In honor of Veterans’ Day in the US, we sat down Navy Reservist Wes, an engagement manager in Washington, DC, to learn how his military career has benefitted him at McKinsey.
How did your experience in service make you a better consultant?
Pilots love options and priorities. When you’re flying in foreign airspace and dealing with the daily challenges of bad weather, rough seas, and rapidly-evolving missions, you’re always thinking ahead of the jet, anticipating friction points and planning for contingencies so you can complete your mission. When you’re feeling overloaded, you focus on the biggest priorities and load-shed the unimportant stuff. The same is true for our teams at McKinsey. We try to anticipate our clients’ needs and stay ahead of the problem, so we can advise our clients as they navigate a path to success. When a problem feels too big to tackle, we focus on the areas that will make the biggest difference – that’s our structured approach to problem-solving.
Mentorship is important at the firm. How has Veterans@McKinsey introduced you to coaches or sponsors?
While there’s a high concentration of firm veterans in the US, you might be surprised how strong the community is elsewhere too. For example, in the London office, there are about 30 veterans. One of them, David, shaped my belief in just how entrepreneurial I could be at the firm. In my second year as an associate, David and I were introduced to a US-based veteran-focused charity that was expanding overseas. They had a captivating concept, and I thought the firm could have a lasting impact on veterans in the UK by helping make their international launch a success. David coached me through how to pitch a proposal to the firm’s pro-bono committee. Once we secured funding, he asked me to lead the effort. It was my first role as a manager and was something I was able to create through veteran mentorship and sponsorship.
What drew you to McKinsey?
I came for many reasons – the amazing people, the challenging problems, and the sense of serving others. I wanted to be in a flat environment in which everyone, even new hires, were encouraged to speak up and where there was diversity of thought, backgrounds, and demographics. With its inclusiveness, its emphasis on the obligation to dissent, and the global profile of its teams, McKinsey has given me exactly what I was looking for.