Opening, Analyzing, and Closing Strategies for a Winning Interview (Part 4 of 12) | caseinterview

Summary

本视频脚本通过一个案例面试的模拟场景，向观众展示了如何进行有效的问题分析和解决方案的提出。首先，强调了在面对问题时，要基于已有信息提出假设，并选择一个框架的分支深入探索。通过标准问题收集初始数据，如果数据支持假设则继续深入，否则重新评估并调整方向。视频中提到，如果遇到死胡同，需要返回并尝试其他分支。此外，还强调了在分析过程中要不断细化和明确假设，并且大声说出自己的思考过程，以便于面试官提供帮助。最后，讲解了如何通过综合分析得出结论，并以清晰的逻辑结构向客户提出建议。整个脚本通过生动的例子和实用的技巧，教导观众如何在咨询或商业分析中有效地解决问题。

Takeaways

• 📈 **提出假设**：在开始分析案例时，先提出一个假设，然后通过收集数据来验证这个假设是否正确。
• 🔍 **深入挖掘**：如果数据支持你的假设，继续深入挖掘；如果假设错误，回到框架的上一层并改变方向。
• 🔄 **不断精炼假设**：在分析过程中，根据收集到的信息不断调整和精炼你的假设。
• 🗣️ **大声思考**：在分析时大声思考，这有助于清晰地表达你的思路，并且如果遇到困难，面试官可能会提供帮助。
• 📊 **数据驱动**：始终基于数据来做决策，确保你的分析和建议都有数据支持。
• 📉 **问题分类**：区分问题是公司特有的还是整个行业普遍存在的，这将影响你的解决方案。
• ⏳ **趋势分析**：寻找数据的趋势线，了解问题随时间的变化情况。
• 📈 **细分数据**：将总数分解为不同的部分或细分市场，以便更准确地识别问题所在。
• ❓ **明确提问**：在请求数据时，先解释为什么需要这些数据，这样可以显示出你对问题的深入理解。
• 🏁 **结论先行**：在提出解决方案时，先给出结论，然后提供支持结论的数据和分析。
• 🔧 **结构化呈现**：使用结构化的方式呈现你的发现和建议，如使用金字塔原理来组织你的沟通。

Q & A

在案例面试中，如何从一张白纸开始构建分析框架？

在案例面试中，首先需要获取足够的信息。然后，以数据为基础，提出假设，选择框架的一个分支开始深入分析。通过标准问题收集初始数据，如果数据支持你的假设，则继续深入；如果假设错误，则返回并探索框架的其他分支。

如何通过数据来验证你的假设？

通过询问关键问题来收集数据，这些数据将支持或反驳你的假设。例如，如果你的假设是收入下降导致了盈利问题，那么你需要询问有关收入变化的数据来验证这一点。

如果遇到死胡同，应该如何调整分析方向？

如果数据不支持你的假设，或者你发现当前的分析路径无法解决问题，应该返回到框架的上一层，然后转向另一个分支继续分析。这可能需要重新审视问题，或者从不同的角度提出新的假设。

如何确保你的分析过程是系统的？

通过持续细化和明确你的假设，并大声说出你的思考过程。这样做可以帮助你清晰地表达你的思考路径，并且如果遇到错误，面试官也能够及时提供帮助。

在分析案例时，应该如何利用数学知识？

利用数学知识来理解各种变量之间的关系，例如利润、成本、收入和单位销售量。通过数学计算，可以清晰地展示这些变量是如何影响最终结果的，从而帮助你更准确地识别问题所在。

在案例分析中，为什么需要区分公司特定问题和行业普遍问题？

区分公司特定问题和行业普遍问题对于制定解决方案至关重要。如果是公司特定问题，可能需要调整公司策略或内部流程；而如果是行业普遍问题，则可能需要考虑市场趋势、竞争环境等宏观因素。

如何通过趋势分析来理解案例中的数据变化？

通过比较不同时间点的数据，可以观察到数据的变化趋势。这有助于识别问题是否是近期发生的，还是长期存在的，从而为制定解决方案提供依据。

为什么在分析案例时需要对数据进行分段处理？

分段处理数据可以帮助你识别哪些特定的业务领域或市场细分出现了问题。通过分析不同区域、渠道或产品线的数据，可以更精确地定位问题，并制定针对性的解决策略。

在案例面试结束时，如何有效地总结你的发现？

在案例面试结束时，首先要明确你的主要发现或“大洞察”。然后，以结论的形式提出你的主要观点，并提供支持这一结论的关键数据点。最后，给出基于这些分析的明确行动建议。

如何确保你的案例分析在逻辑上是连贯的？

使用结构化的沟通方法，如金字塔原理，首先提出结论，然后提供支持结论的逻辑相关数据点。确保你的分析和建议是清晰、有序且易于理解的。

在案例分析中，为什么说‘洞察力’是一个重要的品质？

‘洞察力’意味着能够识别出不明显但准确的信息或模式。在咨询行业，能够提供深刻的洞察力是极为宝贵的，因为它可以帮助客户看到问题的本质，并找到有效的解决方案。

在进行案例分析时，为什么要注意书写和呈现的清晰度？

在案例面试中，清晰的书写和呈现可以帮助面试官更好地理解你的分析过程和结论。如果使用白板或纸板，需要确保字迹清晰、版面布局合理，避免因字迹不清或空间不足而影响信息的传达。

Outlines

00:00

😀 案例面试的策略与技巧

本段落介绍了案例面试的过程，强调了从空白纸张到拥有数据信息的转变，以及如何通过提问标准问题、深入探究假设、根据数据调整方向来解决问题。提出了在数据支持假设时深入挖掘，在假设错误时返回并转向其他分支的策略。通过实例展示了如何通过数据验证假设，如收入下降导致盈利问题，以及如何通过大声说出假设变化来清晰思考。

05:01

🔍 分析案例的结构与方法

详细讨论了如何深入分析案例，包括如何通过数学计算来验证假设，例如通过检查收入和成本的变化来确定利润下降的原因。强调了在遇到死胡同时如何返回并尝试其他途径，以及如何通过具体而非开放式的问题来收集信息。还提到了练习写作和在不同表面上书写的重要性，以及如何通过实践来提高解决案例的能力。

10:03

📝 案例分析的技巧与建议

提供了分析案例时的技巧，包括大声思考、使用假设、请求更多数据、确定问题是否特定于公司或整个行业、寻找趋势线、分割数字等。强调了在咨询中提问的正确性以及解释为什么需要数据的重要性。

15:05

📊 结束案例的结构与方法

描述了结束案例的三步过程：首先是确定重要的洞见，然后是提出结论和建议，最后是用数据支持观点。强调了结论的重要性，并提出了如何通过数据支持结论的方法。还介绍了如何使用合成（synthesis）的方法将分析的信息整合成一个连贯的整体，使客户能够理解。

20:06

🏁 案例结束的逻辑与示例

讨论了如何有效地结束一个案例，包括如何清晰地提出结论和行动建议，以及如何使用逻辑上相关联的数据来支持结论。通过比较不同质量的案例结束方式，展示了如何使案例结束更加客户友好和易于理解。

25:08

👂 案例沟通的风格与效率

通过个人经历和比喻，说明了在咨询中沟通应该直接和高效，与日常对话中讲故事的方式不同。强调了在咨询中，客户更倾向于直接了当、结构化的沟通方式，而不是冗长和杂乱无章的叙述。

Keywords

💡案例面试

案例面试是一种常用于咨询行业求职过程中的面试形式，要求面试者通过分析和讨论一个商业案例来展示自己的问题解决能力。在视频中，案例面试被描述为从一张白纸到利用数据和图表进行分析的过程。

💡假设

在案例分析中，假设是对问题原因或解决方案的初步猜测。视频中提到，通过数据来验证假设的正确性，并根据数据反馈调整方向。例如，假设是收入下降导致盈利问题，通过询问收入是否下降来测试这一假设。

💡数据

数据在案例分析中扮演着核心角色，它提供了支持或反驳假设的实证基础。视频中强调了数据的重要性，如通过询问收入和成本的变化来深入分析盈利问题。

💡深入挖掘

深入挖掘是指在案例分析中，根据数据指示继续沿着特定方向进行更深层次的分析。如果数据支持初步假设，就继续追问相关问题，如视频中提到的如果收入下降，则进一步询问下降的百分比。

💡死胡同

死胡同在案例分析中指的是一个假设或分析路径无法继续前进，需要重新考虑其他可能性。视频中提到，如果一个假设被数据证明是错误的，如收入实际上增加了而不是减少了，就需要回到上一级框架并尝试其他分析路径。

💡精炼假设

精炼假设是指在收集到新的数据后，对原有假设进行调整和完善的过程。视频中提到，随着分析的深入，需要不断地根据新的信息来调整假设，以更准确地反映当前的分析情况。

💡框架

框架是用于结构化案例分析的思维模型，如利润、成本、收入等关键财务指标。视频中提到使用框架来组织思路，当一个分支的假设不成立时，需要回到框架的上一级并尝试另一个分支。

💡趋势分析

趋势分析涉及对数据随时间变化的模式进行观察，以识别问题的发展过程。视频中提到，询问过去几年的数据变化情况，可以帮助确定问题是一个持续的趋势还是一次性事件。

💡细分

细分是将总体数据拆分成更小的部分以识别特定问题或机会的过程。视频中强调了细分的重要性，如根据地区、渠道或产品线来分析销售数据，以便更准确地识别问题所在。

💡综合

综合是指将分析过程中收集到的所有信息整合起来，形成一个连贯的结论。视频中解释了综合的过程，即将分散的分析点连接起来，构建出一个清晰的、对客户有用的整体视角。

💡结论

结论是对案例分析最终结果的总结，通常包括对问题的识别、推荐的行动方案或建议。视频中提到，结论应该清晰、有行动导向，并且能够通过数据得到支持。

Highlights

在案例面试中，从空白纸张到利用数据和潜在图表进行分析的转变

提出标准问题，根据数据深入探究假设的正确性

如果假设错误，需要回到框架的上层并改变方向

通过大声思考来清晰表达你的假设是如何变化的

在框架内确定从哪里开始，选择一个分支并识别关键问题

如果遇到死胡同，需要回到框架上层并尝试其他分支

在实际咨询中，信息收集是昂贵的，需要高效利用每一天

避免提出过于开放式的问题，而应更具体地请求信息

通过数学上完整的利润和损失案例来练习分析技能

如果遇到死胡同，要能够视觉上表示并口头上解释你的行动

在分析案例时，要思考问题是否是公司特定还是行业普遍问题

寻找趋势线，了解公司过去几年的表现

对数字进行细分，找出驱动单位出货量的各个部分

总是要求数据，并解释为什么你需要这些数据

在案例结束时，确定重要的洞察点并形成结论

以结论开始，然后是支持结论的两到三个关键点

使用《金字塔原理》来结构化你的沟通，使其逻辑严谨

练习在不同媒介上书写，如白板、纸垫和翻转图

在咨询中，清晰和有逻辑的沟通比讲述整个故事更重要

Transcripts

you have enough information the the the

case and the case interview starts to

feel more like an HPS case you have

information so now it's like you're the

protagonist what would you do you know

you actually have data so you go from

sort of blank piece of paper to

information potential charts data

okay so you ask the standard

question I think I demonstrated that

earlier next you go deeper down the

branch if the data suggest you could if

your hypothesis is correct you keep

drilling down all right if your

hypothesis is wrong you go back up okay

so an example of that is my hypothesis

is that revenues a decline in revenues

is causing the profitability problem do

we have any data that would suggest that

to be do we have any data on whether

revenues have changed okay the

interviewer might say yes revenues have

in fact gone down H my hypothesis is so

far has been confirmed I will go deeper

in that direction if the interviewer

says actually revenues have gone up

that's interesting how can profits go

down when revenues have gone up oh it

must mean that it's a cost problem I'm

going to go up the framework I'll draw

this out in a second so you can see it

I'm going to go up the framework and

move over to cost okay and the last step

which I demonstrated is you want to

continuously refine your hypothesis and

and it's actually a good habit to um say

out loud how your hypothesis is changing

and so I didn't ever use the word

hypothesis I sort of just did it

implicitly but uh but they could sort of

tell ah you know that's kind of odd that

revenues would sort of go up when

profits are down must be a cost problem

so it's better if you say that out loud

in general it's it's good to think out

loud and literally like oh that's kind

of odd you know I literally I'll

literally say that um because it's

easier if you just say what's in your

mind then you don't have to sort of

think whether you should sort of censor

it or

not

okay so you guys all get that okay ask

for information on where to start within

the framework State a hypothesis pick a

branch of the framework to start

identify key issues within the branch

ask standard questions to gather initial

data which is again very formulaic then

go deeper down the branch if the data

suggests you should if you run into a

dead end which is very common sometimes

they'll do it deliberately they'll

deliberately send you down a dead end to

see if you figure out it's dead end you

got to come back up the framework and

move over somewhere else okay and then

continually refine your hypothesis and

state what information you need to test

whe that hypothesis is correct okay

that's important because that's what you

do in real life you know so our

hypothesis is that sales have gone down

in United States because sales in the

Midwest region have really tanked but

all the other regions are fine okay

interesting idea how do we go figure

that out oh we got to go do a data dump

to like the guy in finance and go figure

that out okay that's worth half a day um

so we're trying to simulate that

here we you you don't want to do this is

very linguistic but it's important what

you don't want to do is just ask really

open-ended questions like do we have any

information on the business

situation right then it's like no no no

no no right you gota be more specific

than that okay so you tell them what

your hypothesis is and then you tell

them what specific piece of information

you need to determine whether hypothesis

is true or not because that's what you

would do in real life because gathering

information in real life and Consulting

is expensive it's counted in days and

there are only so many days you have

available to get problem solved so they

want to see that you can see if you can

do that in a case

situation

oops thank

you okay so let me illustrate what going

deeper

means okay going back to my earlier

example you don't have to copy the top

part you can just it's just more of the

visual diagram you sort of I want to

illustrate um if the example was profits

are down 20% uh we're looking at

revenues and we're looking at costs do

we know if revenues have gone up down or

stay the same okay and the interviewer

says uh revenues in fact have

uh have

decreased oh interesting

okay that mean if I so we had earlier we

had sort of

profit cost right so up until now in the

case I've drawn that right and now that

I have data that says revenues in fact

have gone down interesting that means

it's likely to be a revenue problem I'll

say how much have revenues gone down

by okay they've gone down in fact

they've gone down by 20% oh precisely

the same amount as profits have gone

down seems reasonable that

mathematically it seems like this is

really a revenue problem a revenue

decline problem not really a

profitability problem so to further

understand why revenues have gone down

by 20% we need to look at the component

parts of

Revenue and I'll say there's two things

I want to know next I want to break

apart revenues and look at number of

units sold times the average revenue per

unit which is basically like price so

price times volume sold ass your total

revenues do we have any information on

whether the number of units has sold

have changed or not have they gone up

down or stayed the same

okay

and so the inter ofview might then say

um actually number of units sold have

not changed we sold a million units last

year we sold million units this year

interesting H interesting um so

obviously then I wouldn't say obviously

because that's a little bit of a snobby

word but okay so revenues have gone so

profits have sort of you know declined

by 20% and revenues have declined by

20% okay unit sold have not changed okay

and it must mean that prices have gone

down by 20% do we have any information

on whether that's true or not yes in

fact prices are down by 20. okay great

so the real problem here is not why the

profits down is not the revenues of

decline it's that we're for some reason

prices have declined by 20% in this

particular situation and then you you

just keep drilling down right just so

the reason I like sort of profit and

loss cases at least for practice early

on is there sort of the most

mathematically complete it's either or

it's very very clean so a very good way

to sort of practice this go down a tree

come back up a tree uh the other ones

are a little they're a little more

they're squishier um way it's not quite

mathematically clean a lot more overlap

so I like practicing them in terms of

the actual analytical skills and you'll

just keep drilling down further and

further and further

okay so you can see as you go through

this process you the case starts looking

more like an HBS case you're having data

and you get a sense of what's going on

um and you sort of get closer and closer

to that okay so what happens though if

you run into a dead end so I want to

show you what a dead looks like and what

it sounds like and what you visually

want to

do

okay so let's go back to the original

case um profits are down 20% uh we need

to look at revenues or costs have

revenues or costs change actually have

um uh do we know if um do we have any

information or give any suggestions on

as to where to start the says no let's

look at revenues first my hypothesis is

revenues have declined that's why profit

has dropped by 20% do we have any

information on whether or not profits

have revenues have changed um in fact

revenues have actually increased by 20%

that's interesting revenues have

increase by 20% yet profits have decline

by 20% must not be a revenue problem

okay so let's focus on cost

next this means costs have probably gone

up quite

significantly so to understand and is

that true yes in fact costs have

actually gone up by 30 or 40%

okay so we're looking at a cost problem

so we need to actually understand what's

causing what's driving the cost problem

there are two components to cost okay

number of units

sold and the cost per

unit so mathematically you multiply the

two

together and that gets you the cost

right do we have any information as to

whether or not number of units uh sold

has changed in this particular situation

okay

uh yes we have information on that in

fact number of units sold has stay the

same interesting okay so if costs have

declined by minus 40% unit sold has not

changed then it must mean the cost per

unit has gone gone I'm sorry costs have

gone up by 40% unit sold hasn't changed

that must mean that cost per unit has

gone up 40% is that is that true in fact

it is and then you just keep drilling

down so you see the

brand back up the hierarchy go down the

other hierarchy so I like to think of it

as sort of um roots in a tree right you

sort of go down one you come back up you

go down the other

one so so visually you want to sort of

convey that and actually honestly it's

worth practicing

penmanship you know because you're do in

a case interview and I tend not to write

very cleanly so I actually have to slow

down and practice writing and if you're

doing it on a whiteboard you have to

write bigger letters which is a I mean

it seems really silly but it's a

different mechanical skill you know and

I don't I never really written on a

chalkboard so it's just you know and

then you draw if you draw too big then

you run out of space I so like a lot of

very practical things it's worth

practicing on a flip chart worth

practicing on a paper pad um and and

then sometimes a whiteboard is sort of

easy too thing with a whiteboard is you

want to make sure you you're comfortable

with the pant you don't like stick

yourself so you have like ink on your

shirt it's not

good it's all about details

question

because I have a bad poor mathematical

example yeah so these aren't all meant

to sort of be tied out but then you're

right so mathematically you will be

correct you're going to do

well okay so here's some tips for

analyzing

cases other thing too just to back up a

second you'll find that when um

interviewers give cases they either give

cases that they actually have live

experience with hard data in their head

all they'll make it up and so for this

example I was I'm just making stuff

up more to illustrative

Point uh okay um here are some tips

think out

loud it's

useful um if you're struggling you

really don't know what to do but if you

think out loud and you sort of thinking

out loud too long I know you're sort of

stuck I mean they don't they don't want

to be in a room with an awkward

situation either right so they'll help

you you know they might sort of you know

deduct you like two points for style or

whatever um but if you think out loud

I'm stuck that they'll actually help

you um use hypothesis a lot like I just

demonstrated earlier I think it's this

let me get data to verify and and sort

of move

on and you don't the parts underneath

it's it's about taking educated guest

figuring out what data you need to sort

of figure out whether you're not right

or wrong and then validate and then

refine that hypothesis ask for more data

see that hypothesis is correct and you

just keep on

moving okay uh there there are a couple

of types of analyses you want to do

fairly regularly and and I'll mention

this a couple of times um but a lot of

people sort of if they're not

experienced with it they sort of forget

to do this so this is this happens

literally 90% of cases I do

this the first is um what I call

figuring out if the problem is a company

specific issue or an industrywide issue

so like on the the earlier example if

units sold has declined by 20% the next

question I might ask do we have any

information on how the rest of the

Market's doing so is it a 20% decline

for us because we' screwed something up

or is it 20% across the board it's a

market issue you solve those two

problems very differently you respond to

them very differently so that's a very

common analysis I'll ask for data on

company specific or across the

board

uh second thing I always ask for is uh I

try to find the trend line so where are

we this year where was it last year

sometimes was the year before I'm

looking for the chain I'm sorry looking

for the the

trend and often times you'll find that

um the most common Trend you'll see is

around

growth that's the one that I sort of saw

the most you you'll often times have uh

company will be in sort of four

different businesses one will be going

like Gang Busters and one will be sort

of like dying on average they're doing

fine right but on averages the average

is always sort of and the totals always

sort of lie they're misleading you have

to break things up into its parts

because then you might say okay do you

want to solve the problem with the

company that's that's sort of flailing

or do you want to sort of take the one

that's working make it better that would

be a conversation you might have in a

case other things to do um always

segment your

numbers okay and I have specific

segmentation strategies to I'll show you

um but if if revenues are down for

example you know it's a revenue problem

and units and units sold are have

declined let's say um you want to sort

of break up that total so total units

sold have declined what composes units

sold right um and do we have any

information on the sources of where the

units sold and whether those have

changed in fact we do you know units

sold in in North America has stayed

constant Asia has gone up 20% Europe's

gone down 20 20% I see okay so unit sold

has gone down by 20% in Europe do we

know that's a company specific issue or

an is wi issue how are the competitors

doing on volume in terms of Europe uh in

fact Europe the European competitors are

also down 20% in volume ah I see so we

have an industry problem a market

problem in Europe which is suppressing

European sales which is dragging down

overall sales overall units sold for the

company and I'll sort of synthesize that

um but you don't you don't get to that

Insight right until you sort of break

apart the numbers and there like like

there's an infinite number of ways to

sort of break apart numbers in in real

life um I usually like to ask the

interviewer so you you say we need to

break apart the numbers do we have any

more detail we have any more do we have

any more details on what what comprises

you know unit

sold um because on unit sold it could be

by channel right internet channel is up

20% direct Salesforce is down 15% it

could be by region it could be by

product line the super duper product is

up sales are up 20% but the basic

product is down 20%

um and so you could literally sort of do

that all day long and in real life you

would because you don't know um but they

don't want to waste time doing that so

you sort of you make the case that you

need to break it apart and then you ask

them there's any information and they

usually give it to you because they

don't want to like make up numbers

either because then you get you get

embarrassed by you know people who are

really sharp on their numbers right um

okay segment your numbers and then I

mentioned ear always ask for

data okay always

ask and again the key with asking is

make explain why you want the data first

you get credit for asking the right

question which is very important in

Consulting and then when they give you

the data then you kind of proceed if you

ask for the data without asking

explaining why you want it you don't get

points for asking the right question

okay so you got to use the words like we

need to sort of break apart we need to

look at the segments that Drive Unit

shipments do we have any data on the

individual segments okay so that's a

good word to use because segments can

mean segmentation a lot of different

patterns right by region by Channel by

type of customer but you say the word

segments like okay guy the person knows

what they're talking about they're going

to segment stuff I'll save them some

time we should segment by region because

that's where the inside is great um so

if you just use the word segments or

break it apart or in those words they

will give you data on how to do that

I'll give you the actual segmentation

pattern that's most

productive all

right uh mechanically speaking here's

how to close a case and then we'll get

into some actual

cases it's really a three-step

process as you're sort of gathering all

this information you have these

hypotheses you're sort of driving down

various analyses your case in the

interview starts looking a lot more like

an HBS case Okay and then towards the

end of the case interview it's more like

a cold call what would you do if you're

the protagonist in this situation or

what would you do what would you tell

the client to do um the one the thing

you need to work on here first off is

just figure out what's

important I'll give you a demo of that

in a second what's the important idea

what's the big aha what's the big

Insight um by the way one of the biggest

compliments you can sort of pay to a

colleague in Consulting is really

insightful you know that was really

insightful which is basically not

obvious but

spoton so figure out what's

important and that's sort of an internal

process then you want to actually say it

out allowed and give a point of view a

conclusion profitably a conclusion with

a recommendation on an action the client

should take or likely actions the client

might want to consider I'm hedging again

right if I don't have enough data to

know definitively they should do that

I'll say it would seem to me that you

know doing a pilot program of some sort

in the new Emerging Market would be

useful given it's going 50% per year

when the Market's only growing 2%

okay and then then you want to support

your point of view with

data and so um at least I don't know

what the other firms call it but we call

the synthesis taking all this

information and like building up

something one thing what's the one

answer that we're looking for and I also

sort of Googled the definition of

synthesis uh it means to combine

separate elements to form a coherent

hole which basically means taking all

the Lego blocks on the floor building a

house ah it's a house right I understand

what to do

now so analysis is all about pulling

apart the pieces into its component

parts synthesis is then all this

analysis putting it back together into a

coherent hole so a client can make sense

of

it it's it's it's the opposite of

analysis it's

interesting um let's

see so by the way I'm I'm recording this

event I'm going to refer to like page

numbers and slide numbers just what's on

the recording um you guys will get

access to all this after the fact too so

if you see me sort of referring to page

numbers that don't exist you you'll know

why um the common structure by the way

of a close just visually

speaking it sort of looks like this and

you guys want be already familiar with

it you don't actually sort of draw it

out

necessarily but your um

you always start with the con well not

always but in most cases you start with

a

conclusion ABC companies should consider

exting the European market how come uh

market sales have tanked cost structure

of the business is too high and so you

have your your sort of supporting

elements underneath your conclusion okay

so there's an order to it you start with

the conclusion first a lot of people

start with the data first and I'll show

you what that sounds there's there's a

certain Rhythm if you listen to It's

almost almost like music there's a

certain Rhythm to how a poor clothes

goes versus a good cloth versus a great

cloes always conclusion first and then

the key supporting elements underneath

usually it's like two or three things

there's a useful book um that a lot of

people swear by I actually never read it

but I think I've learned it sort of

through osmosis it's called the P

principle have you guys heard of that

okay uh there's this book called The

pyram principle it's by bar Mento I'll

put up the name in a in a second and um

it's the it's the communication it's

it's I think it's a book about critical

thinking logical thinking and writing um

sort of every McKenzie consultant sort

of uses that whether they realize it or

not I I use it without realizing it

others have done it more deliberately

and a lot of the consulting firms use it

and it has to do with structuring your

Communication in a very rigorously

logical way uh and it's it's a good

skill to have um and it's different it's

a little different um in some cases

depending on how you were sort of taught

to write so I got a lot out of that um

but that's the structure it's sort of

big idea up front and then three main

ideas underneath that sort of support

that uh almost look like an expository

writing essay from high school if you're

familiar with

that okay I want to give you um examples

of

closes and I want you just hear what it

sounds

like and I'm going to I'm going to take

my crack at using sort of a a business

example because I think it sort of helps

convey the

point okay

um the the rhythm of a poor close is

like this data data data data data data

data data data part of a conclusion data

data another part of a conclusion data

data dat dat another part of the

conclusion in its entirety all the

information is there it's hard to follow

not client friendly

okay

um a good close would be conclusion

three relevant pieces of data that

directly support that

conclusion and a great close would be a

conclusion with a definitive action

recommendation right and three pieces of

data that are logically related to that

conclusion so the logic is really very

clear and very

compelling and I'll give you example

that umide this hypothetical

situation I know okay still it um but I

can read it this way because that's it's

too small to print and you won't be able

to see

it um I have this hypothetical situation

where I got two I have two daughters and

I'm sort of envisioning this situation

sort of in the future uh and sort of

trying to make it interesting so to make

the point um my youngest one comes to me

and says daddy daddy daddy like what

honey what honey um I'm sorry it was an

accident but my my sister made me do it

we weren't trying to it was an accident

not my fault her fault

okay I know candles no bad idea matches

I know but she pushed me she did really

right oh I I'm coughing a lot help what

do I what should I do okay that's a poor

close because you have no idea what the

how is going on right a lot of

information no conclusion no action

right

okay

um the next one my my my my older

daughter comes to me and

says dad the house is on fire we were

playing with matches let's get the hell

out of here okay that's like a

conclusion action driven

right and then uh the the babysitter

comes down who's trying to train to be a

Management Consultant and says Mr

Tren you have to read this um the house

is on fire it's in fact burning to the

ground quickly and it cannot be saved

you have no other choice than to get the

heck out of here right now okay good

recommendation action conclusion

there are three reasons why I feel this

way let me show you my PowerPoint

presentation okay slide one please the

fire will consume the house in less than

1 minute this is based on the fact that

it's moving at 10t every 5 seconds and

I've measured the width of the house to

be 120 ft we got less than 60 seconds to

live number two supporting Point putting

out the fire is in fact not possible

okay the fire is too big at this point

to put out plus the fire extinguisher is

at the opposite end of the house and

guess what Mr CH I've been watching you

worked out you're not as quite as fast

as you used to be the treadmill you

won't make it great third supporting

Point third slide please uh your only

remaining option is to save you and your

kids now fact the supporting point is

you promise your wife you take care of

the kids if you leave them in a burning

house and go put out the fire she will

kill you therefore conclusion is you

have no other choice than to get the

heck out of here and that's like the

rhythm of a good clothes and you can

obviously tweak and make it better um

but the idea is sort of main idea with a

clear action why you feel that way and

then restate the the

conclusion but you see the difference

right and and there's interesting I mean

I have relatives who were who who who

think this way on the poor

clothes and actually my

mother-in-law and it's just

like I I I my limit's like seven minutes

I can listen to seven minutes of well

first I went to the parking lot and then

I went in and then this happened oh and

there was this really interesting lady I

talked to oh did you realize that she

has a DA and just like

and what what's the point mom uh oh we

need more toilet paper oh okay I can

take care of that right and but she had

to sort of tell the whole story um and

so not that it's right or wrong it's

different but in Consulting that doesn't

work because it's not client friendly

you can't follow

it