Additional Posts in Consulting
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RMA vs Weil Cornell in the NY/NJ area?
Anyone wants to join PwC and needs referral?
Additional Posts (overall)
EY Digital or Capgemini Digital?
Thoughts?
When did you get bored of consulting?
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Be transparent, be genuine, be honest, build an all hands on team culture that's willing to do whatever it takes to succeed and don't ever force them to work more than necessary for client deliverables, prevent weekend work as much as you can, protect the team and don't throw anyone under the bus, when someone makes a mistake then learn from it as a team (usually anyone could of made that mistake). Encourage the team by pointing out and complimenting what works well. Build a relationship with the team, they will be spending at least 50-60 hours a week with you, probably more, you should get to know them. Respect them and operate in a flat structure, authority doesn't come from titles and if you believe that then you're going to run head on into a wall. Focus on how you can promote them, teach them, make them better having worked with you and learned from you directly and indirectly, e.g. Management style.
Lastly, Remember it's a small world and life exists and will continue to exist outside of this engagement.
Work smart, not just a lot for unproductive reasons and outcome leaving client with exorbitantly inflated invoice. Be inclusive instead of being the obstacle in communication lines to the top management and sponsors so that they only communicate thru the you, thereby keeping them in dark at your will whenever you need to do CYA. Stop taking the work of the team members when it starts getting fun and dumping it back on their lap when you cant finish the job succeaafully. Leave the experts to do what theyre assigned to do and stop stealing the teammates" thunder.
Assign things at the beginning of the day.
Set up a 1-on-1 early on the project to just understand the person- their goals, what they like, what they're proud of- etc
Encourage family time, take interest in team's family/friends and be genuinely excited for their weekend plans/vacations
Lead by example- when working late, put a delayed delivery on emails so they arrive in the am instead of letting people know you're up late, likewise for the weekend.
Especially for analysts, I like to make sure they know to go home/hotel when they've completed their work for the day. No need to stay late just because I've gotta work on a proposal in addition to all the other shit they want from me. In a way, I am trying to preserve their innocence.
Please and thank you goes a long way these days. Team dinners can be extra exhausting for the introverts, so don't assume that's always a bonus. Also, just listening to their POV and validating their worth as a human with thoughts and opinions ....apparently I have a low bar for what i wished my managers did for me...
Set up time to get feedback from my perspective.
EY1 - I think that's very important. I'm often working late on another project or BizDev (or I'm getting caught up because I spent 3 hours earlier in the day on one of those things). I don't need my associates hanging around assuming they can't leave until I do. I state this explicitly, but if I don't think that's working, I pack up and work from the hotel. One one occasion, I collected laptop power cords at 5pm so people would leave. Gave them back the next morning. Every needs a night off occasionally. (Though I probably ruined some Netflix plans)
Walk the talk. Dont show up everyday 2-3 hrs late at the client site and demand team to be first in the morning. Dont work from hotel and demand team work at client site. Dont work on personal stuff during billable client time and demand nobody can't do the same. Dont come unprepared everyday. Work hard and show your staff why you are the manager. Don't expect your staff come up with all the answers and do all the work while you're on conference calls
Say thank you.
Invest in their personal lives - get to know your staff.
Be empathetic.
Roll up your sleeves and help out sometimes.
Set expectations early on.
Know we can't read your mind.
Be the manager you'd want to work for.
Do everything you can to keep moral up - know what motivates each individual on the team (this can vary greatly).
Adding to D1––remember that introverts exist. If we decline an invite and then explain that we'll be better teammates tomorrow because we don't go out tonight, take us seriously.
Good stuff on this thread.
Agree with all of the above. I'd also highlight that being proactive from a junior perspective is a huge help; just ask to set expectations and goals at the start of a project. Ask if you need time off or want 5 minutes at the start of the day to confirm priorities.
My manager cuts and pastes the emails I send her and forwards them along to higher ups. You gotta have a thick skin in this profession. The typical rules of 'good leadership' don't apply here. You rise up if you know the right folks #ItsMonday
Use the evening team check-in to prioritise only the must-haves for that evening and cut work down, not add new things to people's plate
Don't schedule mandator things in evenings
Don't ask your staff to cut their PTO short because the team is busy, then schedule a week of PTO yourself over that period because you really just wanted your staff to cover your own PTO. This happened.
Give our bloody life back 😂
P3 If they cut and paste and forward a subordinate's email, I'd hope they'd celebrate the team/person that wrote it. "Sam put together this great presentation..." Celebrate the team upwards and shield them from flack coming down