Are weaknesses and areas for improvement the same for the consulting interview? And could you give some examples of safe areas for improvement ?

I wouldn't get too caught up in semantics; the key point is being prepared to articulate past challenges and what you learned/ how you've grown from those experiences. When I asked this archetype of question in interviews, I was looking to understand two areas about the candidate:

1) receptiveness to feedback/ "growth mindset' - resilience and introspection are valued qualities in a consultant. Folks want assurance that when things get tough (and they always do) you can not only  bounce back but continuously learn and improve 

2) their ability to select stories that both relate to relevant skills in consulting + bonus if they can stand out/ be memorable.

#2 dovetails with your question about what is "safe" vs not; there is no hard and fast line, but in general I would avoid stories that might convey that your interests/ skills are severely misaligned with those exhibited by successful consultants. For example, an anecdote that indicates you consistently struggle with adjusting style to your audience would be a flag, UNLESS it is conveyed in a way that inspires confidence that you've managed to "level-up" materially in this regard (per the points above) 

Hope this helps! Feel free to reach out if any follow-up detail would be helpful

That is a fantastic question, and it shows you are thinking critically about how your answer lands. In the high-stakes environment of an MBB interview, the distinction you’ve identified—past weakness vs. future improvement—is strategically crucial, even if the interviewer uses the terms interchangeably.

Here is the insider perspective: The firm does not care about the semantics. When they ask for a weakness, they are testing for coachability and structured self-awareness. The problem arises if you present an Area for Improvement (AFI) as a current, unresolved issue. You must use the past to establish credibility, then immediately pivot to your strategic, ongoing action plan. You cite the weakness (the historical evidence) only to showcase how robust your process of improvement (the future action) is. If you frame it as something you are still "struggling" with today, it suggests you lack the capacity to self-correct, which is a red flag.

To give you a few examples of safe and effective AFIs, focus on items that are common developmental points for high achievers, but are not core skills (like analytics, drive, or integrity). Good options usually involve trade-offs:

1. Over-indexing on Detail: Acknowledging that your analytical rigor sometimes leads you to spend too much time perfecting the "appendix slides" when the client only needed the executive summary.

2. Delegation/Control: Needing to be more proactive in handing off tasks and trusting junior team members, rather than defaulting to doing it yourself to ensure speed or quality.

3. Synthesizing Across Domains: Recognizing you need to improve how quickly you translate complex technical data into plain-language business implications for a non-expert C-suite audience.

In every case, end with the clear, structured steps you are taking right now to mitigate the issue (e.g., "I now force myself to write the conclusion slide first to prevent myself from getting lost in the weeds.").

Hope this helps frame your development story!