The McKinsey Edge: Success Principles from the World’s Most Powerful Consulting Firm

227 Pages·2015·2.3 MB·English

by  Shu Hattori

PRAISE FOR
THE MCKINSEY EDGE
The McKinsey Edge is filled with deep insights and easy-to-
use tips. Apply these, and you can enjoy more success—as
well as happiness.”
—TAL BEN-SHAHAR
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING
AUTHOR OF HAPPIER
Leadership is an art and, as in every art, practice and reflection
makes perfect. This book has plenty of great ideas and advice
to help us to master the art of leadership. It is full of practical
wisdom for those that are initiating their leadership journeys
and those that are already on it.
—JUAN ANTONIO FERNANDEZ
PROFESSOR OF LEADERSHIP,
CHINA EUROPE INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS SCHOOL
Few books have truly cracked leadership concepts into
tangible, practical day-to-day principles like The McKinsey
Edge. If you are keen to become a strong leader and learn the
fundamental insights necessary, this book will definitely get
you there; it’s what every aspiring leader must focus on to
succeed!
—DON STALTER
FORMER INTERNATIONAL
MANAGING
DIRECTOR WITH GROUPON, AIRBNB,
AND HANDY
Today’s business world is super competitive and unforgiving
and career growth is more often than not, a perilous journey.
The McKinsey Edge is absolutely terrific. It provides a wealth
of knowledge and practical tools to help you stand-out among
your peers and to amplify your career.
—JAMES HUANG
VICE PRESIDENT,
CHANNELADVISOR
CORPORATION
Among the plethora of books about leadership, this book
stands out by its sheer practicality. As a very readable
combination of leadership principles, insights from famous
people and the author’s own intriguing day-to-day experiences
at McKinsey, this book is required reading for any aspiring
future business leader.
—DR. LUDWIG KANZLER
FORMER MCKINSEY PARTNER
As a former McKinsey consultant, I found Hattori’s book to be
a nostalgic walk through memory lane. At the same time, I
was struck by how just many of the concepts captured have
been instrumental to my leadership development. The
McKinsey Edge provides the right mix of the theoretical and
practical, and is well suited to students of business as well as
managers at all levels.
—STANFORD LIN
HEAD OF PRODUCTS FOR VISA
CHINA,
FORMER MCKINSEY CONSULTANT

Copyright © 2016 by Shu Hattori. All rights reserved. Except
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To Carmen, my source of love and inspiration.
If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.
Kaz and Noriko, who are everything a child dreams.
And, Tomo, who told me to live in the moment.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE
Building the Better Self
Get Ahead
PRINCIPLE 1 Focus on What Really Matters
PRINCIPLE 2 Start with the Hard Stuff in the Morning
PRINCIPLE 3 Catch Small Signals and Make a
Difference
PRINCIPLE 4 Have a 30-Second Answer to Everything
PRINCIPLE 5 Frontload Your Project
PRINCIPLE 6 Create the Right End Output Image
Hang Tight
PRINCIPLE 7 Smile When You Are Under Stress
PRINCIPLE 8 Go Beyond Your Self-Perceived Limit