BS consulting - How to live with it?

Hello!

I actually felt very identified when I read your post, since I had to struggle with the same thing back in Mckinsey sometimes. 

What helped me most was to get involved in operational projects (e.g., insted of Strategy 2030 blabla, doing Recovery and Transformation Services, implementations, post mergers, etc.) Believe, no BS there, pure hands on!

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara

Hi,

Unfortunately, that's the part of your contract. You either accept this or look for the other job (that will be likely the same). 2 solutions here:

• Start your own business
• Look for non-bs people and work with them. It's hard and requires a good amount of insight

Best

An alternative option to those provided is to change the narrative i.e. how you view this world.

I do understand your point, but remember something very critical here. This is ,where MBB adds value.

MBB are, first and foremost, storytellers. They take very complicated, obtuse, messy information, and bundle it into something that is digestible. One, this is digestible to senior leadership (so that they can react and respond and take appropriate action), but two this is disgestible to those to whom they disseminate this information (allowing organisations to shift together).

Once you realise that the true skill/art of strategy consulting is the ability to boil things down, to align differing views into one, to persuade others, to communicate direction clearly, then you might appreciate your work more :)

If this doesn't work, please don't be dissuaded...it's not hard to find good companies and good people to work for/with (you just need to define what good is for you). You have the brilliant position of being able to discover and get almost any job you want.

I don't think you'll get the answer you are looking for here. If the job is making you unhappy, try searching for what it is that you are really missing out on and find ways to make your life more fulfiling.

I would recommend the book designing your life as a good place to start

All the best,

Udayan

Hi Anonymous,

what is long-term goal? Many people use consulting as a first step in their career and so far that they understand what is their call, they switch to what is more fulfilling for them (for me was entrepreneurship). If you cannot find a true purpose in your current job I would:

1. Look for what really makes sense for you as fulfilling project/career
2. Leverage your MBB brand to get as close as possible to that career – it should not be difficult since MBB has a strong alumni network basically everywhere

Best,

Francesco