One consultant changed how I created decks
Creating documents is a complex skill that requires orchestrating multiple skills, such as storylining, problem-solving, analytics, slide-making, top-down comms, and client and leadership management.
Once, I staffed a high-performing consultant.
He completely changed how I created slide decks.
He was a proper nerd in the best sense of the word.
I asked him to look into one critical topic.
In just one day, he produced a 15-page document.
It was an impressive document for one day of work.
But I couldn't use any of these pages for my critical client meeting. They were too detailed.
I told him:
I’m really impressed by your effort, but what page can I use for a client meeting? Can you synthesize your pages into a 1-pager? But it should be a high-quality one.
At that moment, I recognized myself in him when I was a consultant.
I used to create too many backup slides, but only a few made it to important client meetings like SteerCos.
I was a backup-generating machine.
I was always extremely busy, but my effective productivity was extremely low.
That was a profound insight for me.
And I asked myself,
Can we change a paradigm here?
What if we force ourselves to think upfront about what critical slides we must create and start working on them first?
Yes, it's a more difficult approach because it requires thinking very hard. But with practice and discipline, it’s possible to adopt.
This approach radically improved my productivity, reduced the number of useless slides, and allowed me to focus on critical ones.
If you want to learn more about how to create great documents, read this post:
How to Create Great Documents.
The consulting journey is complex and treacherous.
Walking it alone is extremely difficult. It’s helpful to have the support of someone experienced who has gone through this journey and helped many others.
That is why I developed a coaching program for MBB consultants to help them 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.