I am being groomed to be a managing director, per the direction of several current MDs. However, I feel extremely overwhelmed by all the asks for my time and it is taking a toll on my mental health...

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It’s all about who you have behind you and beside you. Who are you bringing with you on these sales opportunities that will actually deliver the work? How are you getting them in front of the client early to get the client comfortable with them leading. And who are you grooming to be the next director that can be stepping up? It’s true in a promotion year you are doing your job and the next job, but if you don’t have ppl you are bringing along, it’s just not sustainable

likehelpfulsmart

Well, like you said - you need to take control of your schedule.

Becoming and being a partner or managing director is not about saying yes to everything; it is about prioritizing and knowing when to say no as well as lining up a solution for that no in most cases. Sure there are situations that will require for you to step up and go above and beyond once in a while, but once in a while is they word.

My suggestion to you would be not to become a hamster in the wheel. It is not sustainable or strategic. Learn to prioritize based on the impact you can make for the client, firm and and yourself. Seek the support of your sponsors to help you do that and navigate the politics appropriately.

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Not a partner, and junior to you, but my suggestion is to start investing your time in the manager level cohort below you to distribute some of your responsibilities.

Reward them and train them and then let them lead by trusting in them and giving them some of your work.

The more senior you become, I think the more your focus must shift to people from delivery in order to scale your time in this business.

likeuplifting

Couldn’t agree more

I have been involved in several sales this year but it seems every client wants to know I specifically will be involved, and I cannot lead four engagements full time. I am also starting to be asked to come to all sorts of orals presentations and speak at conferences. I know I need to figure out how to take control of my schedule, but I feel completely out of control and like I have been completely overbooked for almost the entire year (have been billing close to 60 hrs on week on different projects plus leading large scale internal efforts since June). I am starting to feel depressed and unenthusiastic about everything due to the overwhelm. I know these are opportunities that many want but there are too many and I don’t know how to prioritize. Those who have been there - what do you do?

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Went through the same process and hit rock bottom a couple of months until someone mentored me on how to “say no to the right things”. There are a couple of write ups about it. Google it. It helped me.

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I'm junior to you so can't really offer any advice, but on the flip side many people would kill to be in your place - significant sales, clients wanting you on their projects... Demand before a promotion is always good. But it's also true that you will burn out at this rate before the promotion happens going by what you're saying. You can't do much about commitments you've already made without looking bad, I imagine. Be careful of new commitments.. Delivery of existing commitments will go a long way towards promotion than a crash and burn out... Or unfulfilled existing or new commitments

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Look..its your life and your choice. It is okay to say no or to set the expectation that you will be involved in an oversight capacity on a project but your main support will be X.

I too am going down that path and requests are getting more intense. I spoke with my partner mentor and discussed ways of balancing all better. I also asked him for his advice on percentage of time I should be spending on NBD pitches versus billable client time so he knows I care about both.

I agree that this year of potential promotion is intense. Expanding your network with other partners through pitches gives you more sponsors for the MD role. Maybe allow 8 hours a week for that and delegate to your strong managers in the project.... help them build the strong relationships you have with the clients. And tell the client you trust them and will review work deliverables.

You cant control and attend every meeting. Trust your team will have your back.

Just my rambling opinion.

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Thank you all for the comments and feedback. I think there are a few issues, some mine and some firm related.

How does one decide which high profile project to go to, which sales opportunities to prioritize, which exec client meetings to be at in person? I know other people have figured this out and I just feel run by the client/MDs. I obviously can’t be two places at once and feel so unclear on how to chose. I know I have to develop this, but I feel like all my mentors really just want what’s best for them - ie it’s all about accounts they are on not what’s best for me. I guess I’m curious how people figured this out, because I’m really struggling.

On the firm side - I’ve moved up really quickly so most of my main mentees are a not quite ready for manager roles yet or just starting them, and I feel like all my peers have not prioritizing mentoring and have burned out all the good managers and they have left. I feel like I have a several year project ahead of me building more middle range talent and our manager/director pipeline sucks. This makes it really hard, because my main people are completely maxed out already and not quite at the skill set to “replace” me... maybe that means I’m not ready to move up until they are.

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Be the change you seek. You got this!

It’s just about building the right team around you. I struggled with this myself and really changed my ways of working. I am always there but position my manager or another director as front and center. It’s uncomfortable to give up spotlight and sometimes you cringe about what your guy/gal says in a client meeting but that’s ok.. it’s all part of the learning. You got this my friend

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Not a partner, but from what I see in my firm, the director year is awful for everyone. Maybe you can think about it as a corporate version of frat house hazing if it helps.

No suggestions, just empathy. It’s a shitty year.

Promotion years are a sprint so there is no question you will do more then normal. I would make sure you know what will really move the needle - speaking at conferences is great but does that help your case? Are they looking for bookings, revenue or profit and are you focused enough there? What about the internal network - do you know the people who will make the final call on your case? Figure out what the key decision points are and focus your energy there

OP: which firm do you work for?

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