More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
To maintain its preeminent position (and to earn its high fees) the Firm seeks out the cream of each year’s crop of business school graduates. It lures them with high salaries, the prospect of a rapid rise through McKinsey’s meritocratic hierarchy, and the chance to mingle with the elite of the business world. In return, the Firm demands total devotion to client service, submission to a grueling schedule that can include weeks or months away from home and family, and only the highest-quality work. For those who meet McKinsey’s standards, promotion can be rapid.
“key drivers” in their quest to “add value.”
the root of all management consulting is the application of objective analysis by dispassionate outsiders.
Problem solving isn’t a thing you do at McKinsey; it’s what you do at McKinsey. It’s almost as though you approached everything looking for ways it could be better, whatever it was. A part of you is always asking, “Why is something done this way? Is this the best way it can be done?” You have to be fundamentally skeptical about everything.
“Don’t try to knock the ball out of the park. Hit singles. Get your job done—don’t try to do the work of the whole team.”
This is a risky strategy, and the more hierarchical an organization, the riskier it becomes. In a more rigid organization, be more sensitive of where the limits to others’ authority lie. And be ready to back down quickly; otherwise, someone will stomp on you.
A good business message has three attributes: brevity, thoroughness and structure. Include all three in every voice mail, e-mail or memo you send and you’ll get your message across.
You cannot be an effective consultant if you don’t maintain confidentiality. Know when you can talk and when you can’t. Be just a bit paranoid.
If we were on a plane, we didn’t take client information out of our briefcases and work on it; we never knew who might be sitting next to us—a competitor, a journalist, maybe even someone from your client. If we needed those three hours to work, it was our tough luck.
