Distinctive Plus - Newsletter for MBB Consultants

One invisible mistake torpedoes your problem-solving

Implicit assumptions are simple but damaging mistakes. The hardest part is that they are invisible to consultants. In this post, I provide one example…

Mar 17 • Rustem Karymov

3

You need sponsorship for EM promotion

I cringed every time I heard these words at McKinsey. That was the hardest part for me. I had no idea how to do that. This post is about big…

Mar 10 • Rustem Karymov

3

I am stuck in firefighting

Often, consultants find themselves working in a firefighting mode. It happens to everyone. But it’s easy to get stuck in this place, and even fall into…

Mar 3 • Rustem Karymov

2

February 2026

How McKinsey Sells Projects

Consulting firms tell their senior managers to go and sell. But selling in consulting is not you might imagine. This post is for those who want to…

Feb 24 • Rustem Karymov

2

I Don’t Understand My Feedback

You fix one feedback point, a new one pops up. Then again, and again. Most consultants treat feedback as a to-do list. But what if the feedback is just…

Feb 17 • Rustem Karymov

How to Think Well (Critical Thinking)

Most MBB consultants think their problem is slides or speed, but the real issue is how they think. This post is for consultants who want to improve how…

Feb 10 • Rustem Karymov

5

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Why do I share all my knowledge for free?

People don’t ask me why I share my knowledge for free. But knowledge alone is not enough. Implementation is what matters.

Feb 3 • Rustem Karymov

2

January 2026

What is a good problem-solving session?

Most consultants think problem-solving sessions are open debates. Then they get slaughtered there. This post is for consultants who want to run great PS…

Jan 27 • Rustem Karymov

4

Why do we need frameworks?

Many consultants treat frameworks as a box-ticking chore. This post is for MBB consultants who want to perform better. You will learn why frameworks…

Jan 20 • Rustem Karymov

2

What are issue trees?

Most consultants know issue trees, but struggle to apply them in practice. This post is for consultants who want to learn how to structure and analyze…

Jan 13 • Rustem Karymov

5

How to avoid toxicity in MBB consulting?

Many MBB consultants believe that toxic leaders are inherently bad people. But often it’s just a symptom, not a root cause. This post is for those who…

Jan 2 • Rustem Karymov

2

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December 2025

Do you know your partner's hypothesis?

Many MBB consultants get ambushed in partner meetings because they ignore one thing: the partner’s hypothesis. This post is for consultants who want to…

Dec 30, 2025 • Rustem Karymov

2