Worse yet. I was at a wedding and was forced to make small-talk. Talking to the this guy and he tells me he works for BCG or McKinsey. I ask what he did for the company and he informed me that he works with clients to improve their DEI profile. This guy is a total parasite contributing negative value to these companies. I'd rather hire a clown to do some juggling or take a pie to the face during lunch than waste corporate funds on this loser. I forced myself to walk away because I knew my next string of questions would have been insulting.
Probably not the best thing to say at a social event.. but it would be kinda fun, when someone says they work in DEI, to feign naive unfamiliarity and ask: "DEI... what's that? I think I've heard of it... oh, that's like the modern day version of KKK, right?"
I worked for McKinsey many years ago -- NOT as a consultant. My takeaway was that they were a cult. Nothing was so weird to me as to see them spin out corporate cultures, mind control, total mind fuckery where the bullshit never stopped, which is why I guessed that the coof thing was all a McKinsey-designed mirage. I believe they are quite capable at doing something like that.
Glad you escaped with your sanity. The brand allure is powerful when they swoop into college campuses with a slick presentation and free food. I'm sure Wagner deploys similar psyops when they recruit and execute their missions.
Excellent piece. In France we had McKinseygate and their embedding in the various departments including that of health prior to the 'pandemie'... Spook filled scumbag company responsible for enforcing the rollout of the product of their corporate chums.
McKinsey partners have VIP access to Dorsia on their fat corporate expense accounts, where they can schmooze their clients about axing big chunks of their workforce.
I had one interaction with McKinsey while working as house counsel at a large utility company. The company was actively promoting continuous improvement using the Toyota Method. I recall sitting through several mandatory McKinsey-sponsored team building meetings involving power point presentations and a lot of time dedicated to finding better ways to use filing cabinets. The company spent a lot of money and time for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with young Penn and Harvard grads but very little of substance resulting from the effort.
Interesting! I wonder if most consulting companies, even the smaller ones are the same -- in that they don’t offer anything new, anything of substance, any true creativity.
A client of mine and his bus partner hired a consulting firm out of Atlanta (smaller & less well-known that McKinsey) that did quite a number on them...sort of like what you mentioned above. They lost a ton of money on that deal.
That’s a billion dollar question. Unless one is an expert in the field, how does (s)he know if a plumber, or a dentist, a doctor, or a lawyer do their best, not to mention if their best is good enough?
Most of them are capable storytellers and have proper answers to your questions …
Decades ago by pure coincidence I got in wonderful hands of an ethical dentist. When I had to move, I caught a few lying. So, I’ve been flying back to the wonderful dentist until he decided that he had enough and cut his work to three days/week. Since, I can tell 15 consecutive horror stories of incompetence and unwarranted greed from a dentist refusing to put a simple feeling unless I agree to a one costing $1,100 to another recommending a procedure but refusing to provide details and costs.
In my experience, getting a competent and ethical professional is a draw of luck.
It’s easier to uncover scammers by asking series of probing questions. You sound like a person capable to figure out questions to weed out incompetent and dishonest.
Anyone can make an honest mistake, but the moment you see that you are dealing with a half-wit and/or dishonest cut your losses immediately.
What a shame that you can no longer see your trusted dentist. I bet you do have stories about incompetent and dishonest ones. I had a run-in with one of those when I was a very young mother and didn’t know any better. I quit going to her after a couple of years because I started to suspect something was fishy. Two years later she was arrested for fraud and a multitude of other crimes.
As far as how I deal with vetting professionals whom I must put my trust in these days, it all comes down to research and word-of-mouth recommendations. I have many people from various backgrounds to whom I can gather recommendations for professionals in different industries. I think that’s the gold standard -- word-of-mouth recommendations from others who actually have a history with a specific professional.
I have never once advertised my writing/editing services. Other clients have simply recommended me to people in their industries who need what I do. And this is all over the country. I’ve gotten new clients on Instagram, even! Haha! My Instagram account gallery features mainly photos of our permaculture food growing, our chickens, things about our faith, and pictures of family. NOTHING to do with my work. The only hint is that it’s listed in my short bio. Crazy!
I think it's one of those boxes that upwardly mobile middle managers check to demonstrate forward thinking and commitment to the organization. It's virtue signalling for MBAs.
Btw, Yuri, years ago, I’ve read your Wikipedia profile, which ended abruptly. It left me puzzled. Did you go into a witness protection program? Got kidnapped by KGB or worse?
Would you be willing to tell us, as Paul Harvey would put it, “ The rest of the story”?
Was also curious. Wikipedia (FWIW) has this to say:
"In late December 1992, Bezmenov visited Tess [his ex-wife] and their children in Montreal for Christmas. Two weeks later, Bezmenov's death was reported on January 6, 1993. According to the Windsor Star, he died of a "massive heart attack", on Tuesday, January 5, 1993."
I am using Yuri as a pseudonym. By all accounts he passed away 30 years ago. I wrote a post to honor him called how to reason with a demoralized person.
I realized that. The change in Wikipedia is interesting. When I read it some time (10+ years???) ago, the claim was that he vanished and no one knows his whereabouts or if he is alive.
Many videos, -I am now talking in general, not about Yuri’s -, which I used to find in numerous copies, now disappeared or has been altered.
Thanks, Yuri, for confirming. I figured it was a pen name. But couldn't be 100% sure.
All my friends think I wear a tin hat. And I'm OK w/ that. Especially these days, I question everything. I don't believe shit stinks 'til I've smelled it.
Haha when I first came across “this” Yuri, I pictured him as the same age as the “real” Yuri, though I knew it was a pen name. I love his SS and often discuss what he writes with my husband. During these conversations, I affectionately refer to him as Yuri-Not-Yuri!
Very good piece, thanks. I was almost recruited by a management consultancy company whilst at University but I had the sense to not pursue that career path. A few years later, when I was living in Paris, I ended up working for a couple of years for the same company (it was a huge, international firm) but in a lowly, admin role ie department secretary, bilingual assistant type thing. I felt like I was surrounded by robotic nitwits.... people who seemed to possess no original thoughts, no soul. It’s where I started writing -- I had a lot of free time once I got all my work tasks done -- so I guess that was one good thing about that job.
You reminded me of working as a PA/Sec at board level of Lloyds of London.
Those robotic nitwits have no soul and dare not have an original thought. Yet they wield power granted to them by their super rich clients and over-writers, whose modus operandi warrants close inspection.
In the City of London, that could pre-empt a dismissal at best, a sudden death at worst.
McKinsey, the Zombie Octopus - love the metaphor! I am ashamed to admit that I interviewed with them after grad school. My mother was mortified that I didn’t become a professor, but instead sold out and went to Wall Street to work for a lesser Vampire Squidling, CSFP.
Credit to the leveraged sellout, one of the greatest anonymous writers of all time. He hasn’t published anything in a while, but he got me through some tough times.
I love how to this day consultants can't give you a straight answer on what they actually contribute.
It's almost condescension shrouded in the latest corporate speak.
Worse yet. I was at a wedding and was forced to make small-talk. Talking to the this guy and he tells me he works for BCG or McKinsey. I ask what he did for the company and he informed me that he works with clients to improve their DEI profile. This guy is a total parasite contributing negative value to these companies. I'd rather hire a clown to do some juggling or take a pie to the face during lunch than waste corporate funds on this loser. I forced myself to walk away because I knew my next string of questions would have been insulting.
"I ask what he did for the company and he informed me that he works with clients to improve their DEI profile."
That's a job that shouldn't even exist.
Probably not the best thing to say at a social event.. but it would be kinda fun, when someone says they work in DEI, to feign naive unfamiliarity and ask: "DEI... what's that? I think I've heard of it... oh, that's like the modern day version of KKK, right?"
I like the statement on the sign at the equality lounge at Davos—‘The place for conscious leaders’. Does that mean you have to be awake to get in?
You had to be triple jabbed enter the lounge and have the means to travel to Davos, so much for equality.
Maybe English wasn’t the first language of the people who made that sign.
Corporate speak is its own language. We must drive synergies through equality, don't boil the ocean and circle back!
Let's take this offline. Ping me when you have a moment. I want to understand more about your dynamic interpretation of our organization's "WHY".
Very sad that Senator Feinstein was denied entry. You hate to see it
More likely, you had to be woke to get in.
I worked for McKinsey many years ago -- NOT as a consultant. My takeaway was that they were a cult. Nothing was so weird to me as to see them spin out corporate cultures, mind control, total mind fuckery where the bullshit never stopped, which is why I guessed that the coof thing was all a McKinsey-designed mirage. I believe they are quite capable at doing something like that.
Glad you escaped with your sanity. The brand allure is powerful when they swoop into college campuses with a slick presentation and free food. I'm sure Wagner deploys similar psyops when they recruit and execute their missions.
They trademarked “Equality Lounge” 🙄🤡💩
Wagner should trademark the "NATO Peace Lounge" in Bakhmut.
Right next to the Protect Our Democracy Vegan sandwich shop
Excellent piece. In France we had McKinseygate and their embedding in the various departments including that of health prior to the 'pandemie'... Spook filled scumbag company responsible for enforcing the rollout of the product of their corporate chums.
Model - “So what do you do?”
Bateman - “I’m into murders and executions mostly.”
Model - "Do you like it?"
Bateman - "It depends. Why?"
Model - "Because most guys I know, who work with mergers and acquisitions, really don't like it."
Bateman while smirking - "So, where do you workout?"
McKinsey partners have VIP access to Dorsia on their fat corporate expense accounts, where they can schmooze their clients about axing big chunks of their workforce.
I had one interaction with McKinsey while working as house counsel at a large utility company. The company was actively promoting continuous improvement using the Toyota Method. I recall sitting through several mandatory McKinsey-sponsored team building meetings involving power point presentations and a lot of time dedicated to finding better ways to use filing cabinets. The company spent a lot of money and time for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with young Penn and Harvard grads but very little of substance resulting from the effort.
Interesting! I wonder if most consulting companies, even the smaller ones are the same -- in that they don’t offer anything new, anything of substance, any true creativity.
A client of mine and his bus partner hired a consulting firm out of Atlanta (smaller & less well-known that McKinsey) that did quite a number on them...sort of like what you mentioned above. They lost a ton of money on that deal.
As some one who knows a few good ones, not all consulting firms are born equal. It’s sad that woke bug beat many a firm, after 2008.
But there are good principled ones. Not many, but if you look … they are usually small, very small.
Well that’s definitely good to know, but then how does one discern the good from the bad? These people are quite cleverly deceptive.
That’s a billion dollar question. Unless one is an expert in the field, how does (s)he know if a plumber, or a dentist, a doctor, or a lawyer do their best, not to mention if their best is good enough?
Most of them are capable storytellers and have proper answers to your questions …
Decades ago by pure coincidence I got in wonderful hands of an ethical dentist. When I had to move, I caught a few lying. So, I’ve been flying back to the wonderful dentist until he decided that he had enough and cut his work to three days/week. Since, I can tell 15 consecutive horror stories of incompetence and unwarranted greed from a dentist refusing to put a simple feeling unless I agree to a one costing $1,100 to another recommending a procedure but refusing to provide details and costs.
In my experience, getting a competent and ethical professional is a draw of luck.
It’s easier to uncover scammers by asking series of probing questions. You sound like a person capable to figure out questions to weed out incompetent and dishonest.
Anyone can make an honest mistake, but the moment you see that you are dealing with a half-wit and/or dishonest cut your losses immediately.
How are you dealing with this challenge?
What a shame that you can no longer see your trusted dentist. I bet you do have stories about incompetent and dishonest ones. I had a run-in with one of those when I was a very young mother and didn’t know any better. I quit going to her after a couple of years because I started to suspect something was fishy. Two years later she was arrested for fraud and a multitude of other crimes.
As far as how I deal with vetting professionals whom I must put my trust in these days, it all comes down to research and word-of-mouth recommendations. I have many people from various backgrounds to whom I can gather recommendations for professionals in different industries. I think that’s the gold standard -- word-of-mouth recommendations from others who actually have a history with a specific professional.
I have never once advertised my writing/editing services. Other clients have simply recommended me to people in their industries who need what I do. And this is all over the country. I’ve gotten new clients on Instagram, even! Haha! My Instagram account gallery features mainly photos of our permaculture food growing, our chickens, things about our faith, and pictures of family. NOTHING to do with my work. The only hint is that it’s listed in my short bio. Crazy!
Interesting. I bet that your instagram is an indication of your values - an important factor and signal. 🔥
I think it's one of those boxes that upwardly mobile middle managers check to demonstrate forward thinking and commitment to the organization. It's virtue signalling for MBAs.
Virtue signaling -- quite possibly the worst type of signaling EVER!
Good read on similar theme, credit to Niccolo Soldo (Fisted by Foucault) for mentioning in his stack:
https://scottlocklin.wordpress.com/2023/04/28/management-consultants-as-soviet-apparatchiks/
Btw, Yuri, years ago, I’ve read your Wikipedia profile, which ended abruptly. It left me puzzled. Did you go into a witness protection program? Got kidnapped by KGB or worse?
Would you be willing to tell us, as Paul Harvey would put it, “ The rest of the story”?
Was also curious. Wikipedia (FWIW) has this to say:
"In late December 1992, Bezmenov visited Tess [his ex-wife] and their children in Montreal for Christmas. Two weeks later, Bezmenov's death was reported on January 6, 1993. According to the Windsor Star, he died of a "massive heart attack", on Tuesday, January 5, 1993."
Bezmenov was born in 1939. He would have been 54.
I am using Yuri as a pseudonym. By all accounts he passed away 30 years ago. I wrote a post to honor him called how to reason with a demoralized person.
I realized that. The change in Wikipedia is interesting. When I read it some time (10+ years???) ago, the claim was that he vanished and no one knows his whereabouts or if he is alive.
Many videos, -I am now talking in general, not about Yuri’s -, which I used to find in numerous copies, now disappeared or has been altered.
Back In The USSR ….
Thanks, Yuri, for confirming. I figured it was a pen name. But couldn't be 100% sure.
All my friends think I wear a tin hat. And I'm OK w/ that. Especially these days, I question everything. I don't believe shit stinks 'til I've smelled it.
Time to organize a Tin Hat Club: Loonies United 🫶🏼💪🏼
Haha when I first came across “this” Yuri, I pictured him as the same age as the “real” Yuri, though I knew it was a pen name. I love his SS and often discuss what he writes with my husband. During these conversations, I affectionately refer to him as Yuri-Not-Yuri!
Love it
Very good piece, thanks. I was almost recruited by a management consultancy company whilst at University but I had the sense to not pursue that career path. A few years later, when I was living in Paris, I ended up working for a couple of years for the same company (it was a huge, international firm) but in a lowly, admin role ie department secretary, bilingual assistant type thing. I felt like I was surrounded by robotic nitwits.... people who seemed to possess no original thoughts, no soul. It’s where I started writing -- I had a lot of free time once I got all my work tasks done -- so I guess that was one good thing about that job.
Thanks! Sounds like you have great stories from that experience to write about.
Yes it was mostly dark comedy! 🤪
Ooh {{shudders}} !!
You reminded me of working as a PA/Sec at board level of Lloyds of London.
Those robotic nitwits have no soul and dare not have an original thought. Yet they wield power granted to them by their super rich clients and over-writers, whose modus operandi warrants close inspection.
In the City of London, that could pre-empt a dismissal at best, a sudden death at worst.
Surprised, Yuri, you forgot another McKinsey alum Eric Schmidt, who first removed No from “Do No Evil.” Then purchased citizenship of Cypress…
What does he know that we don’t??
Great writing, quite enjoyable. Thanks!
McKinsey, the Zombie Octopus - love the metaphor! I am ashamed to admit that I interviewed with them after grad school. My mother was mortified that I didn’t become a professor, but instead sold out and went to Wall Street to work for a lesser Vampire Squidling, CSFP.
Say what you want about Capitalism, but the supermarkets are fully stocked, and they are a shitload of nice houses everywhere.
I am a Capitalist, but this is cronyism at its worst.
Thank you for not saying “crony capitalism.” Crony is as much a modifier for capitalism as morally casual can be used to modify the word virgin.
OMG Yuri I learned a LOT from this one. And that (rap?) video with bankers vs. consultants literally MADE my day. Hilarious!
Credit to the leveraged sellout, one of the greatest anonymous writers of all time. He hasn’t published anything in a while, but he got me through some tough times.
I bet his work DID help you through. We need things like that video to elevate the mood sometimes, especially during those brutal times!