My day, as usual, starts with politely but firmly making the case that taxi fares have not gone up overnight, and I indeed take this taxi ride every day. I walk into our client’s parking lot and up to the first of my stops at the department of finance.

Majid, the client's senior accountant, answers my questions and requests for data. While we are grappling with the thorny question of how best to obtain accurate records of total compensation per employee, keeping in mind that the data needed is recorded in different places, I explain that I have managed to process the information that he had given me for the previous year's overall costs. Majid tells me that to obtain a comprehensive picture certain other allowances need to be included that are currently missing from the information. For these, I will have to call upon his colleagues in the department of human resources. I quickly take some notes. After promising that I will be back to see him soon, I leave.

I walk across the client compound and climb another three flights of stairs to meet my other client contact, Fahim, an HR specialist who is always extremely busy. Nonetheless, he welcomes me with a smile, and as he answers his phone, I take out my notebook and think through the questions I need to ask.

Fahim tells me that the additional allowances for 4,000-plus people that I am looking for is available but will be extremely time consuming to compile, and with his task list, it will take no less than two weeks. We go back and forth on possible ways to source this data. Eventually, Fahim tells me he’ll give it his best shot and try and get it done in a week. As I get up, I thank him and assure him that his help is much appreciated.

I then walk across the main road to the main client site to have a quick chat with our main contact, Ahmed. Over coffee, we chat about the upcoming pilot project. We agree on a schedule, meeting point, list of attendees, and objectives for my next client meeting. We also discuss how the project can be best managed so as to minimise time spent and maximise accuracy of the results obtained. It is critical to make sure that the approach we use for the pilot is waterproof. As there will be a much larger exercise across all client departments carried out on the basis of this pilot, it is best to plan ahead.

Refreshed by my discussion with Ahmed, I walk out to face one of the more interesting challenges of the day. Taxis are usually hard to come by at this hour. After a few minutes of unsuccessfully scanning the street, my eyes wander to the bus stand where I consider the row of pickup trucks lined up. My stylish transport arrives at the McKinsey office. I walk out, confident that I have made people sit up and notice me as I walk through the glass doors.

After a quick lunch of chicken teriyaki, I give my engagement manager (EM), Marie, a brief update on the day's proceedings. We decide to meet in an hour's time for a more detailed discussion to decide next steps.

Marie and I meet after I have processed some of the data obtained from our client. We discuss next steps.

I then use the next couple of hours to analyse various bits of data to decide what their implications on the overall project objective might be. In between this, our team has an impromptu problem-solving session. I add my input wherever I feel that I have something useful to contribute.

The team then has a quick discussion about upcoming client meetings and internal updates and what needs to be prepared for each. I reckon the U.S. R&I (Research & Information) team will be in office by now, so I get in touch with them asking for various bits of information.

Once that's done, we head back to the hotel. For the especially energetic amongst us, it's a short trip to the gym followed by any further work from the hotel room. For others, it is finishing that last e-mail or document before turning in after an eventful, thought-provoking, challenging, yet satisfying day.