Bain & Company Just been placed on a PIP in consulting, and was given feedback on four main development areas. Any suggestions on the following:
1) Getting clarity on an ambiguous problem - try to understand the objective, layout the unclear parts, or at least know what needs to be clear for you to have a solution, have a point of view, and clarify with the PL
Any suggestions that works for folks here on this? Bain & Company McKinsey & Company Boston Consulting Group Oliver Wyman Deloitte
First, PIPs can sometimes/often be political or due to factors outside of your control, so don't take it too much to heart.
Assuming the feedback is warranted, this basically just means that you need to ensure you know the objective you are being given, and to take the extra step of verifying that objective with your superiors/objective-givers before you start executing.
A good lithmus test: ask yourself if you can explain the background, the situation, and the need to your friend or spouse in under 5 minutes. If you can't, you need to ask more questions and push on all the stakeholders to get answers before you begin work.
Don't allow your superiors or high-level stakeholders to dictate how you do your job simply because they're intimidating. You need to ignore that innate feeling of "I just want them to stop being frustrated... so I'm going to stop asking questions" and instead remember that we're all human and you have every right to know the answers to stupid questions or to ask questions they think are obvious without being judged.
Don't expect others to proactively give you what you need. Assume that you won't be given ANYTHING you need, and start from there.
If you can explain the problem and potential solution to a layperson, you will have accomplished this PIP feedback.
@OP Being able to ask for help is not incompetent, it's a skill. I find in practice it's only viewed negatively if you have not done any work yourself before going to others and asking for help. Maybe try to form your understanding of an objective, and when asking for help you can then say "this is what my understanding of the objective is. Is this your understanding too?" and talk about the differences.
Pro
They’re just telling you to lay out a structure/approach to deal with things you don’t understand.
For example, one of my Experienced Consultants doesn’t understand how an ERP system works or how to create an approach/plan for ERP testing.
Ask questions where they don’t understand.
What I expect to do at a minimum is:
(1) Create Slide Deck & Layout Key Slides:
-Agenda
-Objective/Scope/Purpose
-Approach & RACI Matrix
-Key Activities & Timeline
-Next Steps
-Appendix
(2) Leverage decks we’ve used in the past and populate content. Be resourceful! Don’t re-invent the wheel.
(3) Walk through your drafted approach and ask targeted questions and pull SME where you need them.
(4) Ask Questions in Areas where you don’t have clarity to drive to alignment. If you don’t know the key activities in ERP testing, put something down and ask the SME. You can facilitate that slide by having at least a timeline ready where you can quickly input the key activities.
(5) Drive deck to finish line by following up on any ambiguous areas.
Doesn’t need to be perfect, but progress. Give your team something to react to.
Pro
Haha, I had no clue that was a job title. I just meant my experienced associates. I interchangeably call them consultants.
Rising Star
Very much an experience thing BUT some people learn that ability in school and early career. I know my limits as an older leader but there is truth to the fact that experience make issue spotting and problem resolution easier because I have the benefit of seeing so many examples - good and bad - over the years.
Make sure you get some solid guidance on How you can improve your performance.
If they put you on a PIP. It’s time
To start looking for another job.
PIP = look for another job
PIPs are for company’s to cover their a** before firing you.
Is this the same poster as another PIP question? Sounds like the same basic thing
Sometimes you won’t be given full information so you need to fill in the gaps, and draw conclusions without full data. Doing this comes with experience, and also engagement with the project.
Regarding engagement, think about why a company hired your firm, and what they need.
For a new consultant being given a big pile of data it may just seem like numbers that need to be organized and summarized. But it is more than that. Data tells a story about a company’s performance, the people behind the data, and the logic of why the data even exists.
Seek to understand why your firm was hired in the first place. There can be a hidden or unstated objective to the project. knowing or understanding this is key to how you analyze the data. You may develop a point of view upon reviewing the data.
Also always remember that a consultant is paid by the hour by the client for creating value - real or perceived. The value isn’t in analysis - it’s in the conclusions from the analysis.
Hey CEO 1! This is a really good diagnosis, especially the part on how one wouldn’t be given full information and have to fill in the gaps and draw conclusions without full data.
Do you have any tactical advice on how to do this? Frequently feel the need to have a handle on everything before getting started on the work - but obviously wouldn’t have the luxury of time 😅
If your company PIPed you and no one gave you examples of where you fall short of this and suggestions on how to improve, they are preparing to terminate you and are doing it the easy, legal way, FYI. I think others have given you really great advice in here already to help better prepare you for your next job
This is correct - despite my suggestion earlier, I am assuming that you are already aware of this, OP, as it's much more likely you're going to be let go than it is you'll actually succeed with the PIP.