Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• I understand your concern about not having many opportunities to interact with partners independently and how that can impact your working relationship with them. Here are a few tips that might be helpful in building a solid working relationship with partners at your consulting firm:
  • Make sure you are delivering top-quality work: Partners want to work with team members who consistently deliver high-quality work and contribute to the success of the team. Focus on delivering your best work on every project and meeting deadlines.
  • Communicate effectively: Make sure you are clear and concise in your communication with partners and other team members. This includes being proactive in raising any issues or concerns you have and keeping them informed of your progress.
  • Be proactive: Don't wait for opportunities to come to you, create them yourself. If you have ideas for the current project or ways to improve current processes, speak up (especially in the case team meeting) and share them with your manager and the partner. This shows initiative and a willingness to take on additional responsibility.
  • Build your network: Partner relationships are often built on mutual respect and trust. Building relationships with partners and other senior team members within the firm can help you gain exposure and opportunities for growth. Consider attending company events or networking events, or ask for introductions to other partners or senior team members.
  • Seek feedback and be open to constructive criticism: Partners are often busy, but it's important to make time for feedback and development. Seek feedback from your manager and the partner on your work and be open to constructive criticism. This will help you improve and grow as a consultant.
• I hope these tips are helpful. Building a solid working relationship with partners takes time and effort, but it can be a valuable investment in your career.

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

Best,

Hagen

In any MBB you have the opportunity to interact with partners without any problem. The first key interaction point is the case team meeting where you can speak up and present your module.

There is absolutely no need for reason or "correctness" to bypass your direct reports. 

My suggestion is to relax and focus on doing extremely well in your tasks.

1- Team meetings : show that you own your module, drive work independently based on strong hypothesis, have clear proposals about path forward and flag potential issues early => This will show you are doing good work and it is worth investing time with you

2- Your direct leadership is the best advocate for you. You might not see it directly but Partners will spend a lot of time with AP or Managers, making sure these people trust you and vouch for you are the best way to cultivate a strong perception from the Partner and have them remember you

3- Extra-activities. Partners are always engaged in other activities at the company outside of your direct project. Showing interest (asking them directly to talk about it) and getting involved (Biz-Dev, volunteering, …) will be a good other way to develop a relationship with the Partner outside of your direct project hierarchy & fast paced / pressured environment. 

Hope this helps ;) 

What has worked for me in the past:

• Be great at your job. Partners will notice when a team is delivering consistently and making their lives easier
• Develop well into your own work stream, own some deliverables and present them internally. You can be the person on the team who knows everything about x
• Speaking up in team meetings especially if you have developed some expertise as the point above.

Hello!

My advice would be: master your workstream. Be the master and go-to person for any question regarding it. This will give you direct exposure in a great set up, in which you are knowledgeable and can impress them. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara

Hi there,

We need to look at this in two ways:

• Project related interactions: It's true that most project-related interactions between low seniority consultants and Partners are with EM and/or AP present. If you're on top of your workstream and the Partner wants to know or discuss something specific, you may also have a direct interaction. However, you're generally expected to cc your EM if you reach out directly since he/she MUST be in the loop of everything project related (nothing to do with you specifically).
• All other interactions: It wouldn't be weird at all to reach out to Partners directly, outside the context of a project. I did this all the time at McKinsey when I had a personal interest to learn about their clients, focus areas, project pipeline, etc. They were always happy to discuss, and these chats are part of MBB culture. I also became friends with some Partners, who aren't gods, just people.

Hope this helps a bit! Best of luck!

(editiert)

Hi there,

Oh boy, great question!

The most important: This ultimately dependents so much on the specific Partner, the company culture, the country/office culture, etc.

Find out from your peers! Learn on fellow consultants, project leads, etc. to learn what works best in your context.