Showing ownership

Question 1

What are the three things that great Cs do well?

Answer 1

Great Cs do the following:

1) Drive and deliver a complete package
2) Manage expectations effectively
3) Communicate proactively and openly

Question 2

What are the four key elements in a “complete package?”

Answer 2

First of all, you need to get findings down on paper ASAP, even if they are incomplete. These findings include:

a) Executive summary
b) Key messages and analyses
c) Where we are and next steps
d) Supporting findings

Question 3

What is the purpose of an executive summary? What does it include? Tips?

Answer 3

Purpose: top-line summary for team on your module

Includes: Hypothesis, insights, surprises, important changes to direction

Tips: manage in one page with concise, effective writing

Question 4

What is the purpose of an key messages and analyses? What do they include? Tips?

Answer 4

Purpose: Communicate the core messages and analyses

Includes: Key slides to tell story, a coherent flow, polished packaging

Tips: Don’t try to show how much you have done (no one cares), stick to the important findings. Use a storyboard to clarify your logic

Question 5

What is the purpose of “where we are and next steps?” What does it include? Tips?

Answer 5

Purpose: Status update, alignment on direction, agreement on how to handle process issues

Includes: what we have done, what the process issues are, where we need to go from here

Tips: Ask for help, don’t create a disaster scenario. Create clear roadmap from here to goal

Question 6

What is the purpose of supporting findings? What does it include? Tips?

Answer 6

Purpose: Support main story

Includes: backup slides, rougher packaging, current work plan/timing, relevant supporting material

Tips: Don’t include slides without a purpose, make it well-organized

Question 7

What are the five broader requirements of driving a complete package?

Answer 7

1) Develop clear objectives
2) Consider hard and soft data
3) Anticipate outstanding questions
4) Drive for actionable insights
5) Go beyond your module to view project as a whole

Question 8

What does it mean to develop clear objectives?

Answer 8

Don’t wait to be told what to do, ask “what is the question I need to answer”

Question 9

What does it mean to anticipate outstanding questions?

Answer 9

Don’t settle for the answer to the initial question, see through to the implications as well

Question 10

What does it mean to drive for actionable insights?

Answer 10

Take an advocacy position and build a story that gets to the “so what”

Question 11

What does it mean to go beyond your module and view project as a whole?

Answer 11

Synthesize and clearly integrate your module’s findings into the overall project’s storyline

Question 12

What should you align on at the beginning of a project with a PL?

Answer 12

• Project and module planning
• Your role and key expectations
• Preferred working style
• Development needs
• Personal commitments

Tips: don’t assume (clarify upfront goals, deliverables, deadlines); use your MDA to manage expectations; leverage team norms

Question 13

What should you align with your PL on constantly during a project?

Answer 13

• Work approach, output and timeline (even if not 100%–spend 30 minutes drafting something to get directional feedback on)
• Work prioritization

Question 14

How should you structure your MDA to be most effective?

Answer 14

• Highlight initial case development objectives and agreed-to actions for case
• Use max 3-4 items to ensure focus
• Be specific and pragmatic with objectives and actions

Question 15

What are the two main ways to manage expectations effectively?

Answer 15

a) Communication: what you expect in terms of frequency of communication (I.e., weekly summary emails, daily phone calls, etc.) and when you expect to get work done.
b) Setting up analysis: instead of building a complex model in two days, spend 30 minutes to draw out exactly what analysis is, what you’re doing and what you’re solving for

Question 16

What are the most important things you should communicate with your PL?

Answer 16

• Plan for module for this week: approach (how) and deadlines (when)
• Target output
• Input required
• Key meetings he/she will not attend –> goals, takeaways
• Progress on key findings
• Problems you are facing with suggested solutions

Question 17

What is the golden rule of communication? Some broad dos and don’ts?

Answer 17

Always come with a solution

Do: Attempt to think through issues and share that thinking; state issue clearly; review alternatives; identify your recommendation and rationale

Don’t: Wait too long’ attempt to transfer the problem to the PL; bury the issues in a long email

Question 18

Three broad tips for owning your module

Answer 18

1) Communicate, communicate, communicate
2) Don’t assume
3) Keep tight control over your to-do list

Question 19

What is taking ownership?

Answer 19

a) Feeling accountable for all facets of your module
b) Driving analytical momentum in your module
c) Taking a stand and being outspoken in front of team and client

Question 20

What are three main behaviors of driving analytical momentum in your module?

Answer 20

• Define outstanding questions
• Execute high-quality analysis
• Synthesize and push for insight

Question 21

What is the difference between executing and owning your module?

Answer 21

Executing means just completing the analyses assigned to you and not pushing beyond. Actually owning means you are moving beyond the analysis to show the “so what” and pushing to add value to the client

Question 22

How can you ensure you are pushing for insight?

Answer 22

• Always ask “why”
• Link tot he big picture
• Think about implications
• Iterate if needed

Question 23

How can you ensure you get heard?

Answer 23

• Given visibility to your output (put thinking on slides so it gets incorporated; make sure it becomes part of agenda)
• Take a stand (put forth an answer/solution)
• Be proactive in case team meetings (ask questions, share observations)