My Rookie Moment

McKinsey senior colleagues share their formative early-career experiences to help you navigate yours.
Everybody has to start somewhere. McKinsey Global Publishing asked some of our most senior colleagues to share their most instructive “rookie moments.” Our hope is that when you find yourself in similar situations, this series will provide guidance, confidence, and inspiration. Our newest episode appears first on this page; please scroll on to explore the rest of the series.

Episode 8: Meeting with CEOs

For rookie consultants, speaking with a CEO is often an exciting experience—but it can also be intimidating. In this episode, Manish Chopra, Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Richard Lee, Vik Malhotra, Michael Park, and Wesley Walden look back on their encounters with CEOs early in their careers, both in formal and informal settings. They reflect on how they were able to build rapport and establish a connection—often in unexpected ways—that made a lasting impression.
Bookmark this page for episode nine: Teamwork

RECENT INSIGHTS FROM MCKINSEY COLLEAGUES FEATURED IN EPISODE EIGHT

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Hybrid work: Making it fit with your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy
– New research details what empowered employees love about hybrid work models and the risks to diversity, equity, and inclusion if managers get the evolving flexible workplace wrong.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

Making a daily ‘to be’ list: How a hospital system CEO is navigating the coronavirus crisis
– Cincinnati Children’s CEO Michael Fisher is communicating with purpose, leaning into tough choices, and emphasizing trust as he leads through uncertainty.
Interview

Author Talks: What separates the best CEOs from the rest?
– Three McKinsey senior partners looked across more than 20 years’ worth of data on 7,800 CEOs from 3,500 public companies across 70 countries and 24 industries to identify the mindsets that helped top chief executives deliver extraordinary impact.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

The CEO moment: Leadership for a new era
– Challenged by the global pandemic, CEOs have made four shifts in the way they lead that hold great promise for both companies and society. Will they build on this unique moment, or return to the ways of the past?
Article

The case for committing to greener telecom networks
– Operators’ energy costs keep rising, but efficiency measures and organizational change can lower them by 15 to 20 percent in a year, benefiting company profits and the environment.
Article

Why 2021 will define the next decade for Australian companies
– Companies face increased threats and opportunities from disruption, but a return to business as usual won’t be sufficient to generate outperformance. Now is the time to take ambitious action.
 

CEO Excellence

From McKinsey & Company, an insight-packed, revelatory look at how the best CEOs do their jobs based on extensive interviews with today’s most successful corporate leaders—including chiefs at Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, General Motors, and Sony. #CEOExcellenceBook

Episode 7: Authorship 

The process of writing a book is no easy feat. It’s often a journey that involves years of preparation, multiple iterations, and constant refinements—much like what it takes to become a good consultant. In this episode, Manish Chopra, Scott Keller, Tim Koller, Johanne Lavoie, Martin Hirt, Jonathan Woetzel, and Rodney Zemmel share stories about the first time they wrote a book and what inspired them to take the leap into authorship. They also offer advice to aspiring writers.

RECENT INSIGHTS FROM MCKINSEY COLLEAGUES FEATURED IN EPISODE SEVEN

Video

Wellness in 2030
– In this video, McKinsey experts imagine the future of the fast-growing wellness industry.
Podcast

Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs
– The authors of the new book CEO Excellence, who interviewed dozens of the top-performing chief executives, share their most memorable encounters and stories.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Bias busters: A better way to brainstorm
– Structured conversation during brainstorming sessions removes some of the risks that can thwart honest discussion.
Article

Future proof: Solving the ‘adaptability paradox’ for the long term
– Just when leaders need fresh thinking and decisiveness, they tend to fall back on tried-and-true ways. Five actions can transform your relationship with uncertainty and help you thrive.
Podcast

The role of boards in fostering resilience
– The lessons learned from the current crisis can help corporate boards make the organizations they serve stronger.
Report - McKinsey Global Institute

The rise and rise of the global balance sheet: How productively are we using our wealth?
– Net worth has tripled since 2000, but the increase mainly reflects valuation gains in real assets, especially real estate, rather than investment in productive assets that drive our economies.
Article

The digital-value guardian: CEOs and digital transformations
– The CEO is ultimately the only one who can shape and guide a successful digital transformation. Here’s the playbook.

Episode Six: Being bold 

Taking a leap of faith is almost always nerve-racking, but a bold move can yield great rewards and lead to new opportunities. In this episode, Brian Elliott, Alok Kshirsagar, Cindy Levy, Rob Palter, and Drew Ungerman share stories of how taking the path less traveled, mustering up the confidence to lead a big presentation, going off script, and trusting their instincts helped them stretch their capabilities and achieve success.

Recent insights from McKinsey colleagues featured in episode six

Report

A blueprint for scaling voluntary carbon markets to meet the climate challenge
– The trading of carbon credits can help companies—and the world—meet ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Here... is what it would take to strengthen voluntary carbon markets so they can support climate action on a large scale.
Article

Adapting workplace learning in the time of coronavirus
– Managers can’t push the pause button on capability building, so the moment belongs to virtual learning. Some tactics and strategies... can help.
Article

What payers and providers can learn from successful cloud transformations in other industries
– Cloud transformations can create value, but requires engagement from the entire healthcare organization.
Article

The workplace will never be the same: Imperatives for real-estate owners and operators
– The cubicle farm has to go. Offices must be places of magic.
Article

From myth to math: Harnessing the halo effect of promotions
– How retailers can use advanced analytics to boost full-store performance with optimized promotions

Episode Five: Mentorship 

What is something that many successful leaders have in common? They have had good mentors who encouraged them to be the best version of themselves. In this episode, Alberto Chaia, Dymfke Kuijpers, Jesko Perrey, Liz Hilton Segel, and Shubham Singhal reflect on pivotal moments in their careers where they have benefited from the advice of a trusted colleague—and how that guidance helped them overcome doubts, boosted their confidence, and motivated them to realize their potential.

Recent insights from McKinsey colleagues featured in episode five

Article

Staying ahead of the B2B ecosystem disruption in emerging Asia
– Consumer-goods companies in Asian emerging markets are turning to data, analytics, and digital solutions to realize value in traditional... trade.
Article

The growth triple play: Creativity, analytics, and purpose
– Companies that integrate creativity, analytics, and purpose are delivering at least two times the growth of their peers.
Article

How Mexico can become Latin America’s digital-government powerhouse
– Mexico’s digital efforts thus far have been laudable. But higher ambitions could fuel productivity and economic growth and... boost the country’s GDP by 7 to 15 percent.
Interactive

What matters most? Five priorities for CEOs in the next normal
– How leaders can adapt to a very different future.
Article

Pandemic to endemic: How the world can learn to live with COVID-19
– With prospects of herd immunity fading, endemic COVID-19 is upon us, and new “whole of society” approaches are needed.

Episode Four: Adaptation  

Change is an inevitable part of life. Adapting to it requires agility, an open mind, and the courage to think outside the box. In this episode, Tiffany Burns, Alberto Chaia, Dymfke Kuijpers, Nick Leung, Jennifer Stanley, and Sven Smit share stories about how adjusting to unfamiliar situations—whether it’s coming back to work after parental leave, seeking a flexible work arrangement, or dealing with a difficult problem—has helped them thrive in their careers, sometimes unexpectedly.

Recent insights from McKinsey colleagues featured in episode four

Article

The diversity imperative in retail
– Consumers are expecting more from brands than ever before, and the cost is high for retailers that don’t take action on... racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Report - McKinsey Global Institute

Latin America’s missing middle of midsize firms and middle-class spending power
– Digital could help the region reboot inclusive growth and regain lost ground.
Article

Why retail outperformers are pulling ahead
– Retailers’ relative performance in capital markets starkly demonstrates a pandemic-driven acceleration of ongoing industry... shifts. This means those that wish to keep up need to speed up.
Report - McKinsey Global Institute

Reskilling China: Transforming the world’s largest workforce into lifelong learners
– China’s next challenge is to transform education and skills development to deliver the talent needed for an innovative,... digitized, postindustrial economy.
Article

Omnichannel in B2B sales: The new normal in a year that has been anything but
– New analysis makes it clear: Omnichannel is here to stay for B2B sales.
Article

Solving the net-zero equation: Nine requirements for a more orderly transition
– Net-zero commitments are rising, but the net-zero equation is not yet solved. This can only change if nine interdependent requirements... are met with singular resolve, unity, and ingenuity.

Episode Three: Sticky situations 

We’ve all had moments in which we had to step out of our comfort zones. Our colleagues have learned that uncomfortable experiences often lead to rewarding outcomes—even if it feels awkward and challenging at the time. In this episode, Tiffany Burns, Katy George, Tania Holt, Greg Kelly, Sven Smit, and Magnus Tyreman talk about how taking control of sticky situations—whether it’s speaking up about a problem, giving tough feedback, or thinking quickly on their feet—has helped them grow professionally.

Recent insights from McKinsey colleagues featured in episode three

Interview

Accelerating pandemic response efforts: An interview with CEPI’s Richard Hatchett
– Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations explains his five-year strategy that... includes reducing vaccine timelines.
Article

Why your COVID-19 exit needs ‘strategy inserts’
– Targeted updates to your strategy can help you fight incrementalism and hit the right “escape velocity” for recovering... from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussion Paper - McKinsey Global Institute

Building a more competitive US manufacturing sector
– A fresh sense of urgency and new opportunities could give the sector momentum.
Article

Women in the Workplace 2021
– A year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic, women in corporate America are even more burned out than they were last year—and... increasingly more so than men. Despite this, women leaders are stepping up to support employee well-being and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, but that work is not getting recognized. That’s according to the latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey, in partnership with LeanIn.Org.
Article

Bold moves to forge Nordic champions
– Nordic companies are trailing their global peers in terms of growth and scale. McKinsey reveals five bold moves across industries... to recapture profitable growth and global market share.
Interview

Keeping McDonald’s ‘relevant’: An interview with CEO Chris Kempczinski
– Soon after Chris Kempczinski became CEO, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the restaurant chain suffered the worst quarter in its... history. But under his leadership, recovery—and growth—are once again on the horizon.

Episode Two: The tough stuff 

It’s when we’re on the cusp of personal growth that we can feel most vulnerable—and in those moments we have to fight the impulse to be defensive. Our colleagues learn early in their careers to view feedback as a gift that will help propel them forward as professionals. In this episode, Eric Kutcher, Acha Leke, Clarisse Magnin-Mallez, Joe Ngai, Liz Hilton Segel, Shubham Singhal, and Lareina Yee discuss times they had to give or receive feedback—or simply acknowledge that it was time to ask for help—and how those experiences helped them grow.

Recent insights from McKinsey colleagues featured in episode two

Podcast

Prioritizing sustainability in the consumer sector
– Consumers and companies alike are becoming more interested in making sustainability-focused choices, but how to do so isn’t... always clear. Two McKinsey partners provide some research-based insights.
Article

COVID-19’s impact on Asian American workers: Six key insights
– As Asian Americans strive for equity in the workplace, the COVID-19 crisis has created additional challenges. Six insights show... how the pandemic has affected this group.
Article

Leap to the future of healthcare: Reinvent through business building
– In a post-COVID-19 era, healthcare executives are preparing to reinvent their businesses.
Article

Five ways to design a better mental-health future for a stressed-out workforce
– Almost 41 percent of Americans struggle with mental-health issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, but many companies remain... ill equipped to address the problem.
Interview

Critical communications infrastructure and COVID-19: An interview with Ericsson’s CEO
– Börje Ekholm discusses the impact of the crisis on global telecom networks and the coming 5G transition, as well as the future... of work and challenges to the physical and mental health of employees.
Report

Fast-forward China: How COVID-19 is accelerating five key trends shaping the Chinese economy
– Events expected to play out in the Chinese economy over the next several years have been compressed into a short few months.

Episode One: Solo Act 

One of people’s most common phobias is the fear of public speaking. Our colleagues have to do a lot of it, often in high-stakes situations. In this first episode, Katy George, Tania Holt, Eric Kutcher, Chris Leech, Acha Leke, Kevin Sneader, and Lareina Yee talk about presentations they had to give—sometimes unexpectedly and without much preparation—to senior clients or large groups, and the lessons learned from those experiences.

Recent insights from McKinsey colleagues featured in episode one

Article

Trends that will define 2021 and beyond: Six months on
– In January 2021, we discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic could change the economy. How did we do?
Article

‘None are safe until all are safe’: COVID-19 vaccine rollout in low- and middle-income countries
– Despite persistent supply issues, in-country delivery and demand for COVID-19 vaccines is likely to be the next challenge for... LMICs.
Discussion Paper - McKinsey Global Institute

Building a more competitive US manufacturing sector
– A fresh sense of urgency and new opportunities could give the sector momentum.
Report

Race in the workplace: The Black experience in the US private sector
– Advancing racial equity in the workplace is a system-level challenge—ranging from the structural inequities of geography to underrepresentation... in industries and jobs that could create additional opportunity to the behaviors of the workplace itself.
Article

Reopening and reimagining Africa
– How the COVID-19 crisis can catalyze change across the continent.
Discussion Paper - McKinsey Global Institute

Connected world: An evolution in connectivity beyond the 5G revolution
– Connectivity is undergoing evolutionary change in most parts of the world—and, in select areas, a genuine leap into the frontier.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the many senior colleagues who shared their stories for their candor, mentorship, and insights. Within McKinsey Global Publishing, special thanks to Joyce Yoo for managing this ongoing project and to Steve Lackey and Myron Shurgan for their video-production expertise. And thanks to everyone who provided collaboration and support, including Mike Borruso, Nancy Cohn, Torea Frey, Eleni Kostopoulos, Philip Mathew, Lucia Rahilly, and Nathan Wilson.