How to Mess with Former Management Consultants That Work in Silicon Valley

Earlier this week, I wrote a LinkedIn post poking fun at the many former management consultants that work in Silicon Valley. To my surprise, it is probably the most popular post I've ever written with 600+ likes and 80,000 views.

So I thought I'd share it here on the blog and add one more.

1. After they just explained a strategy say….”I get it, I do, but are we being strategic enough? I need you to think about this strategically”

2. Every time they say Mckinsey, Bain or BCG, ask “who is Mckinsey?” as if it’s a person. Pretend to have never heard of any of those firms.

3. After seeing their 2x2 ask "Would this be clearer in a 2x4?" Try to keep a straight face.

4. When they send you PPT decks...subtly change the fonts/formatting before sending it back to them.

5. Ask them to run a big meeting without a PPT. :)

6. Casually ask them to defend the superiority of the Mckinsey vs. Bain PPT formats. Ask probing questions and see how long you can keep the discussion going.

Don't worry folks, I have really enjoyed working with former management consultants and have learned a lot from them, but I make fun of people I like too.