How do we define a "developmental" environment?
A commitment to development is a commitment to invest time, energy, and resources to help our people advance professionally and find personal enrichment. We create opportunities within the client setting for people to stretch, struggle, and learn in a supportive environment.

How do we support professional development?
Each person who enters the office is assigned a development group leader (DGL). A DGL is a partner who is responsible for guiding associates, analysts, and practice experts in their careers and providing advice in difficult situations. A mentoring program provides additional support. Formal feedback is given after every engagement and a more comprehensive review of development occurs bi-annually.

Our office has also created a mechanism for upward feedback following each engagement. Training is provided on multiple dimensions at least 2-3 weeks every year.

As important as these formal mechanisms are, mentorship cannot be legislated or mandated. It must come from people who care enough about their colleagues to invest their friendship and caring – and this is where our collective value system as a firm makes us distinctive.

How is a developmental environment reflected?
Across the firm, our office has a strong reputation for people development. The results of our commitment are seen in the way business analysts are given responsibility not just for a work area on the project but also for leading some of the newer associates on his or her study.

Development is on the mind of a director responsible for building a new client relationship when he or she insists that the study's engagement manager lead the first major meeting with the Board of Directors because it is important for the engagement manager's professional growth.

Our commitment to development can be seen in group activities as well. Last year, for example, second and third-year associates sponsored a dinner for the newer associates to give them advice on managing lifestyle and working with partners. At our last retreat, the office sponsored a course in career development for spouses and significant others. This aspect of our culture is one of the office's most distinctive and is a source of inspiration and personal renewal for us.