What we do
We solve complex problems that have no easy answers to create sustainable value for our clients
Our clients turn—and return—to McKinsey to help address the issues that matter most to their organizations, such as:
“We were committed to building the bank. In working so intensely on it—visiting potential sites, helping recruit the client’s team, and laying the groundwork—we felt it was our bank as well. The client was surprised at our level of ownership.”
- Achieving, sustaining, and regaining market leadership.
- Exploring growth opportunities.
- Restructuring an organization.
- Evaluating portfolio strategies to minimize risk and stay ahead of competition.
- Deciding whether and what to outsource.
- Finding and capitalizing on new technologies and new market opportunities.
- Investigating entry into foreign markets.
- Developing a country’s educational system.
How we do what we do
We work in teams of typically three to six McKinsey consultants along with select members from our clients’ organizations.
Our first step is to develop a hypothesis about what we think the answer is. We state that as the central problem or opportunity. Then we break the issue down into smaller questions that will help us prove or disprove our hypothesis.
To answer these questions, we create workstreams—distinct pieces of the project that a team member is responsible for. They often include:
- Interviewing clients, their vendors, or their customers.
- Talking with experts across the firm for specialized knowledge.
- Conducting primary and secondary research.
- Gathering and analyzing facts.
- Developing fresh ideas and insights.
- Assessing the impact of what findings mean for the overall answer.
- Synthesizing conclusions and developing recommendations.
- Making presentations to client senior executives.
- Driving implementation.
We work closely with our clients every step of the way to test conclusions and assess the feasibility of answers. At the same time, we build their skills so they can make lasting change in their organization's performance.
Our work doesn’t end when a study ends. We help implement solutions and we follow up to see how the recommendations are working and what impact they’re having.
We stay connected to our clients because we believe deeply in doing what’s best for them—not just today, but throughout our relationship with them.
Our values
We’ve been guided by our founding values for more than 80 years. Marvin Bower, managing director from 1950 to 1967, developed our values and served as the firm’s guiding influence for more than 6 decades.
Learn more about our values
Our approach: top management, on-site
Our top-management approach means we think broadly, from the leader’s perspective, about the implications of their problem for the whole organization, as well as its parts.
To build trust and deliver the best results possible, we work where our clients work. Being onsite is critical to understanding their challenge and collaborating on a realistic and feasible answer. We make sure the client has enough input to own the solution and the skills necessary to make it work. This is one of the keys to creating dramatic and lasting impact.