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Category: Strategy Engagement

The process of completing a strategy engagement is very different from the clean written or power point report the client receives at the end of the study. A good analogy for thinking about the process of running a strategy engagement is to think about cooking.

The technique used to cook or bake will significantly influence the final dish. Slight variations in a technique can lead to major changes in the final product. For example, adding hot or cold milk to the preparation can completely change the texture and taste of the final dish. In other cases, the time when the milk is added to the preparation process changes the dish. In another example, you can bake sugar but grilling meat with sugar causes the sugar to burn.

The process to run a strategy engagement is very similar. Nuances lead to significant changes in quality. For example, storyboards must be done before the study even commences. As unusual as that sounds there is a very clear logic to why consulting engagements are done this way. Hypotheses are also always prepared before any analyses is done.

Doing them out of order may create a strategy report that looks correct, but because the process is incorrect the study will have flaws.

A poorly planned strategy engagement would be a nightmare to both lead and join as a team member. Much worse is both the quality of the work that will be produced and the flawed recommendations the client will receive.

However, learning how to lead a strategy engagement gives one a formidable career advantage. You will have the ability to solve even the most complex problem at any company anywhere in the world. That is a highly prized skill.

Internal strategy units always feel challenged by external consultants

Internal strategy units always feel challenged by external consultants

Most internal units, however, understand they will not be involved in undertaking critical studies and are no threat. Read more…

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Does your value system exist as words or in everyday actions?

Think carefully of things you take for granted, which may actually be damaging or discriminatory. Read more…

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Are you case studying a company or attribute?

Case studies are probably the most wildly misunderstood and poorly done part of strategy studies. Read more…

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Focus interviews are the heart of top-down analyses and must be done first

Focus interviews are the heart of top-down analyses and must be done first

Focus interviews are critical to quickly test initial hypotheses and onboard the team in a safe environment. Read more…

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Partners expect efficiency and selflessness when communicating

Partners expect efficiency and selflessness when communicating

Communicate in a way which makes it easy for a partner to do their work. Not your work. A key mindset change. Read more…

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Small signals on a study snowball into setting the tone

Small signals on a study snowball into setting the tone

Think carefully about the tactical decisions made, and the signals sent to the client and team Read more…

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Most hard skills are a commodity in management consulting

Most hard skills are a commodity in management consulting

The analyses process is crucial and not the analytic frameworks Read more…

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Forgetting the expectations exchange is the single biggest career killer

Forgetting the expectations exchange is the single biggest career killer

Most consultants end up with poor reviews since they just do not know any better Read more…

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Basic logic can generate an 80% accurate answer before detailed analysis is required

Basic logic can generate an 80% accurate answer before detailed analysis is required

Get comfortable using business judgement and logic to narrow the scope of the problem Read more…

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Always ensure the CEO smooths out the arrival for the consultants

Always ensure the CEO smooths out the arrival for the consultants

Clients enjoy avoiding consultants unless they are “told” to cooperate Read more…

  • February 16, 2019

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Greetings from the Editor

My name is Kris Safarova and I am the editor of StrategyJournal.com. I also run StrategyTraining.com, StrategyBooks.com, StrategyTV.com and Firmsconsulting.com. In addition I run two podcasts routinely ranked in the Top 10 for careers worldwide: Strategy Skills and Case Interviews & Management Consulting.

I work with ex-BCG, McKinsey et al senior partners to produce all the content on the sites above. I curate and distill their ideas through books, videos, documentaries, apps, podcasts and other bespoke programming streamed 24/7 in >150 countries around the world that teach our clients to solve mankind’s  toughest problems. Our free episodes have been downloaded >2 million times. Our subscription-only content has much higher engagement. In total I have worked with these partners to produce >35 training programs about strategy. That’s >4,000 episodes of content and over 900 hours of subscription-only programming. 

 Our audience across all platforms paid/free includes CEOs, executive committee members of the most elite consulting firms and senior government officials, including promising young managers from the US to India, Vietnam, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, UK, Canada, Australia etc.

While I am proud of all the work, I am particularly fond of the 3-year journey to produce The Bill Matassoni Show documentary series and Bill’s memoir Marketing Saves the World. Bill was McKinsey’s first marketing director, and a mentee and close friend of Marvin Bower. We also produced a set of unique Apps, a unique limited edition Glass House memoir and a very effective social media campaign to launch the book which went to #1 on Amazon in its category and #9 on WSJ. I really enjoyed working with Bill and his lovely wife Pamela.

Our goal is to teach complex problem skills through engaging, entertaining and realistic settings: From restructuring a national power utility to building an electric car start-up to building the innovation division at a global professional services firm to building profitable banking products for the unbanked, and more. Motivated and armed with our detailed content and focus on ethical leadership, our clients are tackling problems that matter to the world. The articles here are adapted from the advanced and in-depth content that the partners produce. I edit all the articles and also write a few myself. 

If you would like updates on the programs we produce and our weekly episode releases, please opt-in to the email list above. In my prior life I was a consultant, banker, master pianist and fledgling recorded pop singer. I hold a Richard Ivey MBA and UNISA B.Comm along with a DG Shatalov Music Diploma.

Contact Information

c/o Kristina Safarova
187 E. Warm Springs Rd.
Suite B158
Las Vegas, NV 89119
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