801: Structure fails at 60% McKinsey cases (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)

In podcasts 237 and 238, I discuss a fairly muscular and risky set of strategies I used to increase my leadership standing in the firm and challenge mentors whom I believed were damaging the firm’s values. My style of interaction was developed due an early engagement in my career which directly impacted the way I managed all future interactions. I unpack this engagement and explain how it impacted me, allowing you to determine how your own early experiences are shaping your own leadership style.

3 Helmi 201526min

Having mentored a large number of older consulting hires, all were older than myself, this podcast distinguishes between older hires with working experience and those without working experience. Depending on the category you fall into, peers will view your profile, strengths and image very differently. In fact, your career strategy will be different. In other words, no two older candidates are the same.

28 Tammi 201528min

Finding the right mentor is one thing, getting rid of the wrong mentor is quite another problem. In this podcast I discuss the relationships I had with 3 of the most influential mentors in my consulting career. I discuss mentors I had when I was an analyst, manager and eventually a partner. Finally, I discuss the difficult choices I had to make when I fundamentally disagreed with a mentor and had to do things which could jeopardize the relationship. Knowing when and how to outgrow a mentor is an oft ignored skill. I have one regret, and that is with the way I managed one mentor relationship.

22 Tammi 201522min

It is a myth to assume that you are automatically awarded leadership roles as a bright associate or consultant. Competition for these roles are fierce, assuming you get it, and being “awarded” a role is far less useful than having earned the role in the eyes of your peers. In the latter, teams follow you because they choose too. In this podcast I will outline a technique I used throughout my career to find “rules” which could be broken to take control of engagements and earn the trust of peers and teams.

15 Tammi 201520min

What can Darth Vader from Star Wars and monkeys in Africa teach you about effective mentoring? This podcast touches on those things which define a good mentee both in management consulting and for clients seeking a consulting career. The podcast describes the attributes of both an effective mentee and mentor, and the typical behavior of a “good” and “bad” mentee. Surprisingly, a good mentee should actually give you a small headache.

9 Tammi 201524min

Having spent a large part of my consulting career in my twenties, since I joined the Firm just shy of my 22 birthday, I personally know what it was like to successfully manage a young image. I was generally the youngest analyst, associate or engagement manager on a team, and a very young principal leading teams. I recall several times managing teams where the youngest person was older than myself. Those kinds of situations invariably raise challenges in controlling one’s image and client perceptions. In this podcast, I outline 7 things which can be done to control ageism, and begin by defining how younger and older consultants differ in the signals they send.

3 Tammi 201527min

One oversight we have corrected as we have learned more about our clients, is to understand the role their significant others play in their lives and decisions. We tend to assume that the advice we provide, and actions you take, are largely influenced solely by your wishes. That could not be further from the truth. In some ways, your significant other is a major investor and she/he can cause a lot of problems if you take actions not in keeping with his/her wishes. This interesting podcast, examines the decisions of our youngest client and how we helped her understand the implications of her personal choices as she prepares to join McKinsey.

28 Joulu 201430min

The issue of gender disparities and the increasing African-American ratios in management consulting firms have rightly become important issues. Yet, the latter is a frighteningly narrow interpretation of racial prejudices.

22 Joulu 201447min