Mck PEI

1. Inclusive Leadership

Opening questions:

• "Tell me about a time you led a team through conflict"
• "Describe bringing together people with different perspectives"
• "Walk me through leading without formal authority"

What they evaluate:
Managing interpersonal conflict within teams, not just task conflict. Creating space for others to contribute. Building relationships over weeks/months, not one meeting. Leading diverse perspectives toward common goal.

Average vs. top:

• Average: "I delegated tasks and motivated my team to hit deadline" (project management)
• Top: "Two engineers clashed over technical approach, blocking progress. Met each 1:1 to understand positions, facilitated joint session where both contributed to hybrid solution, team dynamic shifted from competitive to collaborative for rest of 3-month project" (conflict navigation + sustained transformation)

2. Personal Impact

Opening questions:

• "Tell me about persuading someone who strongly disagreed with you"
• "Describe influencing a senior stakeholder with conflicting interests"
• "Walk me through changing someone's decision on something important"

What they evaluate:
One-on-one influence, not group persuasion. Real conflicting interests where both sides had stakes. Strategic influence over time, not single conversation. Stakeholder diagnosis and tailored approach.

Average vs. top:

• Average: "I convinced my manager with data and presentation" (transactional, no real conflict)
• Top: "VP blocked our product launch citing market timing. Through 1:1s learned real concern was personal reputation risk from prior failed launch. Reframed proposal to include pilot phase reducing his exposure, got approval after 2 weeks. Product now generates $2M annually" (motive diagnosis + strategic reframing + impact)

3. Entrepreneurial Drive

Opening questions:

• "Tell me about setting an ambitious goal beyond your role"
• "Describe taking initiative on something you weren't asked to do"
• "Walk me through overcoming major obstacles to deliver results"

What they evaluate:
Self-initiated, not assigned. Clear intrinsic motivation (why you personally cared). Multiple substantial obstacles overcome. Sustained effort over time showing grit.

Average vs. top:

• Average: "I volunteered for extra project and completed it" (initiative but lacks obstacles)
• Top: "Noticed sales team lacked competitive intelligence. Built scraping tool nights/weekends despite no coding background, pitched leadership 3 times before budget approval, navigated legal compliance issues, launched dashboard now used by 40-person sales org and credited with 15% faster deal cycles" (ownership + resilience + business impact)

4. Growth

Opening questions:

• "Tell me about receiving critical feedback and changing your approach"
• "Describe a situation where you failed and what you learned"
• "Walk me through admitting you were wrong and changing course"

What they evaluate:
Self-awareness and genuine reflection on failure. Willingness to pivot despite ego or sunk cost. Concrete behavior change that stuck. Learning that transferred to new situations.

Average vs. top:

• Average: "I tried an approach that didn't work, got feedback, then tried something else" (surface adjustment)
• Top: "Led client project using my usual 'move fast, decide independently' style. Missed key stakeholder concerns, first presentation bombed. Feedback was harsh, realized my strength (speed) became liability (skipping alignment). Spent 2 weeks rebuilding relationships 1:1, co-created revised approach. Delivered successfully 3 weeks later. Now on every new project I map stakeholders and decision rights before executing. Applied this on next 3 engagements with stronger outcomes" (genuine mistake + insight into personal pattern + sustained behavior change + proof of transfer)

What separates top from average across all four

Top answers include decision-making rationale (why you chose X over Y), quantified impact (time saved, revenue generated, people affected), genuine insight about yourself or the situation, and evidence of learning transfer to new contexts.

Average answers just describe what happened chronologically, skip the "why" behind choices, lack specific metrics, and sound rehearsed without real reflection.

hi! 

Happy to share what I’ve seen from my recent mentees who interviewed at McKinsey. The exact wording varies slightly, but the opening questions are surprisingly consistent. For Leadership it is often something like “Tell me about a time you led a team through a difficult situation.” For Drive it is typically “Tell me about a time you faced a significant setback or failure.” For Conflict or Connection it is along the lines of “Tell me about a time you had to convince someone who disagreed with you” or “Describe a challenging team conflict.” For Growth it is usually “Tell me about critical feedback you received and how you handled it.”

Evaluation is very focused on your specific actions and thought process. They assess ownership, courage in difficult moments, ability to influence, self reflection, and what you genuinely learned. Average answers stay at surface level, describe the team more than themselves, and lack depth when probed. Top answers are very specific, show clear decision points, trade offs considered, personal stakes, and honest reflection on what they would do differently.

What really differentiates candidates is how well they handle follow ups. Top performers stay consistent under deep probing and can clearly articulate what they were thinking in the moment, not just what happened.

If you want, feel free to share one of your stories and I can give you direct feedback.

best,
Alessa :)

Hi there,

Leadership
Typical opener: “Tell me about a time where you demonstrated leadership.”
They assess: ownership, influence without authority, decision-making, and how you handled resistance.

Personal Impact / Connection
Typical opener: “Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict.”
They assess: empathy, stakeholder reading, tailoring communication, and relationship-building.

Entrepreneurial Drive
Typical opener: “Tell me about a time you set a challenging goal and what you did to achieve it.”
They assess: ambition, resilience, initiative, and energy.

Growth / Learning
Typical opener: “Tell me about a time you failed.”
They assess: humility, learning agility, and behavior change.
 

Across all dimensions, "great" candidates are very specific and structured, and demonstrate not only what you did, but also how you thought and felt to show emotional maturity and self-awareness.

Leadership

Typical opening: "Tell me about a time you led a team through a challenging situation."

What they test: Did you actually lead or just participate? Did you make tough calls and drive outcomes?

Average vs top: Average describes being in charge. Top shows how you aligned people, handled resistance, and took accountability.

Personal Impact / Connection

Typical opening: "Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult stakeholder" or "influenced someone without authority."

What they test: Can you read people, adapt, and build trust? Can you handle disagreement constructively?

Average vs top: Average describes being collaborative. Top shows you understood their real concerns and moved them to a different position.

Drive

Typical opening: "Tell me about a time you achieved something significant" or "went above and beyond."

What they test: Do you set high standards? Do you push through obstacles?

Average vs top: Average describes working hard. Top shows personal ownership, overcoming setbacks, and achieving something that mattered to you.

Growth / Learning

Typical opening: "Tell me about a time you received tough feedback" or "a significant failure and what you learned."

What they test: Are you self-aware? Can you learn without getting defensive?

Average vs top: Average describes accepting feedback. Top shows genuine reflection and a real change in approach.

What differentiates top answers overall

Specificity. Exact moments, words, decisions. Self-awareness about why you made choices. Real stakes with real consequences. Your role is clearly separated from the team's.

Feel free to reach out if you want help pressure-testing your stories.