5 most important things I've learned over 5+ years in consulting
Getting a little bored in quarantine, so I figured I’d put a post together. I’ve been in the rat race for 5.5 years and was recently promoted to the manager level at a big 4 (think S&, EY-P, Deloitte S&O). As I reflected on the past 5+ years, I thought about some of the most important things I’ve learned.
Without further ado, below are the five most important things I’ve learned over the past five years:
1. Half of your job is to do your job at a high level, and the other half is making sure other people know
In a competitive environment like consulting, everyone is doing great work. In my experience, what I’ve seen is that for the highest performers, everyone knows what they’ve done, and they’re known as a “go-to” person. When I was early senior, the partner on the account I worked on used to constantly make us create case studies that would be presented to leadership and our practice regarding the project. At the time it was a huge pain in the ass and I didn’t get it – now I do. I’ve seen plenty of people get screwed at review time because at the end of the year it wasn’t well known what they did internally and externally.
2. You only must be up to a certain point in IQ, what separates the highest performers are those who have a high IQ and even higher EQ
You absolutely need to be intelligent to be successful in consulting – that is what helps you build credibility both externally and internally. However, for the individuals I’ve seen that have consistently been the highest performers, they all have one important quality in common – a unique ability to work with clients and teams who fit all over the personality, background and working style spectrum. Additionally, each one of these individuals is people are very well-liked and incredibly personable. You’ll learn that if people like you it makes everything in this business a lot easier
3. People will remember how you make them feel, not what you do for them
To put it simply, people want to work with those who they like and consistently provide more leeway and opportunity to them. As a manager, I don’t typically remember the mistakes those on my team to do, but I do always remember when somebody was willing to stay late or put the work in on the weekend to make the project a success
4. This lifestyle is fucking brutal, find a way to make it sustainable
All meme jokes aside, this is a hard job, and I completely understand anyone who determines this job is not for them. The long hours, constant travel and unpredictable schedule can make it difficult to manage your personal life. Find some things that can make the job sustainable for you – Join a gym in your client site, travel to other cities on the weekends to see friends, plan fun activities in your home city once you’re back – whatever can take a little pressure off and make you feel closer to home
5. It’s a marathon, not a sprint
Since I’ve joined the firm, I’ve seen so many junior resources flame out after 1 or 2 years because they don’t like the specific project they’re on or think they’re getting pigeonholed. Frankly, if you can continue to show up every day, have a great work ethic and willingness to learn you’ll continue to progress (at least to Manager). Additionally, a lot of people get upset over a missed promotion, getting impatient about the next promotion, etc. I would encourage you to enjoy the journey – one or two years won’t matter in the grand scheme of things
Would love to hear other thoughts as well
Great post. I particularly like point 2 about EQ. This isn't limited to consulting, but rather applies to most careers. The many people I know that have reached a senior level in their respective industry ALL have a high EQ. Some of them are brilliant. Others are smart enough. But they all have a certain way about them. This includes engineers, CPAs, attorneys, bankers, corp leaders, consultants, IT folk (surprising but true), etc.
And as a senior person myself, if I was building an organization today I would ID the young people who were smart, got the job done, and most of all, had leadership qualities. People want to be around them internally and externally, at work and socially. Those are the ones that make for great organizations..
The rest are necessary but very replaceable. Hub and spoke. I'll take the hubs all day long.
You don't have to be an extrovert to be a leader. There are quiet leaders who "lead by action". As a junior employee, always do excellent quality work. Be on time (or early) for deliverables and/or yourself to meetings. Do what you say you will do. Be appreciative. Be helpful to others. Take on more responsibility. Get on some group projects and take the hard stuff and help organize the group. Be a facilitator. Under promise and over deliver (never the other way around)
All of those things are qualities of leaders. You don't have to pound your chest. Just be thought of as the go to guy who will make a project happen on time and within budget. And be essential tot he cause. Others will want to work with you and you'll ultimately be a group leader. Rinse and repeat.
I think consulting usually attracts people who are a bit more cerebral than banking does. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re smarter, but I think the work involves a bit more critical thinking - you’re not just searching for reasons to sell a company for the highest possible price to cash out via commission; instead, you’re advising a company or an investment fund on how to navigate an uncertain and novel scenario. I think this rewards personality types that are marginally less bro-ish and may present as more intellectual.