Coffee Chat with Partner: What are the right questions to ask?

Hi there,

Oh that is the golden question: “what questions to make to cause an impression in a senior partner?”

You can find similar questions to that in this very forum. I advise you to actually resist the temptation of thinking about “how to cause this impression” and first think about this as a real opportunity to pick the brain of a senior person. What are the questions and interests you have that may overlap with his experience? What are the topics he has worked and that you would like to know more? As an intern and young professional, what are your perspectives about the job and industry vs what he may think? Etc.

I wish you all the luck in this upcoming meeting!

Best,

Mari 

Here is what I would ask if I were in your shoes (besides the typical what do you work on):

“What distinguishes juniors who go on to become top-performing managers or partners?”

 “What’s the biggest disruption you see coming for our clients (or his industry particularly) in the next 3–5 years?"

"What piece of advice would you give to a junior that wants to have a long career here?"

If you want to sympathize on a personal level "How do you find ballance between work priorities and personnal priorities ?"

Great suggestions from other coaches. Would second the questions about advice that the partner has for a junior consultant who wants to be in the industry long term, as well as your questions about the industry / partner's previous work

I would add the following (feel free to paraphrase):

1. (If this partner is on the same case as you). Ask about your firm's future outlook with this client. Are we working with them on more projects? What is the full potential of the account and why do they need the support - always think if there is a "how" and "why" question

2. A bit more of a cliche set of questions - ask the partner if they could give their younger selves advice, what would they have told themselves or done differently when they were junior. Or if they joined consulting from industry, ask whether they would have done the same if they were to do the same thing, or would they have joined consulting earlier.

All the best!

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, I would strongly advise you to reflect on your true intention behind scheduling the coffee chat with this specific partner. I doubt your intention was simply to "leave a good impression".
• Moreover, can you please clarify who this partner is? Are they a partner on the project you're currently working on, or are they from a particular industry practice that you're excited about? These details are important in order to provide a meaningful answer as opposed to generic proposals.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi,

Let's reflect first on the main reason you scheduled the coffee chat. Is the intention only to make a good impression or do you really have some information you would like to get. If it's the latter, feel free to ask the questions you want to. If you would like to make a good impression, ask open questions showing interest in their work and where they can show their knowledge. 

Kr,

Mattijs

Hi there, 

It's great that you're asking this. The coffee chat that you're going to have with them is indeed a great opportunity. 

I would try to see this Partner as someone who is at least a decade ahead of you, but on the same path. So what would you want to ask them then? For instance, you could ask what it is that they wish they knew when they were in your shoes? What were the most important things to focus on? 

So it can be something mindset-related like that, or you can ask questions that are more specifically related to their professional experience and which are particularly relevant for you for some reason - let's say that most of their work is in Oil & Gas and that's also the industry that you want to work in.

The most important thing to watch out for is not to try and impress them. It will feel fake and instrumental and it will put them off. Instead, aim to be honest, normal, yourself and approach the conversation with humility and curiosity. 

You might also find this guide I wrote useful:

• Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

Best,
Cristian

1. What's your program? What are the biggest challenges and opportunities do you have in helping you create value for your clients?
2. Tell me more about your career during McKinsey?
3. What skillsets, behaviors and team dynamic do you look for when staffing your team?

I don't think the partner is going to look for incredibly inspiring questions for you to ask. play it safe, but ask personalized questions. the best way to leave an impression is to get the partner to talk about themselves, their values, and what they care about

I've always been one to be curious about the person behind the title, as opposed to the title behind the person. By this, my encouragement is be curious about their life as a whole. The most meaningful partner and C-level engagements I've had revolved more on the person than their job. This is a great foundation for a relationship that outlives your time at the company. 

Examples of questions I've asked where around the landed up in this career to begin with, then working the way back to their pre-professional career. It has more genuine laughs and follow up conversations. 

If you want a strictly professional question that's always interesting, then you can ask them how they navigate upward feedback as they grow in their journey. Believe it or not, people are less likely to give feedback to Partners as they sometimes assume they've got it figured out.