TALK LIKE A CONSULTANT - Top down communication explained (management consulting skills)

Do you want to talk like a consultant? Top down communication is a key management consulting skill. MBB consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) teach top-down communication skills in their mandatory onboarding programs for new consultants. As a former McKinsey consultant myself, I talk about how to talk like a consultant. I teach you the fundamental consulting communication skills that management consulting firms depend on. These are crucial management consulting skills, top down communication is essential for every aspiring management consultant. This communication skills training teaches essential strategy consulting skills, these are presentation skills relevant for professional oral and written communication.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:40 Top-down communication concept
03:36 Communication skills exercise
06:02 Potential communication exercise answers
10:21 Why people struggle with top-down communication
12:14 Top-down communication: Book recommendation
12:40 Wrap-up

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[thefreshestprince]

This guy simultaneously sounds German and Chinese at the same time. What a combo. Either way, very clear.

[eugsoh]

This is outstanding training. I’m a 45-year old Marketing Manager yet have never come across top-down communication. It’s such a simple concept. Yet crucially important. My wife has pointed out that I am not an effective communicator but I didn’t really know what to do about it. But the way you present this by starting with the summary and providing supportive statements is so logical. I also like how you share about why people don’t speak like this naturally. Thank you!

[elizabethtan]

This is brilliant. Not just what top down communication is, but especially why it is so important
1. Avoid system 1 impulse thinking
2. Your boss doesn’t care how long you worked last night as long as it produces results, so show the results first
3. Showing clarity in thinking - you go beyond just the level 1 superficial details of what you have done but going into what exactly this MEANS for the business and in the context of the brief

[MoosaIslamic]

What I gained:

- First give the Key message/finding, then delve into details.
- Use time connectives (firstly, secondly, etc.)

[andrewpocock]

McKinsey consultants literally taught a class on this in my workplace 5 years ago. Its effective.

[PlumpLumps]

Was literally JUST told by my ex-BCG business partner to use YouTube to learn how to communicate like a consultant and you uploaded this video. 🙏🏼

[feleciaward]

Brilliant! Thank you. As for your accent, ignore the critics and remember content is king. Your content and affable personality are both awesome! I am studying for the PMP Certification, and as students we adjust to knowledgeable instructors from around the world because we want their skillset.

[chiahuic]

Top-down communication: give a conclusion first, and follow by 3 key reasons.

[arshbirdhawan]

Beyond the experience, the willingness to share valuable knowledge and the effective communication, i was sold when i saw you had segmented your video into sections in the scroll bar with timestamps. Being a junior in a consulting firm, the one thing i have learned is that is that everything you do is a reflection of how you approach work and in an environment where many are happy to skip these seemingly small steps, it really speaks to your attention to detail. Love it!

[MrRichardyc]

playback at 1.25 speed, you will thank me later.

[ashleyash]

I’m an aspiring consultant and somehow I came across to this video. I’ve learnt something today, thank you!

[pawelnowak]

Half of the comments highlited the accent aspect of the video rather than the message. This man clearly explained the basics of communication used in the consulting industry for anyone who aspires to join a top consulting firm this knowledge is worth more than gold.

[manuelatientcheu]

I really love your work ethic, so impressive! Especially considering English isn’t your first language, your dedication and hard work is very appreciated.

[alfredmohammed]

My friend just told me to look up speaking like a consultant. Perfect timing.

[niahma]

No bullshit, advice delivered straight to the point with examples. Will pay for this content if i ever wanted to be a consultant!

[prassetya]

I think this is important not only for consultants but also for researchers. In an academic institution, many people get used to speaking in a bottom-up way that causes the listeners to fall asleep within 10 minutes during a presentation.

[hgcalben]

This channels going to blow up, I'm calling it now. I know quality content when I see it.

[jameslevinson]

I've found that I may not have the conclusion on the tip of my tongue if I am interrupted in the middle of my work. So, I think there is another recommendation to help with top down communication: constantly remind yourself of the big picture problem you're solving. Doing so will also help you stay on track, and contextualize your progress with the main problem.

[shivamb]

Being a strategy consultant, this is pretty spot on! Great job :)

[MQXM]

I’m a software engineer and I found this supremely helpful as well. Great job 👍