May 2013
Greetings! I'm thrilled and honored to contribute as an online journalist. I have so much to share! Let me first start by recapping my experience and thoughts over the past few months.
Until recently, I was in Washington, D.C., working with the McKinsey Center for Government on "
Education to Employment"—a breakthrough effort that has been widely cited in the media and discussed in global forums. The work itself was an incredible experience, one of those projects that solidified my conviction that there is no better job out there for me than this...and sometimes, to be completely honest, I can't believe that this is a job! There are many dimensions to what makes me feel this way, but let me share one of the most critical drivers: people.
Enjoying the cherry blossoms in DC
From day one on this project, I was surrounded by deeply inspiring leaders. I was on a four person team including a senior director who previously served as Deputy Assistant on Economic Policy to President Obama (
Diana Farrell); a director who had been nominated as "40 Women under 40" by
Fortune Magazine (
Mona Mourshed); and an engagement manager who speaks five languages flawlessly (including Arabic and Hebrew) and holds a Harvard Ph.D. in "spiritual languages." Wow—and this was just day one!
I met many other really cool people outside my team as well—people I believe will be mentors and friends in the long term. One Friday (when most office-wide activities happen), I randomly walked into a "family planning interest group session." I was amazed to find how McKinsey had innovated the national supply chain of contraceptives for multiple countries in Africa, resulting in greater accessibility and significant drop in price. (
Now THAT is impact!) I came to befriend the presenter from the Montreal office (who turned out to be Korean like me!), a former lawyer who worked in the International Criminal Court in Kosovo and Cambodia, and just recently we had a mini-reunion in Seoul with his recently wedded wife!
The best thing about being surrounded by such amazing individuals is learning about what they believe in and the oh-so-diverse paths they walked. It challenges my motivations, tests my actions, and helps me envision what kind of a person I am and want to be. It also helps me think about how I can mentor and empower others, as many leaders and friends have done so for me. Just last month, one of the most terrific leaders I've met so far gave me advice on "finding my voice" as a professional, a person, and a woman. It was advice that really spoke to me and will help me grow.
Presenting at the mentorship event
I want to take that message to those around me as well—and so I did. During the "McKinsey Mentorship" event I co-initiated in the Seoul office, we invited 30+ underprivileged high school students and mentored them in small groups. As I shared my life experience with these young people and shared how to "find their voices," I saw them light up. It was very fulfilling for me to witness this, and I felt even better when I saw the feedback they gave us on the event (scores averaged 5 out of 5)! I have another mentorship event that I initiated at my alma mater coming up in two weeks, where we're inviting 50+ students and 20+ mentors. I very much look forward to that as well.
More exciting updates to come soon!
—Christine