At McKinsey, bringing your best self is more than a saying; it’s core to our way of working. Only by staying true to ourselves can we connect with others, because – paradoxically - being different is what connects us. Through my ongoing journey of self-discovery, I’ve learned diversity is at the core of every breakthrough.
One such moment came during an engagement in which my team decided to participate in an internal sleep pilot. We attended a series of seminars about sleep - its health benefits, how to improve its quality, etc. We tracked and reported the hours of sleep we got each week and participated in bi-weekly discussions about the overall sleeping habits of our team and ways to improve them.
I must confess, I was already a big sleeper, but that experience turned me into a sleep fanatic. It made me understand the implications of keeping a healthy sleeping schedule, and it triggered a series of major changes in my life. I quit drinking alcohol completely, started exercising more, and established a more balanced diet. All my McKinsey teams have been extremely supportive of me, making sure I have the space I need to continue the habits that energize me and fuel my work.
Bringing your best self is about understanding what is important for you and making a collective effort to achieve it. For that to happen, you must learn what your best self looks like, and share it with your community so collective team norms account for your needs. McKinsey has been that place of personal growth and understanding – a place where I can dare to be myself.
