I just need to learn shortcuts - one consultant told me
I just need to learn shortcuts - one consultant told me
Junior consultants struggle with slide-making. Some believe that shortcuts and formatting gimmicks will save them. Let me debunk this myth and tell you what's really important.
Last week, I had a call with a usually confident and upbeat consultant.
This is a short excerpt of our conversation:
I don't have any major problems except slide-making.
I just need to learn shortcuts.
Then I will work much faster.
What is your tenure? - I asked.
Three months.
It's a very common misconception for consultants early in their tenure.
They believe that one gimmick can radically improve their performance.
Today, it's shortcuts. Tomorrow, it can be cool layouts or AI bots.
Why does this misconception exist?
Let's follow their logic.
Junior consultants work too slowly.
Using shortcuts saves time.
That's why they obsess over shortcuts.
It seems logical, doesn’t it?
Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against shortcuts.
They really DO save seconds, if not minutes.
But the real problem is not speed but quality.
Poor quality outputs lead to new stupid work.
They trigger unnecessary iterations and kill productivity.
Working faster doesn't make sense if you make many mistakes.
It just accelerates the path to disaster.
That’s why it's critical to learn to work correctly first.
It's a classic confusion between efficiency and effectiveness.
Doing the right things beats doing things fast.
If you want to learn the right slide-making routine, read this post.
The most common mistake in the slide-making process.
I discovered this insight after launching and running my coaching program.
In the program, dozens of MBB consultants complete several practical exercises.
They generate new data points, providing unique insights on improving consultants' performance. In the last four months, I have learned more than in years of consulting practice.
For example, initially, I used to give consultants tight deadlines for completing exercises.
But then I realized it's counterproductive. The outputs were subpar. They didn't learn effectively.
So, I changed my approach.
Now, I allow them to take as much time as they need.
But they must produce their absolute best outputs.
That way, they can calibrate their performance when I show them best-practice outputs from other members.
It expands their ambition of what they can produce in the first iteration. Next time, they will push harder to make better-quality outputs.
The results are remarkable.
Consultants achieve amazing results in just 3-4 exercises.
Once they learn to work much better, they will learn to work faster through practice and reps.
If you are an MBB consultant and want to achieve high performance, I would like to speak with you directly and explain how I can help you transform your consulting performance.
Book a 1-1 Discovery Call for us to discuss and determine if the program is a good fit for you.
Learn more about the Hero’s Journey coaching program.