let’s explore that together.”

Position yourself as the professional who helps organisations understand what they’re actually dealing with, not just someone who applies standard solutions to stated problems.

For solo operators over 60, this approach taps into something you’ve likely noticed: how often the initial problem description changes once you start asking questions.

That instinct to probe deeper before jumping to solutions? That’s decades of experience recognising when something doesn’t quite add up.

P.S. This is from Part 3 of my Engaged Epistemology series.
Read the full framework with implementation examples here. https://wisepreneurs.com.au/economics-of-emergence-collaborative-thinking-business-value​

Cheers

Nigel Rawlins | Wisepreneurs
​Strategic Guide for Experience-Based Professionals​
​Host: Wisepreneurs Podcast (75+ expert conversations—new one out this Friday 3 October, 2025)