1. Madison Book Club Presenter: Anil Shankar

2. In short.. Provides a through-the-keyhole perspective on the way this worldwide consulting institution approaches--and solves--the myriad professional problems encountered by its high-powered clientele. New and useful skills to everyone who wants to be more useful in their business. Explaining the highly structured, fact-based proprietary methodology that McKinseyites are taught to employ with their Fortune 100 clients Complete with details on the entire process from first considering the basic situation at hand through finally selling a solution to the appropriate powers that be.

3. Few reviews…… "Enlivened by witty anecdotes, THE MCKINSEY WAY contains valuable lessons on widely diverse topics such as marketing, interviewing, team-building, and brainstorming." --Paul H. Zipkin, Vice-Dean, The Fuqua School of Business "If more business books were as useful, concise, and just plain fun to read as THE MCKINSEY WAY, the business world would be a better place." --Julie Bick, best-selling author of ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW IN BUSINESS I LEARNED AT MICROSOFT. It's been called "a breeding ground for gurus." McKinsey & Company is the gold-standard consulting firm whose alumni include titans such as "In Search of Excellence" author Tom Peters, Harvey Golub of American Express, and Japan's Kenichi Ohmae.

4. Finding a solution Fact-based You must not fearthe facts. Hunt for them, use them, but don’t fear them Rigidly structured MECE Hypothesis-driven* Defining the initial hypothesis. Generating the initial hypothesis. Testing the initial hypothesis.

5. Developing an approach The problem is not always the problemSometimes a business problem will land on your desk and you will be told to solve it. Fair enough. But before you go rushing off in any particular direction, make sure you're solving the right problem – it may not be the one you were given

6. DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL Most business problems resemble each other more than they differ. This means that with a small number of problem-solving techniques, you can answer a broad range of questions.These techniques may be somewhere in your organization, either written down or in the heads of your fellow employees. If not, use your experience to develop your own tool kit. McKinsey,

7. DON’T MAKE THE FACTS FITYOUR SOLUTION Avoid the temptation to view your initial hypothesis as the answer and the problem-solving process as an exercise in proving the IH. Keep an open and flexible mind. Don’t let a strong initial hypothesis become an excuse for mental inflexibility

8. MAKE SURE YOUR SOLUTION FITSYOUR CLIENT The most brilliant solution, backed up by libraries of data and promising billions in extra profits, is useless if your client or business can’t implement it. Know your client. Know the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities—what management can and cannot do. Tailor your solutions with these factors in mind.

9. SOME PROBLEMS YOU JUST CAN’T SOLVE . . .SOLVE THEM ANYWAY Eventually, you will run into a brick wall that is tougher than your head. Don’t keep pounding; it has no effect on the wall and does your head no good

10. DON’T BOIL THE OCEAN Work smarter, not harder. There’s a lot of data out there relating to your problem, and a lot of analyses you could do. Ignore most of them

11. 80 / 20 and other rules to live by

12. Many factors affect your business. Focus on the most importantones—the key drivers. FIND THE KEY DRIVERS

13. THE ELEVATOR TEST Know your solution (or your product or business) so thoroughlythat you can explain it clearly and precisely to yourclient (or customer or investor) in 30 seconds. If you can dothat, then you understand what you’re doing well enough tosell your solution

14. PLUCK THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT Sometimes in the middle of the problem-solving process, opportunities arise to get an easy win, to make immediate improvements, even before the overall problem has been solved. Seize those opportunities! They create little victories for you and your team. They boost morale and give you added credibility by showing anybody who may be watching that you’re on the ball and mean business.

15. MAKE A CHART EVERY DAY During the problem-solving process, you learn something new every day. Put it down on paper. It will help you push your thinking. You may use it, or you may not, but once you have crystalized it on the page, you won’t forget it.

16. Just say, “I don't know” Honesty includes recognizing when you haven't got a clue. Admitting that is a lot less costly than bluffing

17. Hit Singles • It’s impossible to do everything yourself all the time. • If you manage it once, you raise unrealistic expectations from those around you. • Once you fail to meet expectations, it is very difficult to regain credibility

18. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE Focussing day to day problems is good. However never ever forget the long term goals take a step back, figure out what I’m trying to achieve, and then look at whatever I’m doing and ask myself, ‘Does this really matter?’”

19. DON’T ACCEPT “I HAVE NO IDEA” People always have an idea if you probe just a bit. Ask a few pointed questions—you’ll be amazed at what they know. Combine that with some educated guessing, and you can be well along the road to the solution.

20. ASSEMBLING A TEAM GETTING THE MIX RIGHT A LITTLE TEAM BONDING GOES A LONG WAY TAKE YOUR TEAM’S TEMPERATURE TO MAINTAIN MORALE Let your teammates know why they are doing what they’re doing Get to know your teammates as people

21. MAKE YOUR BOSS LOOK GOOD If you make your boss look good, your boss will make you look good. That’s the quid pro quo of hierarchy.

22. Specific Research Tips Start with the annual report Look for outliers Look for best practice

23. SIX TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWING Have the interviewee’s boss set up the meeting Interview in pairs Listen; don’t lead Paraphrase, paraphrase, paraphrase Use the indirect approach Don’t ask for too much

24. BRAINSTORMING PROPER PRIOR PREPARATION There are no bad ideas There are no dumb questions Be prepared to kill your babies Know when to say when Know when to say when

25. Presentation Tips Complete before 24 hrs Do open discussion atleast 12 hrs before presentation Good/Tight sleep before presentation Charts simplifies the point Last but not the least “Never surprise the audience with your findings” (Prewiring is very much necessary)

26. IF YOU WANT A LIFE, LAYDOWN SOME RULES Make one day a week off-limits Don’t take work home Plan ahead