Confessions of a McKinsey Whistleblower
ABC 180: On the power brokers hiding behind spreadsheets and slide decks
I’ve been thinking a lot about corporate purpose statements.
Perhaps it’s our modern expectation that universities, CEOs, and toothpaste manufacturers weigh in on the social issue du jour. Or perhaps it’s just that I’ve grown jaded after spending years of my life helping companies craft unique (read: sufficiently vague) statements about their flavor of “making a difference.” But these days, it’s hard not to see almost every corporate purpose statement as bullshit.
Take McKinsey, the world’s most famous consulting firm. Its stated purpose is to “help create positive, enduring change in the world.” And yet, in the past few years, a series of high-profile investigations have shown that the consultancy often has the opposite effect.
One stat from this week’s piece stands out. In the past few years, New York City has paid $27.5 million to McKinsey to help reduce the amount of crime at Riker’s Island, one of the country’s most infamous prisons. And yet, in the years the consultants were on the job, violence increased by almost 50%.
How does that happen? As a former consultant myself, four words sum it up well: a lack of accountability, which is why reading an essay like this week’s article was so refreshing.
Here’s the piece: Confessions of a McKinsey Whistleblower
Personal updates:
I wrote an essay about cultivating faith—especially in dark times.
I spoke with The New York Times about new research that shows how anger can be a powerful motivator to achieve your goals.
My friend
has a timely book coming out this week about curiosity and how it can be used to help bridge divides.
Warmly,
Simo
P.S. I’m seeing the dance-y funk band Vulfpeck in Brooklyn tonight. The song of the week is my favorite off their new album. The full songs of the week playlist is here.
Have you seen John Oliver's Last Week Tonight episode on McKinsey? Hilarious yet unsettling (don't miss out on the comments section):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiOUojVd6xQ
Thanks so much for elevating Seek, Simo!! (Just getting into this Substack vibes - we can talk more about it on Wednesday hehe).