Attention to detail

Consultants often make simple mistakes. It's extremely embarrassing and damaging. Let's discuss some practical tips how you can fix this problem.

I remember my early days at McKinsey.

It was a very tough project. We worked long hours, all getting exhausted and stressed.

The manager asked me to update the numbers in the SteerCo document.

Finally, I got a meaningful task to do. Before that, I was running errands and handling some tactical tasks.

It was not a difficult task. I thought I had nailed it.

But when I sent my findings, my manager's face turned red.

I myself already could see what the problem was.

I forgot to update the main numbers after I changed the business case assumptions.

"Did you even check these numbers?" he asked me, annoyed and angry.

I was cursing at myself. Again, a simple mistake?!

Why did it happen? I rushed my work because I thought I was expected to do everything quickly. I felt immense pressure to deliver.

But now, I felt a wrenching pain in my stomach.

How did I miss such an obvious mistake?

It was so embarrassing.

And the timing was terrible.

I wanted to do at least one thing right. After a series of stupid mistakes, I needed it so much. My manager already thought of me as hopeless and stupid.

I wanted to prove him wrong.

Unfortunately, my relationship with this manager never improved.

He provided very harsh feedback, pointing out the need to improve my attention to detail and learn to produce zero-defect outputs.

It brought me very close to a negative rating and almost getting fired.

I decided I could not risk it anymore and must fix this problem so that it doesn't happen again when I work with other managers.

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common for new consultants.

You work really hard, you do your absolute best, but somehow, you keep making simple mistakes.

It's frustrating, embarrassing, and can seriously damage your reputation.

Here's the thing:

Attention to detail isn't just about being meticulous. It's about having a system that catches errors before they reach your manager's desk.

Think of it like a safety net for trapeze artists.

They don't rely solely on being careful. They have a safety net to catch them if they fall.

So, how do you build your safety net for your consulting work?

Here are some DOs and DON'Ts to help you out:

❌ DON'T rush to send your outputs.

I used to think that I must produce my outputs super fast.

I wanted to be a good soldier and execute orders fast because that’s what great work looked like in the companies I worked for before.

That is why I behaved as if I was assessed on my speed.

But trust me, quality trumps speed every time.

Take extra time to review your work.

It'll save you embarrassment and hours of painful rework later.

✅ DO add a final quality check.

When reviewing your outputs, put a manager's hat on your head.

Imagine the most demanding manager you have ever worked with and anticipate what questions they would ask.

What holes would they poke in your analysis? What would they do if they wanted to destroy your slides?

And then address these questions proactively.

❌ DON'T use placeholders

Consultants are trained to work in iterations.

They often throw random numbers and facts on pages and then see what sticks.

It's tempting to plug in dummy numbers when you're working fast. Don't do it.

You might forget to remove incorrect data in the heat of work.

Your managers and partners are always excited to see new data and facts. And if you tell them the data is a dummy, they get sorely disappointed.

Make it a rule to only use correct data from the start.

If the correct data doesn't exist, don't use it.

This simple habit will eliminate the whole category of potential mistakes.

✅ DO edit your text multiple times.

Clear writing reflects clear thinking.

Editing is a very important part of getting your thoughts to the right level of quality.

Nobody does it perfectly from the first go. Even accomplished writers edit their texts many times.

Do the same. Take your time to refine your texts.

Tools like Grammarly can help catch basic errors, but nothing beats a careful self-edit.

Remember, attention to detail isn't about perfection. It's about having a reliable process that catches errors before they become problems.

The Navy SEALS like to say,

Under pressure, we don't rise to the occasion but rather sink to the level of our training.

Ensure your lowest level of training meets the highest quality standards of your leaders.

Develop your own routines and implement these techniques.

Your managers will notice, your confidence will grow, and you'll be on your way to becoming a standalone consultant.

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The consulting journey is complex and treacherous.

Walking it alone is extremely difficult. It’s helpful to have the support of someone experienced (me, wink wink) who has gone through this journey and helped many others.

That is why I developed a coaching program for MBB consultants to help you achieve high performance and become successful.

If you are an MBB consultant and sick of struggling with performance and development, I would like to speak with you.

Book a Free 1-1 Consultation to discuss whether I can help you through my coaching program. There is no commitment, and you can ask any burning questions in a risk-free environment.

Read this post to learn more about the Hero’s Journey coaching program.

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