I recently was referred to a CEO by another CEO who told him, “One of the reasons he will be most helpful to you is that he [meaning me] does not need you. He does not need your business or need to please you in any way. Therefore, he will tell you the truth, whereas someone else might be afraid to do that.” That is one of the values of outside input. Their voices aren’t muffled by conflicts of interest that may be present when you consult the internal advisers you already have.
