Common coffee chat mistakes - 7 ways candidates screw up pre-interview networking

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During my time at McKinsey I participated in dozens of coffee chats and other pre-interview networking events.  Of the hundreds of conversations I had with candidates, the ones that stand out are the bad ones.

In this post I'll discuss the 7 most common pre-interview networking errors I've seen so you can avoid making them yourself...

DO COFFEE CHATS MATTER?

McKinsey coffee chats and other pre-interview networking events are non-evaluative.  You won't get an interview slot or job offer because of your participation, no matter how charming you are or insightful your questions.  But there is some downside risk - sometimes candidates do and/or say things that can get you dinged.

By the way, you should still participate in these events - even though these events won't help you get an interview, you can learn valuable things about your fit with the Firm.  You can read my earlier post on how to get the most out of coffee chats.

 

FIVE COMMON MISTAKES AND WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT:

1.  Showing up late or missing an event you signed up for

There's no expectation or requirement that you attend these events.  But if you sign up for one, we're expecting you to show up.  If you don't make it or are tardy, that will reflect poorly on your professionalism.  The assumption will be that if you're going to be late to meet with a potential employer, you might miss a client appointment.  So if you have a valid reason for being late or missing an event, let a recruiter know so you don't get dinged for it.

2.  Displaying your ignorance

We understand that many of you are career switchers and might be coming to an event to get your first exposure to consulting.  That's fine, but we would also expect you to do some homework and prepare, just as you should prior to meeting with any potential employer.

If you come to a networking event and ask questions that are easily answered by a simple Google search, it reflects poorly on you.  This is not an environment where there's no such thing as a stupid question.  If you can't be bothered to do some basic research before meeting with a potential employer, we'll wonder if you would be similarly unprepared for a client meeting.

3.  Acting selfishly

I'll describe three types self-centered candidate behavior that reflect this mistake:

• Hogging airtime:  Dominating the conversation and/or continuing to ask questions even though others are waiting to participate
• Boxing out:  Physically preventing others from entering the conversation space
• Asking questions that are too specific:  Forcing the entire group of candidates listen to a consultant answer a question that's so specific, it's only applicable to you

Although these sessions are non-evaluative, consultants are only human (yes, even the McKinsey ones!)  If you act selfishly, we're going to think about what it might be like to work with you.  You might lead us to believe that your lack of consideration for your classmates will translate into a lack of consideration for your colleagues.

4.  Behaving inappropriately

We want you to have a good time, be yourself, and ask anything.  Sometimes, candidates take things a bit too far.  They might have a bit too much to drink at a cocktail event or company presentation.  Or, they might ask questions or make comments that are inappropriate.  I've also seen a candidate get a bit too comfortable and use profanity.  Each of these things would cause us to call your professionalism into question, considering you're doing them in front of potential employers.

5.  Being arrogant

Despite the stereotypes that exist, I found McKinsey consultants to be no more or less arrogant than the general b-school population.  That said, we're well aware of the arrogant McKinsey stereotype so I think we're particularly sensitive about contributing to fulfilling it.  We also know that clients don't react well to arrogance, so if you're exhibiting it, we might doubt if we could put you in front of a client.

6.  Lacking confidence, presence, or poise

Personal presence is hard to define and even harder to coach and improve.  That said, there are a few things everyone should focus on to make sure they come across as well as possible.  The following are good ways to improve the impression you make:

• Make good eye contact
• Speak clearly and audibly
• Listen actively and attentively

When we meet candidates who seem to lack confidence or appear socially awkward, we will worry about whether or not we can put you in front of a senior client.

7.  Appearing indifferent or low energy

Most consultants at these networking events have just left a busy client engagement, traveled to your location, and are squeezing this into an already busy schedule (see my earlier post on the day in the life of a McKinsey consultant for details).  The last thing they want to do is talk with a candidate who appears to be indifferent to the job and the Firm.  It will likely be seen as a lack of interest in the job and your interview slot might go to someone who seems more genuinely interested in the opportunity.

Perhaps your indifference is just the result of fatigue and low energy.  Being a McKinsey consultant is hard work - if you seem tired we're going to wonder if you can keep up with the consulting lifestyle.  Even if you've had a rough week by b-school standards, it's unlikely that it's been tougher than the week the consultant you're talking to is having.

Recruiting coffee chats - 4 tips for McKinsey pre-interview networking events

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If you're applying for management consulting jobs, firms will provide you with opportunities to meet their consultants prior to interviews.  For McKinsey recruits, networking events usually take the form of coffee chats, office hours, cocktail events, and company presentations.

In this post, I'll go over some tips for making the most of these opportunities

WHAT HAPPENS AT THESE EVENTS?

These networking events are for you.  McKinsey wants you to get to know the Firm better, what our people are like, and help you decide whether or not you want to be a part of it.  The intent of the events is the same, but the formats vary:

• Coffee chats - 1-4 candidates have coffee with a McKinsey consultant for 30-45 minutes in a coffee shop near campus.  After brief introductions, the rest of the time is for Q&A
• Office hours - Same as coffee chats but in an office, on-campus.
• Cocktail events - a handful of consultants will meet a larger number of candidates for drinks and hors d' oeuvres.  No specific format, just mingling and conversation.  Invitations often extended to candidates considered high potential.
• Company presentations - often attended by hundreds of your classmates, consists of a 30-60 minute presentation followed by drinks, heavy hors d' oeuvres, mingling and conversation.  Each McKinsey office will have a designated area so you can meet and speak with consultants from the offices you're interested in

 

ARE THEY WORTH ATTENDING?

No one ever got an interview slot or job offer because they went to every networking event.  Nor has anyone gotten dinged because they didn't participate in any.  (Signing up for one and not showing up is another story - I'll deal with that in a post about 7 common mistakes at pre-interview events)

The only reason to go is to learn more about McKinsey and whether or not the job is for you.  If you follow the advice below, they are absolutely worth the time you'll invest.

 

FOUR TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF NETWORKING EVENTS:

1.  TURN THE TABLES - INTERVIEW THE FIRM

Think of this as your opportunity to interview McKinsey.  Try to figure out if the Firm is a place you'd enjoy working and where you can be successful.  Also take this opportunity to think about which office you want to apply to.  Do you find yourself getting along better or worst with consultants from specific offices?

2.  HAVE A PLAN

Go in with a goal in mind - for example, you might want to be able to answer the following questions by the end of this process:

• Do you think you'd enjoy working with the consultants you're meeting?
• Do the things they're working on sound interesting to you?
• Do their reasons for being at the Firm resonate with you?

3.  MEET AS MANY CONSULTANTS AS POSSIBLE

Especially during the larger networking events, try to have conversations at many McKinsey folks as you can.  Think of every conversation as an additional data point that will get you closer to knowing whether or not the Firm and/or specific offices are right for you.  Each consultant you meet will have a unique perspective on the Firm - the more stories you hear, the more likely that you'll find experiences you find compelling.

4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Preparing for these events by doing some research in advance.   This way, you won't have to waste timing asking obvious questions you can find the answers to online.  By understanding the basics of consulting and the Firm, you'll have the context you'll need to get more out of every conversation by digging deeper and getting to know more about each individual consultant you meet.

5 Tips for McKinsey Resume (CV) Screens and Cover Letters

It's recruiting season so many first-year business school students are gearing up for their first consulting recruiting cycle.  So, I'll use the next few posts to discuss some pre-interview elements of the recruiting process.  In this post, I'll go over some 5 simple tips for improving your resume and increasing the likelihood that you'll pass the resume review process and be offered a first-round interview.

If you're not in business school but are applying to a job that requires an interview with and resume screen by a former McKinsey consultant, these tips should still be helpful.

WHY I WON'T JUST GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS

In my years at McKinsey, I reviewed and scored thousands of resumes - hundreds of resumes from multiple schools, two times per year.  I know enough about the resume screening process and criteria to help anyone rewrite their resume to pass the resume screen, but I won't do that for two reasons - (a) quality - I want the Firm to interview the best possible candidates and (b) fairness - I don't want someone to get a resume just because they read a blog post.

However, in this post I will share some resume tips that are either generally accepted knowledge, common sense, or freely shared by consultants with potential applicants.  You might also find this related post (on how the McKinsey resume screening process works) to be helpful

CAVEAT - YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GOODS

It's important to note that these tips are intended to help candidates who are qualified to pass the resume screen.  My underlying assumption will be that you are good enough to get an interview, do well, and get a job offer, but that you might need some guidance to make sure that your resume sufficiently conveys your potential.  Please do not use these tips to manufacture content just to get past the resume screen - you'll eventually falter during the interview process and you'll be taking a valuable interview spot of someone who is actually qualified.

1.  DON'T GIVE US A REASON TO DING YOU

McKinsey consultants are incredibly busy and never have enough time.  Those who participate in recruiting do so on top of their usual 60+ hour work weeks and business travel so they are trying to get through your resume as quickly as possible.  It takes time to review hundreds of resumes per school - if you give a resume reviewer a reason to ding you, they'll gladly take it and move on to the next resume.  Misspellings, typos, poor grammar, and other errors reflect poorly on you and the fact that they made it to the resume screen will call your attention to detail and judgment into question.  Use spell check, proofread, and have others review your resume for you.

A note on cover letters

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way - they will not make or break you at McKinsey.  I'm not even sure if McKinsey even asks for cover letters.  I've gone through dozens of business school resume books and thousands of resumes, but I've never seen a candidate's cover letter during the resume screen process.

If you're asked for one, follow tip #1 and focus your efforts on your resume, case prep, and doing well on the personal experience interviews.

2.  UNDERSTAND THE FOUR TRAITS WE'RE LOOKING FOR

McKinsey makes it very clear what they're looking for:

1. Problem-solving
2. Achieving
3. Ppersonal impact
4. Leadership

You should check their careers website for:

• How McKinsey defines these characteristics.
• Tactical suggestions for a McKinsey-ready resume 
• Sample resume with common resume mistakes

If your interviewer is looking for these traits, it's a good bet that your resume reviewer is, too.  Read your resume again and ask yourself if your resume reflects these traits.  Better yet, ask a friend to read it with those four traits in mind.

3.  GIVE US EVIDENCE THAT YOU'RE DISTINCTIVE

Any management consulting firm is going to be recruiting for the best of the best.  So it's not just enough to show on your resume that you have these four traits - you have to come across as being distinctive in them.  This is not the time to be humble!

Your fellow applicants are all accomplished, impressive professionals.  Make sure your resume communicates why you stand out from the others and support with evidence.  For example, don't just tell us that you're a distinctive problem-solver - highlight examples from your career that show us that you are.  Don't just tell us what a great leader you are - list some examples of your distinctive leadership.

4.  ADDRESS POTENTIAL RED FLAGS

If you think there are aspects of your resume that will raise concerns and give us a reason to ding you, make sure you highlight evidence to the contrary.  For example, if you have no relevant work experience, include the consulting case competition you just won or your leadership position in the consulting club to reflect your commitment to your career change.  If your background is lacking in quantitative experience, you can include your exceptional GMAT scores.

5.  LEVERAGE YOUR RESOURCES

One reason I'm comfortable sharing resume screen advice is because McKinsey is already doing it.  Their Careers page has a section specifically for "Improving your resume" - read it and update your resume accordingly.  McKinsey will also make consultants available to you via forums like coffee chats and on-campus "office hours".  Your b-school's career office, consulting club, and former consultant classmates are also likely to have advice and resources that you will find helpful.

Good luck!

Typical day in the life of a McKinsey consultant - why your McKinsey boss expects so much from you

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In this post, I'll share the schedule of a typical day in the life of a McKinsey consultant.  One of the great things about being at McKinsey is that no two days are the same, but I've tried to capture what a management consultant's day-to-day lifestyle is like.  It's a composite of many days I've had at the Firm, but directionally accurate and representative of how we work.  I'll start with what this might mean for you, depending on your relationship with the McKinsey consultant.


A few things to note about this schedule:

• We spend a lot of time meeting with clients during the day
• That means we have to do a lot of our work at night
• Even though we own our workstreams, we get a lot of help from the client, team, experts, and McKinsey leadership

HOW UNDERSTANDING THIS SCHEDULE CAN HELP YOU

My hope is that by understanding how McKinsey consultants are accustomed to working during the day, you'll gain better insight into how you can improve your relationship with them.  Here's how I think this can help depending on your relationship to the McKinsey person:

• Direct report:  this might be why your McKinsey boss seems so demanding.  They're used to their teams working long hours and being highly productive throughout the day.  If they're too intense in a culture that normally isn't, they might appreciate and benefit from some upward feedback.

• Supervisor:  the former McKinsey consultant on your team is accustomed to an intense lifestyle.  This means they can accomplish a lot at a high level of quality.  But, they left consulting for a reason so be careful about pushing them too hard.

• Personal:  this is why the McKinsey consultant in your life is always tired, has to cancel plans, constantly checking their blackberry, and usually stressed out.  There aren't enough hours in the day so if you can, cut them some slack.

ILLUSTRATIVE MCKINSEY SCHEDULE

6:30am - Wake up

The first thing I do is check my Blackberry to make sure nothing has blown up overnight.  Some consultants get up even earlier to squeeze in a run or work out.  Running is a great way to stay fit, raise energy levels, get outdoors, and actually experience the cities where we work, but I'm usually up too late the night before and need the extra sleep.

7:00am - Check emails

While I'm getting ready for work and dressed, I'll check my inbox.  Even though I was working past midnight, lots of emails have come in since I went to bed.  Urgent ones are dealt with, other can wait until we get to the client site.  I check to make sure that the PowerPoint pages I've received from our overseas, 24-hour production - Visual Graphics India (VGI) - are correct.

7:30am - Depart hotel for client site

Each night the team will decide what time to meet in the hotel lobby for the drive or cab ride to the client site.  Depending on team norms, we might stop to pick up coffee and breakfast to go on the way in.

8:00am - Arrive at client site

It's good practice to start our day in the office before to our clients.  We want to be running at full speed when they arrive and it gives us a chance to get some work done.  Usually we head straight to the team room, which is where spend most of our time if we're not meeting with clients.

8:30am - Team check-in

Many teams start the day with a meeting to go over the work they've done the previous night and align on what they want to accomplish during the course of the day.  It's also a good time to determine what issues need to be discussed and decisions made during meetings with McKinsey leadership

9:00am - Client meeting

We spend a lot of time with our clients.  Early in a study, it's to learn more about the company, collecting data, and building the fact base.  In the middle of a study we do a lot of collaborative problem solving and test hypotheses with clients.  Toward the end of a study we're fine-tuning our deliverables, discussing implications, and syndicating our findings so no clients are surprised or feel ambushed at the progress review.

10:00am - Conference call with McKinsey expert

McKinsey's industry or functional expertise doesn't always reside with the team on the ground - often, you're lucky to have more than a couple of people on a team who have specific experience with the client, industry, or function.  So, we rely on the relevant McKinsey practices and experts.  Using a discussion guide crafted the previous night, we have a quick, product conference call.

10:30am - Side-by-sides with client line employees

To better understand the client situation, build credibility, and make sure our recommendations are feasible, we'll often sit alongside our client line employees while they do their jobs.  Everyone wants exposure to senior clients, but these employees are usually the most fun and can offer great insights into the answer.

11am - Team problem solving

Although we all have our own workstreams, we'll often meet as a team to help with collaborative problem solving.  Even though we're not the workstream owner, insights from our other workstreams might be helpful.  Plus, we might learn something during the session that is useful on our own workstream.

12pm - Lunch in team room

Time is short so we'll often have lunch delivered or picked up.  It's usually the responsibility of the lowest-tenured consultant, but anyone who has a bit of extra time might step up and volunteer.  In order to save time, sometimes we'll just order a bunch of food and let the team graze.

12:30pm - Check emails

Our days are usually filled with meetings so we check and respond to emails whenever we can.  Today we're all on our laptops while finishing lunch, discussing weekend plans, and deciding whether or not we have time to go out for a team dinner.

1:00pm - Meet with client to review data

Studies usually involve lot of analytics.  We build the models, but rely on the clients for the data to populate them.  Often, client data is disorganized, not formatted, or incomplete.  Today's meeting is to go over some new data and discuss ideas for how to clean it up for analysis.

2:00pm - Call with McKinsey leadership

We're at critical decision points for some workstreams and need problem-solving support on others.  We've sent the Partner some PowerPoint pages covering these topics in advance.  The Partner helps us align on decisions and provides valuable insights during problem solving. 

3:00pm - Final prep for progress review

We have a progress review with the client in 30 minutes so we're scrambling to get all of the latest versions of the presentation assembled, edited, and printed in time.  We're printing and collating right up until the minute we have to head to the progress review.

3:30pm - Client progress review

There are two weeks left in the engagement so this is our final progress review before our final Steering Committee meeting.  We update the client team on our latest findings, analyses, and hypotheses.  We agree on next steps, including final analyses and insights that need to be developed and included in the Steering Committee.

5:00pm - Check-in with senior client

Our senior client wants to meet to hear about how the progress review went and discuss our progress on the materials for the upcoming Steering Committee meeting.  It's with the client's executive leadership team, so it's a high stakes opportunity for him and he wants to make sure it goes well.  The next steps coming out of the progress review give him some comfort that things are headed in the right direction.

5:30pm - Team check-in

Our afternoon team check-in centers around the next steps coming out of the progress review.  We figure out who needs to do what in order to be ready for the Steering Committee meeting.  There's still a lot to do and we think we've figured out how to get it done in the remaining two weeks.  We get specific about what needs to be done by the morning and get to work.

6:00pm - Work in team room

As the clients start to head home, we finally have some "heads-down" time and can make progress on our workstreams.  We've learned a lot during the day and are figuring out how to incorporate that information into our work.  I get a few things done and put together a checklist of tasks I'll need to complete later tonight.  Before shutting down our laptops, many of us send sketches of PowerPoint pages to VGI to be produced while we're at dinner.

7:00pm - Leave client site

Today's progress review was a big hurdle we just cleared, so we're able to leave the client site at a reasonable hour.  After packing up our things and making sure there's no sensitive material left in the team room, we head to dinner on the way back to the hotel.

7:30pm - Team dinner

The successful progress review in the afternoon has us in a celebratory mood, so we've decided to have a team dinner.  We return to one of our favorite restaurants for good food and company.  We trade war stories, have lots of laughs, and talk about our plans for what we want to do after the study ends.

9:00pm - Return to hotel

Before getting back on my laptop to do more work, I'll take some time to call my girlfriend and relax for a few minutes.  After discussing our days and making plans for the weekend, I'll turn on the TV so I can keep up with some pop culture while working.

9:30pm - Work in hotel room

We're so busy during the day, a lot work piles up that needs to get done before the next morning.  Tonight I have to update an Excel model with new data from the client, create some new PowerPoint pages based on today's problem solving session, draft a storyline for the upcoming Steering Committee meeting, and review 60 MBA resumes for recruiting.  Our study is winding down, so I also email a few Partners I've worked with to see if they have any client engagements starting up soon.  The last thing I do before shutting down the laptop is sending my draft storyline pages to VGI to be produced overnight.

12:30am - Wrap up

After another long day, I'm ready to call it a night.  I'll iron my clothes for the next day so I don't have to do it in the morning, take a shower, and get ready for bed.

1:00am - Go to bed

After setting the alarm clock on my Blackberry, I'll check my email one last time to make sure nothing urgent has come in and no one has made changes to my calendar for tomorrow.  Time for some sleep to recharge for another busy day.

Leaving McKinsey - 5 approaches to using search time

There countless ways a consultant can choose to leave the McKinsey.  In this post, I'll describe five common strategies I've seen people apply to using their search time and separation from the Firm, and list some pros and cons of each.  I hope these examples will help you decide how to optimize your departure from consulting.

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Even after you've made the decision to go on search time and leave the Firm, you still have some major decisions to make.  Choosing an overarching approach for how you want manage your search time (what is search time?) can inform your next steps.  Your personal preferences will define the best approach for you to take in terms of timing your search time and separation from the Firm

1.  RISK MINIMIZING

I've seen this risk-averse approach applied by consultants with families.  The intent is to nearly eliminate the risk of going without work, pay, and benefits for any period of time.  Typically, this means not going on search until an attractive job offer is in hand.  Since most employers hiring from McKinsey are looking to fill existing needs, they will expect new employees to start quickly.  As a result, this approach can result in leaving nearly all search time unused.
PROS:  No risk of going unemployed, unpaid, and uncovered by benefits
CONS:  Little or no time to decompress between jobs, requires fitting interviewing into McKinsey lifestyle, leaves search time on the table

2.  ACTIVE SEARCH TIME

This is the most literal approach, in which the consultant begins searching for work immediately after going on search time.  They treat search like their new job and think of remaining search time as a contingency plan in case they don't find a great job quickly.
PROS:  Relatively high likelihood of finding a job before search runs out
CONS:  Potentially little or no time to relax, likely to leave search time on the table

3.  DECOMPRESS, THEN SEARCH

In this case, the consultant takes some time off prior to searching for a job.  Search time is a fantastic opportunity to relax, travel, spend time with family, and generally get the Firm out of their system.  Once they've had some time away from work, they'll eventually enter active search mode, described above.
PROS:  Opportunity to take many weeks off, reasonable likelihood of finding a job before search runs out
CONS:  Underestimating search time needs could lead to period of unemployment and gap in benefits

4.  SEARCH TIME MAXIMIZING

The goal of this approach is to make sure no search time goes unused.  This means timing interviews, offers, and negotiations so that a final job offer is accepted on the last day of search time.  This requires quite a bit of planning and comfort level with the risk of going unemployed, unpaid, and uncovered by benefits for some amount of time if things take longer than planned.
PROS:  Opportunity to take time off, minimizes unused search time
CONS:  Requires planning and coordination to get timing correct, period of unemployment and gap in benefits if anything disrupts plans

5.  SEARCH TIME AS VACATION

My friend and former McKinsey colleague's quote sums up this approach nicely:  "I'm almost out of search time... I guess I better start looking for a job".  It's often used by consultants who want to take full advantage of what might be their last chance to take months of time away from work until retirement.  When search time is combined with accrued PTO, your paid vacation can go on for several months.  It's a good time to redeem a lot of those airline miles for an around-the-world ticket or two.  A variation on this approach is to use search time to keep getting paid while launching a start-up.
PROS:  Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take months of paid time off from work while covered by benefits
CONS:  Requires digging into savings while looking for work once search time and PTO run out

Always have your 30-second answer ready - the elevator pitch version of your latest hypothesis

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If you ever work with someone from McKinsey on a project, you're likely to be asked at some point for your hypothesis on the 30-second answer.  The question you're answering is whatever is at the heart of the project (e.g., how do we improve profitability?).

In this post, I'll explain...

1. What is a 30-second answer?
2. Why it's important to always have one up-do-date and handy
3. Recommendations on how to structure it

WHAT IS A 30-SECOND ANSWER?

The 30-second answer is based on the concept of the "elevator pitch", but instead of being prepared to briefly summarize yourself for interviews and networking or explaining your startup to potential investors, the goal of the 30-second answer is to concisely convey your latest hypothesis on the answer to the client problem being solved by your workstream or client engagement.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A 30-SECOND ANSWER?

There are several reasons you should always have your 30-second answer constantly updated and top of mind.

You will be asked for it

Your McKinsey boss has a lot on their plate so this is one way for them to get a quick update on what's going on in the engagement and inform their own 30-second answer.  It's also not uncommon to run into a senior client who asks you how things are going or what you've learned and this is a good way to be sure you can provide a quick, current, thoughtful response and build credibility with the client.

Shows that you're on top of things

Having a good 30-second answer will give your McKinsey boss some comfort that you're managing your workstream effectively, especially if your response includes all of the latest analyses, knowledge, and problem solving, as well as proactive consideration of next steps

Reflects top-down thinking

You have to be able to synthesize in order to boil down everything going on in your workstream or engagement into a 30-second answer.  If you can do this well, it will convey your ability to apply the 80/20 rule and focus on the vital few, most relevant, highest impact issues.

 

SUGGESTED FORMAT FOR YOUR 30-SECOND ANSWER

Now that you've thought about your 30-second answer and made sure you understand the most recent information and analyses that support it, here are some recommendations on how to best present it.  For people applying for jobs at McKinsey or interviewing with a hiring manager who is a former consultant, this is also a good way to close your case interview.

1.  Lead with the answer

Not only does this align with a top-down storytelling approach, but it makes sure you communicate the answer if your time is cut short.  You never know when your McKinsey boss or senior client might have to attend to something else, so the sooner you get to the point, the better.

2.  Support with key points

Follow-up the answer with your most critical supporting facts.  Tick through the list quickly, highlighting a short list of topics and a synthesis of why each is important to the answer.  Provide enough information so that your audience gets the point and can ask for more detail if they want it.

3.  Offer relevant caveats

In many cases, your answer will still be a work in progress.  Like any good hypothesis, you should be constantly testing and refining it.  This might be a good opportunity to highlight issues that might cause the answer to change - an example would be pending data or analyses.

4.  Highlight next steps

Show that you are proactive and pre-empt questions or concerns by explaining what your plans to further support or refine your answer.  Examples would include actions being taken to address caveats or, if the answer is ready, your plan to syndicate it with the client.

How to impress your McKinsey boss - Consulting rock stars are five-tool players

In this post I'll review the five consulting skills we look for and provide examples of how to demonstrate excellence in each of them.  The best consultants are good at all five and are distinctive, or "have a spike" in at least one.

Image from mensfitness.com

Knowing what a McKinsey person is looking for can help you make the right impression on your former McKinsey boss, your current Engagement Manager, or the management consultant who is interviewing you for a job.

This post is about the abilities of a great management consultant.  To learn more about the behaviors of a great consultant (or direct report to a former consultant), check out this earlier post on the 3 things you can do to keep your McKinsey boss happy.

WHAT IS A ROCK STAR AT MCKINSEY AND HOW CAN I BE ONE?

The highest compliment a McKinsey consultant can receive is to be referred to as a "rock star" by their colleagues.  There's no specific definition for the term, but it's generally accepted to mean someone who is a top performer across every dimension that you'd look for in a great consultant.  Considering how selective the Firm is in hiring and how effective it is at developing talent, being called a rock star is high praise, indeed.  To be truly distinctive, you must be the consulting version of a five-tool player.

WHAT IS A FIVE-TOOL PLAYER?

The concept comes from the sport of baseball and refers to the five most important skills for position players (everyone other than pitchers) - 1. fielding skills, 2. throwing arm strength, 3. running speed, 4. batting for average, and 5. hitting for power.  To be referred to as a "five-tool player", an athlete has to be exceptional along all of those dimensions.  Most Major Leaguers excel in at least one of the five tools.  All-Stars might be outstanding in three or four.  Five-tool players are rare and can often transcend the sport of baseball - examples include Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Ken Griffey, Jr.

THE FIVE TOOLS OF CONSULTING

Based on my experience, there is an equivalent list of five tools that any good management consultant must have.  Rock star consultants will outshine even their most talented colleagues along every one of these dimension.  The more you understand how your McKinsey boss evaluates talent, the better you can focus on becoming truly distinctive in your strengths and address your weaknesses.

ANALYTICS

Why it's important:  Building a credible fact-base often requires analyzing and making sense out of a large amount of data.  Also, deliverables often include models that the client will use after the study is over.
What excellence looks like:

• High level of comfort working with numbers and understanding implications of data on the problem at hand
• Ability to prioritize and focus on the areas, data, and analyses that will generate the greatest impact
• Excel skills to build models that functional, error-free, and easy to hand-off to clients

STORYTELLING

Why it's important:  Consulting recommendations and insights are only helpful to clients if they can communicated in a clear and compelling way.
What excellence looks like:

• Understanding of stakeholder needs and how to make topics relevant to them
• Ability to synthesize large amounts of information and highlight the key takeaways
• Crafting storylines that drive understanding and acceptance

COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING

Why it's important:  Help in solving their most pressing business issues is ultimately why clients hire management consultants.  Collaboration - both with the client and McKinsey leadership - ensure we consider the greatest range of and most applicable solutions.
What excellence looks like:

• Extensive creativity, insight, and content knowledge to inform the best possible answers
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and clients to generate buy-in
• Leveraging all available resources and expertise and incorporating them into solutions

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

Why it's important:  Our goal is to become the trusted advisor to our clients, not just deliver impact on individual engagements.  Getting clients actively engaged in our work increases the likelihood of buy-in, impact, and success.  It's also important that your McKinsey boss know that you're "client ready" and can trust you to lead client meetings on your own.
What excellence looks like: 

• High emotional IQ and ability to empathize with and relate to clients at all levels of an organization
• Genuine interest and investment in clients' long-term success
• Professionalism, confidence, and poise that build credibility

PRODUCTIVITY

Why it's important:  Consultants are expected to drive a large amount of impact in a short amount of time.  Timelines are often compressed so
What excellence looks like:

• Talent for multitasking and driving impact across multiple workstreams
• Efficiency and able to prioritize and focus on the highest-value tasks
• Commitment to getting the job done, no matter how difficult or how long it takes

Flying with McKinsey - packing light

In an earlier post I covered the importance of not checking in luggage when you fly with McKinsey consultants - especially if your boss is one of them.  This post will provide some tips on how to travel light and make the most of your carry-on bags.

Image from "Up In the Air"

 

ONE ROLLER BOARD

The unit of measure for business travel is what you can fit into one roller board that can be carried onto an airplane and stowed in the overhead compartment.  Travel enough and you'll figure out the bare minimum you need to pack for a business trip - everything else is just a waste of space and time.  

TIPS FOR LIGHTENING YOUR LOAD

Simplify your wardrobe

Typical McKinsey consultants aren't particularly fashionable - our stereotypical "uniform" would be dark grey pants and light blue, long-sleeve, button-down dress shirts.  That standardized look actually works in your favor when it comes to packing for a travel study.  If you keep your style and color palette simple and coordinated, you can pack fewer items because they'll all work together.  A black belt and shoes finish off your work wardrobe with minimal additions to your roller board.

Be realistic about your workouts and free time

When I first started traveling for McKinsey, I was incredibly optimistic about how many times I'd be able to work out each week.  Once reality set in, I realized I'd be lucky to workout a couple of times per trip, especially if I wanted to get at least 5 hours of sleep each night.

I also initially overestimated the need for jeans and casual tops - when you're on the road for McKinsey, there aren't many occasions for casual clothing.  You typically land Monday morning and go directly to the client site.  On Thursday afternoon you go straight from the client to the airport to catch your flight home.  Even if you are fortunate enough to go out on Tuesday or Wednesday evening, you're not going to want to waste any of that free time returning to the hotel to change.

 

Maximize density

If you're planning to work out, stuff your gym socks inside of your running shoes.  If it's going to be cold on either end of your trip, carry or wear your coat, don't pack it.  Not only will you have it handy when you need it, but you can save that space for other items.  Many rollerboards have ribs to reinforce the structure of the bag - pack smaller items in those spaces.

 

Don't forget about your other bag

If space is getting tight, you can throw some extra things into your other carry-on - usually a backpack, handbag, or briefcase.  It might be uncomfortable or unsightly to have a bulging bag, but it's probably better than waiting at baggage claim when you wish you were in a cab on your way home.

Learn over time

After each trip, identify the things you packed but didn't use and consider whether or not you can edit them out from your next trip.

ELEVEN DAYS

By the time I left McKinsey, I could pack enough for eleven (11) days in one roller board, enough for a two-week business trip - Monday through Friday, the weekend, and the following Monday through Thursday.  That included business casual for work, jeans and casual shirts for the weekend, running shoes, and workout clothes.

Granted, part of that was made possible by using hotel laundry services.  On Friday I'd leave some clothes to be washed and return to the hotel on Sunday night to find my fresh, clean, pressed clothes waiting for me in my hotel room closet.

Flying with McKinsey - checking in bags is not allowed!

It's the holiday season - Thanksgiving is in a couple of days and a lot of people will be dealing with big crowds and long lines at the airport.  It brought to mind a travel tip:  when flying with McKinsey consultants, never check-in your luggage.  It doesn't come up often, but if it does, it's an easy way to get on a seasoned business traveler's bad side.  I'll explain why and offer some suggestion on how to avoid it...

Image from "Up In the Air"

 

CHECKING-IN LUGGAGE SLOWS YOU DOWN

To a non-consultant, the scene from "Up In the Air" in which George Clooney starts throwing away things in Anna Kendrick's luggage probably seems like an over-the-top exaggeration.  But any experienced road warrior who has had to waste time at baggage claim while waiting for a colleague's suitcase to appear on the carousel has likely fantasized about doing just that.


Checked bags cause problems on both ends of the flight.  You have to get to the airport earlier to make sure you have enough time to check in your bags.  After you land, you have to go to baggage claim and wait until your luggage finally arrives.  Your consultant colleagues would rather be on their way to the taxi stand or rental cars so they can get home, the client site, or the hotel sooner.  Don't be the one standing between your colleagues - especially your boss - and their destinations.

WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM?

For many consultants, the worst part of the job is the lifestyle.  We work such long days and spend so many hours traveling that we cherish our free time.  We'll do whatever we can to defend it and can get extremely frustrated when it's squandered.  We also have a lot to do and never enough time to do it, so we're always in a rush (these tendencies persist even after we leave the Firm).  As a result, we can get incredibly annoyed when we get delayed.  Therefore, you should do what you can to avoid being the cause of a delay.  

EASY FIX - PACK LIGHT

Avoiding this situation is not difficult.  If you can't fit it into your two carry-on bags, consider whether or not you need it at all.  If you're new to this, it can be an iterative process - at the end of each trip, take note of the things you packed but never used and edit them out for your next trip.

A future post will give more detailed advice on how to pack light.

 

NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO FLY WITH YOU

You might have bulky items you specifically need for the trip.  Consider alternative means of getting them to your destination besides adding to your luggage and necessitating a checked bag.  Suggestions include:

• Ship to your destination - if you're worried about the cost, consider the wasted productivity in terms of people and hours of your team waiting idly in baggage claim

• Print at your destination - if you're planning to travel with printed materials for a presentation, don't.  There are so many FedEx Office or similar locations around the world that you can almost certainly get your documents printed there.  In most cases you can email your files and have them printed in advance.  Hotel business centers are also an option, albeit much more expensive.

• Buy or rent at your destination -  many bulky items like are relatively inexpensive to rent or purchase at your destination.  These days many hotels and conference centers offer these items at inflated prices, but they'll save you a lot of trouble and you can expense the costs.

You only get to leave McKinsey once - 6 important things to consider about your next job

This was an excellent piece of advice I received when I was contemplating my departure from the Firm.  Leaving McKinsey is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so make the most of it.

Even during the Great Recession, many consultants I know who left McKinsey had multiple offers from which to choose.  When times are good, the opportunities are even greater.  That means that it's important that you understand your priorities when evaluating post-McKinsey job opportunities.  Here are some things to consider as you weight your options:

Career switching

Joining McKinsey, like getting an MBA, is one of the few professional choices you can make that probably opens more doors than it closes.  Leaving McKinsey might be the last chance you have to make a significant industry or functional change without taking a step back in your career.  Similar to getting hired out of business school, as long as you can exhibit passion, knowledge, or experience in an industry and/or highlight some transferable skills, there will be employers in your field of choice who are willing to take a chance on you.

Title and career path

McKinsey has a steep learning curve and career trajectory, but after you leave the Firm, your rate of advancement will be relatively lower.  So, you might want to consider jobs with titles and responsibilities that are a bit of a reach, especially if you'd rather be challenged and have to grow into a job rather than risk feeling underutilized, insufficiently challenged, and advancing too slowly at your new job.  Also, unless you plan on staying at a company for a long time, beware of title deflation.  People in your organization might understand that a Manager there is equivalent to a Director at most other companies, but the next company interviewing you might not make that distinction.

Direct reports

In many organizations, getting promoted into roles that require supervision of direct reports can be challenging.  You could get caught in a Catch-22 where they want you to have experience managing people before they'll consider you for a job that requires managing people.  If you aspire to roles that require managing direct reports - even if you're leaving as an Engagement Manager (EM) or higher and have experience managing teams at McKinsey - you might want to hold out for opportunities to manage teams.

P&L (profit and loss)

One drawback of working at McKinsey is we don't get P&L responsibilities - short for ownership of a business unit's success and failures. That adds fuel to the perception that McKinsey consultants don't have experience owning anything, including their recommendation to clients.  Even outside of consulting, P&L experience can be difficult to get and is a meaningful differentiating factor, especially if you're considering a career in general management.  If eventually running a business is important to you, consider the value of early P&L experience.

Lifestyle

Upgrading lifestyle or work/life balance is often a primary motivation when leaving the Firm.  Don't assume your next job will have better lifestyle just because it's not at McKinsey.  Do your homework and make sure you know what you're getting into in terms of hours, weekend work, stress, and travel.  I eliminated one potential employer from my search because friends who work there would be surprised I was interested and ask "don't you want a lifestyle upgrade from McKinsey?".  Useful resources include:

• McKinsey alumni network
• Business school alumni network
• LinkedIn connections
• Career websites like Glassdoor with company profiles and reviews

 

Compensation

Leaving McKinsey does not necessarily mean you need to take a pay cut, especially if you're leaving at Engagement Manager or lower.  But, consulting compensation is higher and increases faster than most industries outside of financial services so you might have to make some trade-offs between other benefits and compensation.  Even if you have to take a pay cut, you'll still probably come out ahead in terms of hourly pay!

Were you asked to "be more 80/20" by a McKinsey person? Here are 3 things that could mean...

If you spend enough time working with McKinsey consultants, you'll eventually hear someone being told to "be more 80/20".  In this post I will go over three reasons you might be asked to "be more 80/20" and...

1. Explain what the 80/20 rule is
2. Offer some examples of the 80/20 rule
3. Provide an Excel tool I built to help you illustrate your own 80/20 examples

 

WHAT IS THE 80/20 RULE?

The concept of 80 / 20 comes from the law of the vital few.  Typically, a small number of causes (the "vital" or "critical" few) drives the vast majority of the results, with roughly 20% of the causes driving 80% of the results.  The remaining 80% of the causes constitute the long tail - you can see what this looks like if you plot the data in the form of a Pareto diagram with the causes sequenced in descending order:

 

EXAMPLES OF THE 80/20 RULE

It is a ubiquitous phenomenon and I've seen examples across multiple industries:

• Manufacturer where ~20% of the product lines generated ~80% of scrap
• Sales organization where ~20% of the product categories accounted for ~80% of sales
• Service facility where ~20% of tickets took up ~80% of time

 

WHAT IT MEANS IF YOU'RE TOLD TO "BE MORE 80/20"

One of the primary implications of this concept is that you can realize a lot of impact by investing your effort in addressing a relatively small number of issues.  When someone from McKinsey encourages  you to "be more 80 / 20", they are probably suggesting one of the following:

 

Invest your time and effort more wisely

If you haven't taken the time to figure out the vital few issues to tackle, you might be working sub-optimally by addressing the less critical topics.  Be more strategic before you get tactical.

Know when to stop

If you've already solved the 20% of the issue to deliver 80% of the impact, you will begin realizing diminishing returns from further effort.  If 80% of the answer is enough, you can move on to something else, or you can focus on pushing the answer further at some other time.

Approach problems from a higher level

McKinsey folks will often use 80 / 20 as a euphemism for thinking in terms of the big picture rather than getting bogged down in the details.  Other phrases for this include thinking more "top-down" or at a "higher altitude".

80/20 PARETO TOOL

If you have a data set and want to perform a Pareto analysis to see if it fits the 80/20 rule, the following link will take you to an Excel tool I've set up to help you with the analysis and graphing:
80/20 Pareto Tool

Leaving McKinsey - when to start "search time"

Paid "search time" is a benefit McKinsey provides to departing consultants.  Bain offers a similar package called "transition".  In this post I'll explain...

1. Definition of search time
2. How search time is calculated
3. Search time rules that will help inform your decision on when to go on search

What is "search time"?

For those unfamiliar with the concept, I'll begin with an explanation - strangely the Firm does not promote this during recruiting even though it is an incredible benefit.  When you decide to leave McKinsey, you don't just quit, you go on search time ("go on search"), during which you...

• Keep getting paid!
• Continue to be covered by benefits
• Do NOT have to do any client work
• Maintain use of your Firm laptop and mobile phone
• Still get access to Firm resources and additional access to search and alumni tools like the McKinsey Alumni Job Board (which is extensive and full of compelling job opportunities with employers who value McKinsey experience)

How much search time do I get?

I was never able to get a straight answer on how your search time is calculated, so I'm cobbling this answer together from my personal experience and information from colleagues who also went on search.  Your best bet is to get the actual answer for your specific situation from your Professional Development (PD) Manager or HR.  If you're reading this and have additional and/or different information, please let me know!

My understanding is that you get:

• Four (4) weeks
• Plus two (2) weeks for each year at the Firm
• Plus three (3) weeks if any of your search time occurs in December
• Search time ends as soon as you accept a job offer

The third point above is the one I'm least sure of and about which I have received conflicting information.  One anecdote that seems to support this is when an EM asked about going on search in November, was told he would have 13 weeks of search - after deciding to wait until the next year, he was informed in January that he'd have 10 weeks of search time.

In either case, the Firm gives you a generous amount of paid time off to transition out of the Firm, find a new job, and decompress!

When should I pull the trigger?

Each consultant's situation is unique, so only you can decide what's best for yourself.  But, here are some important factors to consider when making the decision, with the caveat that any of these policies might have changed since I left the Firm.  Check with PD or HR for the official, latest information:

• Irreversible:  Unlike PowerPoint and Excel, you cannot hit ctrl+z to "undo" this decision - make sure you're certain you want to leave
• Next job:  As mentioned previously, your search time ends as soon as you accept your next job.  Keep in mind that many employers will want you to begin very soon after extending you an offer. 
• 401k:  You will still receive the Firm's contribution to your 401k for the year as long as you are an active employee of the Firm as of December 1 (this might have changed and I'm not 100% clear if being on search counts as being an active employee - again, please check with PD or HR)
• Bonus:  Your annual bonus will be pro-rated based on the non-search time you were with the Firm.  I've heard conflicting things regarding this:  (a) you have to work through a cut-off date (I've heard July 1) to qualify for your pro-rated bonus and (b) you get your pro-rated bonus regardless of when you leave the Firm
• PTO:  You can extend your search time by the amount of PTO you have (you use up search time before you dip into your PTO reserves) or you can cash out the PTO you have left if you accept another job
• Title:  My understanding is that if a prospective employer contacts McKinsey to confirm your job title, McKinsey will only confirm the highest designated or elected title.  (e.g., even if you've been working in an Engagement Manager (EM) role, if you have NOT been designated an EM, McKinsey will not confirm your title is Engagement Manager)  So, if you're close to being designated, you might want to consider waiting until it's finalized.

Good luck with your decision! 

Leaving McKinsey - when to decide

It's mid-November, so people are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and gearing up for the holidays.  It also means many current McKinsey consultants are deciding whether or not they will stay at the Firm.  So, I thought I'd switch gears and start including some posts to help current consultants with their decision to stay or go.

Well before I ever thought about leaving the Firm, I received some great pieces of advice on how to make the decision.  In this post, I'll share the three best suggestions I've heard...

AVOID MAKING CAREER DECISIONS DURING REALLY TOUGH OR GREAT TIMES

A colleague explained that in any given year, I could expect to experience three great months, three terrible months, and six average months and suggested that I not make any major career decisions in the great or tough times.  Sometimes unexpected opportunities or incidents will push you into making a decision during a sub-optimal time, but it's avoid making decisions during peaks or valleys whenever possible.

SET REGULAR TIMES TO CHECK-IN WITH YOURSELF

Suggestions I've heard for timing include annually, twice a year, and after every engagement. During these check-ins, perform a self-assessment that addressed the following questions:

• Are you still excited about being at the Firm?
• Do you still find the work engaging?
• Are you still getting more out of the experience than you're giving up?

THERE ARE REASONS YOU SEE MANY FAREWELL EMAILS IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH

I'll go over those reasons in greater detail in a future post about when to start search time.  But the net result is, many people decide it makes sense to go on search time in January, leading to a separation from the Firm a month or two later.  So, if you also want to take advantage of that timing, figure out how much time you need to make a decision with which you'd be comfortable, count back from January, and you'll know when you need to start deliberating.

THERE'S NO "RIGHT" ANSWER

I recognize that the 2nd suggestion could place you in a position of making a decision during one of your particularly good or tough periods.  These suggestions were given to me independently of each other so I would encourage you to pick and choose whichever work for you.  My personal process was to check-in with myself every February when the next annual bonus was so far away that it wouldn't factor into my decision-making.

What's with all these Appendix pages in our decks?

I was just asked by a friend why the former McKinsey Partner to whom she reports wants PowerPoint decks with detailed Appendix pages, so that's the topic addressed in this post. I'll go over...

1. Definition of Appendix or back-up pages
2. Why McKinsey consultants use Appendix pages

• In team and client discussion documents
• In client deliverable documents

What are Appendix or back-up pages?

Consultants spend a lot of time working in Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT) creating pages that are assembled into decks.  Most McKinsey decks are comprised of two primary sections, the main deck and the Appendix, also referred to as back-up pages.  It's not uncommon for the Appendix to be significantly longer than the main deck.  If the main deck tells the story, the Appendix contains all of the supporting evidence.

Why do we use Appendix or back-up pages?

Appendix pages take as much time and effort to make - sometimes even more - as the pages in the main deck.  The reason for including Appendix pages often depends on the reason for the document.  Generally speaking, McKinsey engagement teams create two types of decks: 

DISCUSSION DOCUMENTS

These are decks used to drive client or team discussions - examples include progress updates and collaborative problem solving sessions.  In these cases the main deck is often light, featuring just enough thought starters and information to keep the conversation moving in the right direction.  In these decks, Appendices are often used to include data or evidence that could contribute to the discussion.  They might not be included in the main deck if they might be too leading or controversial, but teams might want to have data in their back pocket in case facts or hypotheses are called into question.

CLIENT DELIVERABLES

There are usually more substantial decks - sometimes hundreds of pages long - that are given to the client at major milestones (e.g., Steering Committee meetings) and/or at the conclusion of an engagement.  These extensive, detailed documents contain all of the data, findings, and insights generated over the course of the study.  I've heard several reasons why these decks contain so many Appendix pages:

• Keep the storyline of the main deck crisp and clear by moving the supporting documentation and details to the Appendix where they will be out of the way but available for reference.  Trackers (I'll address these in a future post) can be used to link sections of the main deck to their corresponding Appendix pages

• You never know when a certain piece of information will be helpful so we might as well hand it off to the client.  Sometimes the data comes in handy during the meeting.  In most cases the material in these documents is pre-wired or syndicated with key clients prior to the meeting to ensure everyone is aligned with the content.  But, questions still come up, in which case supporting evidence and analyses in the Appendix can be referenced to help answer difficult questions or resolve disagreements

• Giving the client their money's worth is the most cynical reason I've heard for why we pack the Appendix full of lots of data, exhibits, and analyses.  The rationale is that clients pay high fees for the engagement so they're expecting a large volume of work product along with the insights and recommendations contained within the main deck.  I don't necessarily agree with this thinking, but I have heard it mentioned

How to give McKinsey-style feedback: The McKinsey Feedback Model

McKinsey is a feedback-driven culture.  It's used to develop better consultants and make sure we're always pushing toward greater client impact.  There's also an expectation that less tenured consultants also provide frequent, upward feedback to their leadership.  Unfortunately, there's a also a tendency for McKinsey feedback to focus on "development opportunities", resulting in predominantly negative feedback that I address in a related post.

As with most things in consulting, McKinsey has developed a framework for delivering structured feedback and it's called "the McKinsey feedback model".

In this post I'll go over...

• Explanation of the McKinsey feedback model
• Format recommended by the Firm for giving feedback
• Explanation of why that format is used
• Examples of what the McKinsey feedback model in practice

Image from excelle.monster.com

 

WHAT IS THE MCKINSEY FEEDBACK MODEL?

The McKinsey Feedback Model is the approach the Firm recommends for delivering feedback.  McKinsey consultants are used to receiving feedback in this format, so giving feedback to the McKinsey consultant in your life using this format might increase the likelihood that your feedback will be heard and understood.  The intent of the model is to make the feedback:

• Specific
• Fact-based
• Less personal
• Irrefutable
• Actionable

RECOMMENDED FORMAT FOR STRUCTURED FEEDBACK

 "When you did [X], it made me feel [Y].

In the future, I would recommend that you do [Z]"

WHY WE REFERENCE SPECIFIC, OBSERVABLE ACTIONS [X]

• The more specific the example, the more vivid and memorable the feedback
• Being fact-based keeps the feedback from feeling too personal to the recipient
• The first part is incontrovertible, as long as you remembered and communicated it correctly

WHY WE INCLUDE HOW IT MADE US FEEL [Y]

Explaining how the recipient's action made you feel [Y] is also unarguable - your feelings and reactions are your own and no one can deny them.  The intent of the first two steps is to set the stage for giving the recommendation without getting derailed by debating the context.

WHY SUGGESTIONS HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC AND ACTIONABLE [Z]

The point of providing feedback is so that we can improve.  If someone receives feedback that is too vague or beyond their control, it does nothing to help them do better the next time.  And example of feedback I was once given that was not specific and therefore not actionable was "make this page prettier" rather than something more actionable like "instead of pasting in an Excel table, next time create a table in PowerPoint".

Feedback should be provided in such a way that if the feedback recipient does what you recommend, it will solve the problem and prevent [X] and [Y] from occurring again.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE

"When you were late to our meeting this morning, it made me feel that you don't value my time.  In the future, I would recommend you plan on arriving early to meetings and call my mobile phone if a delay can't be avoided"

"When you checked in on my progress every 10 minutes, it made me feel like you didn't trust me to complete the project and I couldn't maintain my focus on the task.  In the future, I would suggest we agree upon specific milestones and check-in points to ensure the project will be completed on time."

Feedback overload - now my McKinsey boss wants my "360" feedback!

A CULTURE THAT VALUES FEEDBACK

Giving and receiving feedback is an integral part of the McKinsey experience - it's what drives our development by letting us know if we're on the right track and how we can improve.  At McKinsey, feedback is meant to be constructive, not punitive, even if does feel harsh at times.  It's also part of our culture for McKinsey leadership to value upward feedback from their teams.

In this post I'll discuss the frequency of feedback and our openness to giving and receiving upward (aka "360") feedback.  There's also a link to another post on McKinsey feedback model.

FREQUENT FEEDBACK

Each McKinsey engagement team will develop team norms around how and how often feedback will be given.  Most teams I was part of agreed on weekly, formal one-on-one feedback sessions and impromptu feedback after learning opportunities (e.g., if something goes especially well or poorly during a meeting, feedback will be given discreetly immediately afterward).

If you're working with someone from McKinsey, you might feel like you're getting way too much feedback, but a) they're just doing what they've been trained to do and b) they're probably trying to help you out.  Most of the high-performing BAs and ASCs with whom I worked would request frequent and frank feedback from McKinsey leadership and peers.

UPWARD FEEDBACK

Outside of McKinsey, I've found it rare to meet supervisors who sincerely value and want upward feedback from their direct reports.  However, within McKinsey, almost without exception, anyone I reported to would actively seek out, listen to, and express appreciation for upward feedback (even if they didn't always act on it).

If your supervisor is a former McKinsey consultant, be prepared to be asked for upward feedback, especially if you request feedback first.  And be ready to offer some constructive, actionable feedback - not just empty praise.

If a former McKinsey consultant works for you, be prepared to receive - or at least be offered - upward feedback.  If you're not used to receiving feedback from your direct reports it might be uncomfortable at first, but it's worth trying - you're likely to receive insightful, actionable, and helpful suggestions.

HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK

 
I'll cover the McKinsey feedback model in my next post - it's a useful tool for preparing for and having these feedback conversations.

How to keep your McKinsey boss happy - 3 tips for dealing with McKinsey Engagement Managers (EMs)

If you report to a former McKinsey consultant, there’s a good chance that they were a McKinsey Engagement Manager (EM) at some point.  So, the things that made them happy as EMs are still likely to be valued.  

In this post I'll share the three best pieces of advice I received as an early-tenure Associate on how to keep your McKinsey boss happy.  Once I became an EM, I found these tips to be spot on.  If you’re currently a Business Analyst or Associate at McKinsey, then this advice is even more applicable to you.

GIVE YOUR EM FEWER THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT

By being organized, responsible, and proactive, you can show your EM that your workstream is under control, freeing up time for them to focus on other areas.  Some tactical ways to do that are:

• Schedule regular check-ins to go over 1) what you’ve done, 2) what you’re working on, and 3) what you’re planning to do next
• Create a workplan that shows 1) what tasks you need accomplish, 2) by when you will complete them, and 3) their current status
• Take an ownership mindset of your workstream, suggesting and planning next steps rather than waiting for your EM to assign them

 

TAKE THINGS OFF OF YOUR EM'S PLATE

If you have your workstream under control, you can look across the rest of the study and understand where there are opportunities to pitch in elsewhere.  Some examples include:

• Extend your workstream to include things your EM would otherwise have to do
• Help out other workstream owners (your colleagues) so your EM can focus on other things
• Volunteer to handle things on your EM’s plate that could be done by others

NEVER SURPRISE YOUR EM

No matter how good you are, eventually something will blow-up, a deadline will be missed, or a hand-off will be dropped.  Let your EM know as soon as you know there will be a problem.  Your EM might not be happy, but at least contingency plans can be made, extra work can be put in, and the team can get past it – hopefully without the client or McKinsey leadership ever knowing there was a problem.  The worst thing you can do is postpone giving the bad news until it’s too late to do anything about it.