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Delna

Director of Client Capabilities, Global Advanced IndustriesMumbai

Delna

Director of Client Capabilities, Global Advanced IndustriesMumbai

I love the flexibility I have with respect to what I do and when I do it. I find this helps me bring my best self to work.

Describe your McKinsey experience

I joined McKinsey 12 years ago in Mumbai as an analyst, then moved on to manage our geographic information research team in Mumbai, before eventually taking a role as a client capabilities professional with the advanced industries research team.

Today, I am a research manager leading a global team of 38 researchers in Germany, Mumbai, North America, Poland, Shanghai, and South Korea, who are focused on advanced industries.

As a manager, what do you think surprises new colleagues the most?

New colleagues have commented that they didn’t imagine McKinsey would be so global in nature, and how impressed they are by how well and seamlessly we work together across regions. Our advanced industries knowledge team is a great example of a group of talented people, in multiple regions, interacting daily with each other, and with colleagues in other parts of the world, to deliver distinctive knowledge services for clients.

What has surprised you most, personally?

When I joined Mckinsey, I never thought I’d one day be managing a global team. However, I enjoy working with people, and the rich experiences I’ve encountered have been surprising. I really like the human connection with my teammates, each of whom have different strengths and professional aspirations. Helping them identify their talents and seeing them grow professionally is an exquisite experience for me. At McKinsey, I have attended ongoing training programs to develop my managerial skills, and I pay close attention to the feedback I regularly receive from my teammates. It is important to me that I always work on bringing my managerial skills to a higher level.

What keeps you here?

I love the flexibility I have with respect to what I do and when I do it. Of course, there are certain parameters that I need to take into consideration when deciding what to work on, and at which pace, but overall I have the flexibility of managing my own time and productivity. I find this helps me bring my best self to work. Even after 12 years at McKinsey, I feel I’m bringing the same level of energy and motivation to work as I did when I first joined.