Showing ownership Flashcards
From Make a quick start on your case; work effectively with your PL; show ownership and be accountable
What are the three things that great Cs do well?
Great Cs do the following:
1) Drive and deliver a complete package
2) Manage expectations effectively
3) Communicate proactively and openly
What are the four key elements in a “complete package?”
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
What is the purpose of an executive summary? What does it include? Tips?
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
What is the purpose of an key messages and analyses? What do they include? Tips?
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
What is the purpose of “where we are and next steps?” What does it include? Tips?
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
What is the purpose of supporting findings? What does it include? Tips?
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
What are the five broader requirements of driving a complete package?
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
What does it mean to develop clear objectives?
Don’t wait to be told what to do, ask “what is the question I need to answer”
What does it mean to anticipate outstanding questions?
Don’t settle for the answer to the initial question, see through to the implications as well
What does it mean to drive for actionable insights?
Take an advocacy position and build a story that gets to the “so what”
What does it mean to go beyond your module and view project as a whole?
Synthesize and clearly integrate your module’s findings into the overall project’s storyline
What should you align on at the beginning of a project with a PL?
- 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
What should you align with your PL on constantly during a project?
- Work approach, output and timeline (even if not 100%–spend 30 minutes drafting something to get directional feedback on)
- Work prioritization
How should you structure your MDA to be most effective?
- 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
What are the two main ways to manage expectations effectively?
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
What are the most important things you should communicate with your PL?
- 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
What is the golden rule of communication? Some broad dos and don’ts?
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
Three broad tips for owning your module
1) Communicate, communicate, communicate
2) Don’t assume
3) Keep tight control over your to-do list
What is taking ownership?
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
What are three main behaviors of driving analytical momentum in your module?
- Define outstanding questions
- Execute high-quality analysis
- Synthesize and push for insight
What is the difference between executing and owning your module?
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
How can you ensure you are pushing for insight?
- Always ask “why”
- Link tot he big picture
- Think about implications
- Iterate if needed
How can you ensure you get heard?
- 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)
