The McKinsey Way

Rating:
Summary: Mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive
Review: What does this book give you? A clear insight into some of the basic tenets of the McKinsey Way of engaging with clients and solving business issues.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to the game of management consulting. The advice here is clear, comprehensive and concise.

Moreover, I would especially recommend this excellent tome to seasoned consultants who might believe that they know it all - it no longer amazes me to find some senior consultants who either never had the first idea about some of the basic essentials or who who have become complacent and lazy over the years.

Finally, I would recommend this book to anyone in business who uses management consultants in a serious way - other than to massage ones ego - this book should give you an indication of at least the levels of rigor and professionalism to expect for your money.

So a great insightful, knowledgeable and clear overview for the novice, an excellent set of key reminders for the seasoned professional and a useful, concise and simple benchmark for the clients of management consultants.

Ethan M Rasiel has come up with the goods and never keeps his eye off the great McKinsey tenets of MECE, MECE and MECE again!

regards,

[e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Too general to be useful.
Review: The book has a few good points, but lacks detail. It reads more like an advertisment for McKinsey than an objective or useful book.

Rating:
Summary: fast read filled with interesting ideas
Review: The real McKinsey way remains safeguarded within the steadfast walls of this secretive company, but this book deals out many ideas that any strategy conscious businessperson should be mindful of. I liked the bit of humor in the book such as the mentioning of the top list of things consultants make sure they take with them when on their assignments! Remember: Coca cola isn't to be found in places such as Czechoslavakia!

Rating:
Summary: So you wanna be a consultant ?
Review: As the title suggests this book gives a bird's eye view of the life, trials and tribulations of "the firm". Nothing earth shattering here, and probably everyone can write one after leaving their company (will we see more of "the so-and-so way" types of book) after interviewing some more "alumni"...

But a good book to whoever to know more about the life of a "strategy consultant" and was afraid or did not know where to ask!

Rating:
Summary: A good starter, but not too detailed
Review: This is a good start if you want to get to know the industry, the company, and a little bit of structured thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, but it left the need for more...

Rating:
Summary: Budget Deliverables at a McKinsey Price
Review: This effort was a great disappointment. I picked it up hoping to find a succinct, high-value description of the Firm's proprietary approach to share with colleagues; instead I found an overwrought, verbose set of cliches, factoids, and frameworks that, at best, only superfically discuss the McKinsey way. (How important is it to know that one McKinseyite considered it vitally important to carry Coca-Cola with him on every engagement?) Rasiel packs no more than three pages of the actual "McKinsey way" into 187 pages. Light on substance and heavy on trite, generic general advice, it is difficult to believe that someone who actually worked for the Firm could deliver such a dubious effort. (Perhaps this book gives insight into why the author lasted the minimum two years at McKinsey.) To be fair, the book does offer some insight into the way the Firm works (e.g., the Rule of Threes, engagement work planning, interviewing, etc.). If you are looking for a comprehensive, informed treatment in this area, I recommend "Client-Centered Consulting."

Rating:
Summary: One of the best I've read in years
Review: I agree with what the other reviewer was saying -- I would like to see more elaboration of the 3 principles. But other than that, it's one of the best business books I have read in years. Being an environmental consultant myself, I could relate some of the experiences the author and the "Firm" had. A good read for everyone in the business.

Rating:
Summary: Serious Lack of Useful Information -- Not worth reading
Review: ... There is very, very little useful information. Much ofbook centers around how selective McKinsey is, which is commonknowledge. There is almost a total lack of how strategies particular to McKinsey can be applied to solving business problems. END

Rating:
Summary: Straight & Simple
Review: In this book, the writer puts you through a McKinsey Boot-camp and shows what it means to be fact-based, structured, and hypothesis-driven. However, dont expect this book to provide anything extraordinary from any other management consultant's methods and perspectives just because its got the McKinsey name on it. Perhaps what the writer is trying to convey is exactly that -- a successful consultant is not just someone with the knowledge but the ability to share that knowledge in the most simplest form in assisting to solve clients' problems.

The basic techniques shared is well-written and can be effective if well implemented. It provide managers and business owners some guidance on techniques of handling problems and tough strategic issues for those who cant afford the real McKinsey.

The intro states: "Think of this book as a sampler...read whatever items interest you" Well, that's exactly what it is -- straight and simple!

Rating:
Summary: Readable, light advice from interviewing McKinsey people
Review: This book is arranged in many extremely brief sections, each of which makes a point or two at a very general level. A useful collection of approaches that a novice may find helpful, but without tough case studies or any special insight into McKinsey.

I found the last two sections quoting the most important and the most memorable experiences of various McKinsey employees the most interesting parts.

Read it if you are interested in management consulting and want a book you can scan in short sessions.