Aspiring leader
I joined McKinsey three years ago to become the best leader I could be. At the time, I was building my second startup (in machine learning), after earning my PhD in mathematics and spending a few years as a mathematics lecturer. Like most entrepreneurs, I was working hard and building the plane while flying it. Because of this, I never really felt professional or at the top of my game. Fortunately, a McKinsey recruiter approached me on LinkedIn, and after a lot of online research I decided to apply because McKinsey would drive a step-change in my leadership capability.
A caring community from the beginning
I joined McKinsey as an associate in Sydney in 2017, and immediately knew it was a special place. In my first week, I was invited out for half-a-dozen coffees by colleagues at all tenures. My first engagement manager spent several hours a day coaching me on McKinsey’s best practices and approach to structured thinking, top down communication, and, of course, the firm’s values.
My time to shine
Today, I have around a dozen colleagues who actively support my development. Recently, one partner encouraged me join him for a four month engagement in Southeast Asia. Initially, I was skeptical because I already had similar technology modernisation experience. I thought doing an engagement in the same area would stall my development. However, the partner recognized I could better focus on developing my leadership skills when I didn’t have to worry about so much new content. He was right; I nailed the engagement by bringing expertise to our clients’ problems, driving a huge variety of technical workstreams with confidence, and acting as a mentor and coach to junior colleagues. It was an amazing feeling to be doing great work and have people seek me out for advice on challenging topics.
I’m now developing my leadership muscles in ways I never imagined possible; particularly around how to have a well-thought out perspective and when to let it go. I’m not at the top of the game yet, but I know I am on the path to getting there.
