Rice, SMU, McKinsey, & Malcolm Gillis

[OC Mustang]

Just a couple of musings regarding the very cogent and effective arguments presented to the Rice Board by their alumni in defense of intercollegiate athletics. Gillis, who the AD and Board give such accolades, was in the running to be Provost of SMU in 1992-93. He was the frontrunner, but picked the larger jump to Rice as President instead of the #2 spot. Not to take anything from Dr. Turner (he has done a fine job), but had Gillis accepted the Provost's job, he would have undoubtably taken the reins after Pye's death. This guy is the real deal.

As for McKinsey, I just have to say it, despite the fact that they would accuse me (rightly) of being "sophomoric": Naya naya naya. I have said it on this board before; I will say it again. If you entrust McKinsey with your organization and its strategy, they will make a short future of both in the name of boilerplate solutions, outsourcing, staff reductions, and high fees. As effective a shakedown as I have ever seen in business, and evidently, more stoic institutions as well. Good riddance, you pompous asses.

I only hope that our alumni would be as eloquent in dispatching those morons as Rice's were.

Good show, Rice U. Good show. SMU should watch and take note.

[gostangs]

Could not agree more on the McKinsey comments - they are slowly being exposed for the racket they are. They are hired (at great cost so that a green horn just out of grad school who knows nothing but thinks otherwise) to provide cover to whoever hired them regarding whatever foregone conclusion will be reported. Nice "end around" by some smart folks at Rice.

[Water Pony]

On the subject of consultants I am very familar since I am one (healthcare) but at a different firm.. McKinsey is good at strategy but very expensive.

However, their biggest gap/blindspot is they don't live with the consequences of their recommendations. In my experience, if you don't actually roll-out the conclusion, live with the implementation of the ideas and participate in the risk of successfully deploying the findings, then you can't really know the subject or its true impact/cost.

Theory evaporates quickly when reality hits or, said another way, "culture eats stratetgy for lunch."

[NavyCrimson]

well said - water pony & oc!

[M Street Stang]

My company just retained McKinsey. I was "interviewed" by one of their managers, although it felt more like an interrogation. He knew nothing about my industry, which makes me leary. I mentioned the Rice study that they had just completed and he didn't know anything about it. If anyone has any more info on McKinsey, I would love to hear it. Thanks.

[OC Mustang]

Since I tend to talk in figurative terms, this may not be useful in any real way...but here goes my answer....

This is my "more on McKinsey" as to how they work.



Someone high up perceives a problem. May be real. May not be.
Wants results. McKinsey confuses results with analysis. McKinsey confuses client with questions. They quote the price. <record scratch> After sticker shock, McKinsey performs the same act that a Land Rover salesman does. Sort of a cross between a grey poupon commercial and a CNBC Power Lunch with a little ego fellatio thrown in on the side (sorry moderator, I swear I will never say that word again, but if it walks like a duck....)

Then they do this PG-rated version of Abu Graid interrogation (if there is such a thing), and then, 6 months later, they have all these "cool recommendations" that sound as if they came from Michael Porter himself (since he wrote the bible on strategy, most of it does). Then they get to the fun part: implementation. <crickets chirping in the black night>

To bring it back to the Football Forum, it is best summed up as a more regal version of the 1989 UHouston offense under John Jenkins. No humility, and they could put up 95 points against a SMU, but a wrecking crew defense such as Texas A&Ms stuffed them, and a few years later without two Heisman quality QBs, they couldn't put up 20 points against SMU.

Advice: Learn what you can from them, as they have some cool training.
But, they will not make you money, and they are not there to be your friend. And as it is highly unlikely that they even flirt, you ain't gettin' lucky. So don't waste your time.