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 sessions and build leadership trust.
Do you know what problem-solving sessions are?
And how to run them in the best way?
Yesterday, I was talking to my coaching client.
She reminded me of one common misconception consultants have about problem-solving sessions. Many consultants completely misunderstand what problem-solving sessions are and how to run them well. As a result, they hurt their performance and reputation.
Let’s explore this topic.
But before that, a quick side-note.
A problem-solving session (PS) is a McKinsey term.
It means the meetings when we get together as a team (including partners), and discuss current problems, solutions, and outputs.
But at BCG it’s called CTM (case team meeting). What it’s called at Bain, I don’t know, to be honest. Let me know in the comments if you do know.
I remember how I was thinking about PS sessions when I was a first-year consultant at McKinsey.
I understood it literally.
I thought of PS sessions as open debates.
It’s a meeting when we get together as a team, and we solve our current problems. We come up with new ideas as a result of open discussion.
That was the wrong understanding.
I was so naive. It’s so funny and a little embarrassing to remember these things.
As a result, I didn’t prepare for the PS sessions. I just came with the intention to discuss and find the truth together, only to be slaughtered by managers and partners.
Very quickly, I realised that it was not a good way to run PS sessions.
But my client had a slightly different misconception.
She thought that she had to impress partners with unique insights in PS sessions.
On its own, there’s nothing wrong with that. But it was driving the wrong behaviour.
She deliberately withheld important insights and data from her slides. And planned to voice them over in meetings to impress partners. Basically, she was sandbagging the good stuff.
That’s why her slides looked trivial and weak.
You know where it’s going, right?
As a result, she got slaughtered for her poor slides even before she could say anything smart and insightful.
Even if she managed to say a few insights, her partners got really upset about why all of these great insights were not on the slides.
Another naive concept I had:
I expected partners to give me inputs.
I waited for partners to provide me with some unique knowledge and wisdom, and then I could build my outputs. They are partners after all, right? They must know better.
Basically, I waited for their permission to start working. I thought my job was to implement their thinking.
This made me a quite passive problem-solver who didn’t demonstrate enough ownership and drive. Partners hate this type of consultants, especially in MBB firms.
Here’s a better concept of PS sessions.
Problem-solving sessions are needed for partners to push your thinking to the next level.
For that to work well, first, you must push your own problem-solving to your absolute maximum. You must produce the best outputs you can, ideally with a client-ready quality. And then, on the PS sessions, partners can help you to improve them even further.
If you produce great outputs, you’ll have smart and meaningful discussions. If you produce crappy outputs, you’ll get a similar quality discussion.
That’s why, when you come up with poor slides, partners get super frustrated and slaughter you in those meetings.
Also, think about it.
Those meetings are rare exposure points for you to partners.
Whatever you discuss with them, that’s how they see you. That’s the reputation you build.
Let’s say you have 1-2 problem-solving sessions with a partner per week. That means, during a project, you might have just a dozen touch points with your partners.
Every PS session should count.
You’d better prepare really well, not just your outputs but also how you present your findings and how you answer their questions. These things also create a lasting impression of you as a struggling or high-performing consultant.
Yes, partners are different, and they have different preferences.
And once in a while, you will work with partners who have slightly lower standards and expectations.
But holding yourself to higher standards will make you safe and successful in the future.
How to run great problem-solving sessions?
First, be well prepared.
Have an agenda ready. You can say something like:
“Today, I want to discuss 3 topics with you. Unless you have any other important things you want to discuss first.”
That would be a great start for you and would demonstrate your high ownership.
Set the context
For each point you bring, first provide a little bit of context. Remember, partners have the attention span and memory of a goldfish. They forget things. Even if they asked you to do something, don’t expect them to remember it.
Why? Well, because they are extremely fragmented between different projects and client developments. They have to keep so many balls in the air at the same time.
Here’s the best structure for the context setting:
- What is it?
- Why is it important?
- What do we want to achieve?
You can quickly provide this information in the first 20-30 seconds.
Have a perspective
Don’t bring problems. Always bring solutions.
Always have your own perspective and opinion. And be ready to defend it and justify it with some solid logic, facts, or data.
Don’t be defensive
When partners try to say something to you, don’t be defensive. Don’t try to explain to them why it can’t be done.
Instead, try to better understand what they are saying.
They are most likely more experienced and smarter than you. Chances are, they have something valid and important to say. You might not see the bigger picture, or you might not know the important piece of context.
That’s why your first instinct should be to try to understand, not push back.
Because it’s extremely annoying for partners when junior consultants push back at them without even understanding what they are talking about. You don’t look well in this situation.
So, don’t rush it, be careful, and listen to what they tell you. Ask clarifying questions. Playback your understanding.
If you can build on top of their ideas even further, OMG, you will be the best consultant for them. You’ll instantly stand out from the crowd and become a problem-solving partner. Believe me, it’s pretty rare behaviour among consultants. But often, that’s what partners really need.
In conclusion, my main message to you is to treat PS sessions as very important meetings. Your career depends on how you run them. Because at the end of the day, partners assess you and make or break your career.
If you are an MBB consultant and want to improve your performance through personalized coaching support:
We will discuss your pain points, challenges, and aspirations. It’s a no-commitment call, just straight answers to your biggest questions.
If you want to learn more about my coaching program, read this post:
The coaching program for MBB consultants.