Q&A with Eyal
Many women and men who leave the Israeli army and air force eventually enter the entrepreneurial economy, either launching their own businesses or working at start-ups. After working for 6 years at a leading aerospace company in Israel, Eyal was drawn to McKinsey by the opportunity it offered him to expand his skills and make a difference—within a culture that is strongly entrepreneurial at its core.
Interviewer: When you came to McKinsey, you had a clear sense of what you wanted.
Eyal: I joined McKinsey as a business analyst in 2012, and my goal was to experience as many industries and functions as possible. So far, I have worked in IT, high tech, banking, and the public sector on strategy and operations projects.
Interviewer: Your career took you from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to a 30,000-foot view at McKinsey.
Eyal: That's true. Before I joined McKinsey, I managed a UAV field ops team for a leading aerospace company in Israel.
Interviewer: How have you been able to give back to Israel from McKinsey?
Eyal: We conducted a lean operations study for a public-sector organization, with the primary goal of dramatic improvements in the quality of service. I felt emotionally and personally connected to the success of the study. Our solutions were piloted and are now being rolled out. I had the most amazing team and some of its members are now my best friends.
Interviewer: Tell me about the elevator pitch you learned at McKinsey.
Eyal: One of the first things I was taught upon joining McKinsey was how to prepare for the elevator pitch—a not-so-imaginary scenario in which you find yourself riding the elevator with the CEO who asks you, “How is the study going?” You have approximately 30 seconds to give the one or two highlights before he arrives at his floor.
Interviewer: Has it come in handy?
Eyal: You have no idea. Just recently I was alone in the team room when the COO of a European bank entered. Without preparation, I had to give her the famous 30-second pitch. I guess it worked because she later brought up some of the points I raised with the McKinsey engagement director.
Interviewer: You shared something with me about an area where you lacked confidence.
Eyal: Before McKinsey, I felt highly uncomfortable speaking to an audience of strangers. After I joined, this discomfort initially escalated since I was expected to speak in English. I am fluent but it is not my native language. Thanks to amazingly effective training programs, it began to feel more and more natural.
Interviewer: What’s it really like to be a business analyst? Do partners actually listen to you?
Eyal: As a business analyst you are not only allowed but also expected to lead the problem-solving process. Senior colleagues provide input—but mainly on structure and communication. As an example, I just had to generate a risk assessment for a current study. One of the partners was a risk expert, so I set up the sessions with him. Where else would two colleagues with such a huge tenure difference cooperate as if they had equal expertise and experience? No place I know.
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