Speed of work issue

Hi there,

It’s good you are thinking about how to improve. I would consider the following points as possible improvements:

1. Double-check all the key deliverables with the manager. Sometimes there may be additional parts or parts not needed compared to your first understanding
2. Divide the task into subtasks
3. Allocate time for each task based on your current knowledge. If you are in doubt, either further segment the task or ask support to colleagues that have done something similar before
4. Add extra time for unexpected events – usually at least 20%
5. Keep track of your progress. Identify the reasons why you are not following the timeline. Learn what others are doing to be faster
6. Align with your manager on your progress so that there are no surprises on your final delivery

Best,
Francesco

Hello!

Totally hear your pain and share it. I think we all felt slow and clumsy at the begginig -and your own works seems soooo much worse than the one of the people you work this-.

The good news is that the curve is so steep, that every week you will see the differnece.

However, "hours of research" for one slide is for sure too much - don´t you guys have some templates?-

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hi there,

In general, I would say you should be always looking to improve in consulting. So, is it acceptable to be your current speed in 6 months? No. Do you need to improve? Yes. But this is literally always the case in the top-tier consulting world. You are likely meeting expectations just fine right now - but don't let yourself get complacent!

Have a read of my consulting survival guide here. Hopefully it can help you navigate this new, challenging experience :)

https://www.spencertom.com/2018/01/14/consulting-survival-guide/

I think you are okay, otherwise your manager would have pointed this out. They are unforgiving (and rightly so) when it comes to timely delivery of work :).

On the flip side, are you struggling to prioritse activities and perhaps overthinking/overanalysing things? Reach out to peers, managers for help on content knowledge i.e dont wait too long to get all the information/research before showing some progress. As you learn & spend more time on the job, some of these things will get easier. Also learn storyboarding as this helps speeding up creation of slides/decks.

Hey there,

great and honest question. First of all, don't worry as your manager would have already told you if your performance is on the edge (on the job or during one of the regular reviews you shouldve had by now).

Now, make sure to remind yourself of this: In fast paced consulting (inner-team) environments, speed is always a bit more important than a 100% solution. Your managers or peers would much rather discuss a 80% with you than having to wait for you 2 extra days. It's a "think and review" (ASK, DISCUSS) approach. Just don't forget to set the stage on how far you've developed the idea already (are we talking 40%, 60% or 90%?).

Hit me up if you want to discuss more details.

Best

Torben

Hey there!

It's good that you are concerned about your speed at work - in consulting it has crucial importance. Sometimes the qualitative work means fast work.

Of course, if your manager assures you that everything is fine - you don't have any reasons to worry. However, for the future, I recommend you to develop your skill of fast work by focusing only on the most important issues and systematizing your tasks.

If you have some other doubts - feel free to write me!

GB