1. Think Clearly

Guiding Question: Are we solving the right problem in the right way?

The first imperative is about structuring your thinking before you start working. Most failed projects fail here: they solve the wrong problem, or solve the right problem in an unstructured way that leads nowhere.

Core Actions

1.1 Diagnose the Current State (0) 🔺

Understand what’s happening and why

Before defining a problem, you need to understand the current situation. What’s actually happening? What are the symptoms? What might be causing them?

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Diagnose the firm’s hiring needs: what do they look for? What gaps are they trying to fill?	Diagnose the company’s strategic situation: what’s happening with their performance, market, competitors?
Diagnose your current fit gaps: where are you strong vs. weak relative to what firms want?	Diagnose root causes: why is performance what it is? Don’t stop at symptoms.

How to Diagnose:

Gather observable facts (not opinions)
Look for patterns and anomalies
Ask “why” multiple times to get to root causes
Separate symptoms from underlying issues

Session 4 Activity: Diagnose the Current State

Recruiting: Diagnose firm hiring needs

Use AI to analyze what firms actually look for in candidates by examining patterns in recent hires.

Help me diagnose what [FIRM NAME] actually looks for in candidates:

1. Analyze 5-10 LinkedIn profiles of recent hires (analysts/associates in the last 2 years). What patterns do you see in:
   - Educational background
   - Prior work experience
   - Skills and certifications
   - Extracurricular involvement

2. Compare their stated criteria (from careers page) to the actual profiles of people they hired. Any gaps or surprises?

3. What does this tell me about what they *really* value vs. what they *say* they value?

4. Based on this diagnosis, where am I strong and where do I have gaps?

My background: [BRIEF SUMMARY OF YOUR EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION]

Client Work: Diagnose company’s strategic situation

Apply diagnostic thinking to understand what’s happening with your target company and why.

Help me diagnose the current strategic situation for [COMPANY NAME]:

**What's Happening (Symptoms)**
1. What are the observable facts about their performance? (Revenue trends, market share, stock price, operational metrics)
2. What are industry analysts and news sources saying about them?
3. What is management saying in earnings calls about their situation?

**Why It's Happening (Root Causes)**
4. What external factors (market, competition, regulation) might explain these symptoms?
5. What internal factors (strategy, operations, capabilities) might explain them?
6. Are there patterns or anomalies that suggest deeper issues?

**Diagnostic Summary**
Synthesize into a 1-paragraph diagnosis: "Company X is experiencing [symptoms] primarily because [root causes]."

Session 5 Activity: Root Cause Analysis

Recruiting: Self-assessment of fit gaps

Conduct an honest self-assessment to diagnose where you’re strong and where you have gaps relative to what firms want.

Help me conduct an honest self-assessment for consulting recruiting:

**My Background**
[Provide: Major, GPA, work experience, leadership roles, technical skills, relevant projects]

**Diagnostic Questions**
1. Based on what top consulting firms look for, rate me (Strong/Average/Gap) on:
   - Academic credentials
   - Leadership experience
   - Analytical/quantitative skills
   - Communication skills
   - Industry knowledge
   - "Interesting" factor / unique experiences

2. For each "Gap" area, what's the root cause? (Lack of experience? Lack of evidence? Wrong framing?)

3. Which gaps are addressable in [X months] before recruiting, and which are harder to change?

4. What's my honest overall positioning: "I'm a [strong/competitive/stretch] candidate for [firm types] because [reasons]"

Be direct—I need honest feedback, not encouragement.

Client Work: Five Whys root cause analysis

Use the Five Whys technique to trace symptoms to their root causes.

Help me conduct root cause analysis for [COMPANY NAME]:

Starting symptom: [STATE THE KEY PERFORMANCE ISSUE YOU IDENTIFIED]

**Five Whys Analysis**
Walk through at least 5 levels of "why" to get to root causes:
- Why is [symptom] happening?
- Why is [first-level cause] happening?
- (Continue until you reach actionable root causes)

**Alternative Hypotheses**
What are other possible explanations for the same symptom? (Generate at least 3 alternative root cause hypotheses)

**Evidence Check**
What evidence would confirm or refute each hypothesis? What data would I need?

**Root Cause Summary**
Based on available evidence, what's the most likely root cause and why?

1.2 Define the Problem (1) 🔺

Identify the gap between current and desired state

A problem is a gap between where you are and where you want to be. A well-defined problem is half-solved.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Define the gap between “you now” and “hireable you”: what specific capabilities or experiences do you need?	Define the client’s problem: what’s the gap between current performance and desired performance?

A Good Problem Statement:

Is specific (not vague)
Is measurable (you know when it’s solved)
States the gap clearly
Doesn’t presuppose a solution

Example:

Weak: “We need to grow”
Strong: “Revenue has declined 15% over 2 years while the market grew 5%; we need to identify the root causes and develop a plan to return to market growth rates within 18 months”

Session 6 Activity: Define the Problem

Recruiting: Define the gap from “you now” to “hireable you”

Apply problem definition to your recruiting journey by identifying the gap between where you are and where you need to be.

Help me define my recruiting "problem" as a gap:

**Current State (Me Now)**
[Summarize your self-assessment: key strengths and gaps]

**Desired State (Hireable Me)**
Based on what [TARGET FIRMS] want, what does a strong candidate look like?

**Gap Definition**
Write a clear problem statement: "To be competitive for [firm type], I need to close gaps in [specific areas], demonstrated by [specific evidence/achievements]."

**Success Criteria**
How will I know when I've closed each gap? What's the measurable target?

**Constraints**
- Time available: [X months until applications]
- Resources: [What I have access to]
- Non-negotiables: [Things I can't or won't change]

Make sure my problem statement is specific, measurable, and doesn't presuppose a solution.

Client Work: Define the client’s problem

Define the client’s problem as the gap between current state and desired state.

Help me define the core strategic problem for [COMPANY NAME]:

**Current State**
Based on my diagnosis, summarize: Where is the company today? (Performance, position, capabilities)

**Desired State**
Based on management's stated goals, analyst expectations, or competitive benchmarks: Where do they want/need to be?

**Gap Definition**
Write a clear problem statement: "[Company] is currently [current state] but needs to [desired state]. The gap is [quantify if possible]."

**Problem Statement Quality Check**
- Is it specific (not vague)?
- Is it measurable (we'll know when it's solved)?
- Does it state the gap clearly?
- Does it avoid presupposing a solution?

If not, refine the problem statement.

1.3 Frame the Problem (1) 🔺

Articulate the decision set, constraints, and scope

Framing means establishing what’s in scope vs. out, what success looks like, and what decisions are actually on the table.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Frame your recruiting decision set: which firms are realistic targets? What’s in vs. out of scope for this recruiting cycle?	Frame the client’s decision: what are they actually deciding between? What are the constraints (time, budget, org politics)?

Framing Questions:

What decisions need to be made?
What criteria will we use to decide?
What’s explicitly out of scope?
What constraints must we work within?
Who are the key stakeholders?

Session 7 Activity: Frame the Decision

Recruiting: Frame your recruiting scope

Frame your recruiting decision set: which firms are realistic targets, what constraints you’re working within, and what success looks like.

Help me frame my consulting recruiting strategy:

**Decision Set**
What firms am I actually targeting? Be specific:
- Tier 1 targets (dream firms):
- Tier 2 targets (strong fit):
- Tier 3 targets (backup options):

**Explicitly Out of Scope**
What am I NOT pursuing this cycle, and why?
- Firm types I'm excluding:
- Geographies I'm excluding:
- Roles I'm excluding:

**Constraints**
- Timeline: [Key dates and deadlines]
- Resources: [Time available per week, budget for travel, etc.]
- Must-haves: [Non-negotiables in an offer]

**Success Criteria**
What does "success" look like for this recruiting cycle? (Be specific: # of interviews? Offer from X tier?)

**Trade-offs I'm Making**
What am I giving up by focusing this way? Am I comfortable with that?

Client Work: Frame the client’s decision

Frame the client’s strategic decision: what options are on the table, what criteria matter, and what constraints exist.

Help me frame the strategic decision for [COMPANY NAME]:

**Decision Statement**
What decision does the company need to make? Frame as: "Should the company [option A] or [option B] or [option C]?"

**Success Criteria**
How should they evaluate options? What matters most?
- Financial criteria (ROI threshold, payback period)
- Strategic criteria (market position, competitive advantage)
- Operational criteria (feasibility, risk)
- Rank these: What's the primary criterion?

**Constraints**
- Budget/investment limits
- Timeline requirements
- Organizational constraints (capabilities, culture, politics)
- External constraints (regulatory, competitive)

**Scope**
- In scope: [What we're analyzing]
- Out of scope: [What we're explicitly NOT addressing, and why]

**Key Stakeholders**
Who needs to be convinced? What do they care about?

1.4 State a Day-1 Hypothesis 🔺

Form a provisional view about which decision to make

Don’t wait until you have all the facts to form a view. State a hypothesis early, then test it.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Hypothesize: “I’m the right hire because X, Y, Z.” What’s your core value proposition?	Hypothesize: “The company should do X because…” What’s your initial answer to the client’s question?

Why Hypothesize Early?

Focuses your research on what matters
Makes your thinking explicit and testable
Prevents “boiling the ocean” (analyzing everything)
Allows you to iterate as you learn

1.5 Articulate “What Would Have to Be True” (3) 🔺

Make your critical assumptions explicit and testable

For your hypothesis to be right, certain things must be true. Make these explicit so you can test them.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
For “I’m the right hire,” what must be true? (e.g., “My analytical skills are strong enough,” “My story is compelling”)	For “Company should do X,” what must be true? (e.g., “Market is large enough,” “Company has capabilities to execute”)

WWHTBT Framework:

State your hypothesis
Ask: “For this to be right, what would have to be true?”
List 3-5 critical conditions
Prioritize: which are most uncertain? Most impactful if wrong?
Design tests for the most critical ones

Session 8 Activity: Hypothesize & WWHTBT

Recruiting: “I’m the right hire because…” + critical assumptions

State your Day-1 hypothesis about why you’re the right hire, then articulate what would have to be true for that to be correct.

Help me develop my recruiting hypothesis—my core value proposition:

**My Hypothesis**
Complete this statement with specifics: "I'm the right hire for [FIRM TYPE] because I bring:
1. [Distinctive strength #1 with evidence]
2. [Distinctive strength #2 with evidence]
3. [Distinctive strength #3 with evidence]

...and I'm a fit because [cultural/values alignment]."

**Testing the Hypothesis**
For each claim:
- What evidence supports it?
- What would disprove it?
- How will networking conversations test it?

**What Would Have to Be True**
For my hypothesis to be correct:
1. [Critical assumption #1]
2. [Critical assumption #2]
3. [Critical assumption #3]

Which of these am I most uncertain about?

**Refining**
Based on this analysis, should I adjust my hypothesis? What's my sharpened value proposition?

Client Work: Day-1 hypothesis + what would have to be true

Develop a Day-1 hypothesis for your target company and articulate the critical assumptions that would have to be true.

Help me develop a Day-1 hypothesis for [COMPANY NAME]:

Based on my diagnosis and problem definition, my initial hypothesis is:
"[Company] should [specific action] because [reasoning]."

**Supporting Logic**
Why might this be the right answer?
1. [Reason #1]
2. [Reason #2]
3. [Reason #3]

**What Would Have to Be True**
For this hypothesis to be correct:
1. [Critical assumption about the market]
2. [Critical assumption about the company's capabilities]
3. [Critical assumption about implementation feasibility]
4. [Critical assumption about financial impact]

**Disconfirming Evidence**
What evidence would make me abandon this hypothesis?

**Alternative Hypotheses**
What are 2-3 other hypotheses I should also consider?

This is my starting point—I'll refine it as I gather more evidence.

1.6 Disaggregate into MECE Issues (2) ◯ ◯

Break hypotheses into non-overlapping, comprehensive components

Break down your hypotheses into non-overlapping, comprehensive components.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Structure your resume with MECE proof points: each bullet should be distinct and together they should cover your key strengths	Build a MECE issue tree: branches that don’t overlap and together exhaust the problem space

MECE Explained:

Mutually Exclusive: No overlaps between categories
Collectively Exhaustive: Nothing left out

Common MECE Structures:

Revenue = Price × Volume
Profit = Revenue - Costs
Market = Segment A + Segment B + Segment C
Options = Do nothing, Do X, Do Y

Readings

What is MECE? – Clear explanation of the MECE concept with examples
MECE Examples – Practical examples of MECE frameworks in action
SCQA Framework – Framework for defining problems and structuring hypotheses

1.7 Prioritize by Decision Impact (3) ◯ ◯

Focus on what would actually change the answer

Not all issues are equal. Focus on what would change the decision.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Prioritize which proof points to emphasize, leading with your strongest, most relevant evidence	Prioritize which hypotheses to test first, focusing on high-uncertainty, high-impact issues

Prioritization Criteria:

Impact: If this is wrong, does it change the answer?
Uncertainty: How confident are we already?
Feasibility: Can we actually test this?

1.8 Exclude Non-Decision Questions

Know what NOT to analyze

Equally important: know what NOT to analyze.

Recruiting Application	Client Work Application
Don’t waste time on aspects of your background that don’t matter for this role	Don’t boil the ocean. Explicitly state what you’re not analyzing and why

The “So What” Test:

For any potential analysis, ask: “If we knew the answer, would it change our recommendation?” If no, skip it.

Session 9 Activity: MECE & Prioritization

Recruiting: MECE-structure resume proof points

Structure your resume using MECE logic to ensure your proof points are distinct and comprehensive.

Help me MECE-structure my resume for consulting:

**My Key Experiences**
[List your main resume items: jobs, projects, leadership roles]

**MECE Analysis**
1. Map each bullet to a consulting competency:
   - Analytical/Problem-solving
   - Leadership/Initiative
   - Communication/Influence
   - Teamwork/Collaboration
   - Results/Impact

2. Check for MECE:
   - Overlaps: Are any bullets saying the same thing?
   - Gaps: Are any key competencies missing?

3. For each bullet, ensure it has:
   - Action verb (Led, Analyzed, Developed...)
   - Scope (size of team, budget, project)
   - Impact (quantified result)

**Revised Bullets**
Rewrite my top 5 bullets to be MECE and impactful.

**Gap Fillers**
If I have competency gaps, what experiences could I add or reframe?

Client Work: Build MECE issue tree; prioritize branches

Build a MECE issue tree for your hypothesis and prioritize which branches to analyze first.

Help me build a MECE issue tree for my hypothesis about [COMPANY NAME]:

**Hypothesis**: [Your Day-1 hypothesis]

**Issue Tree Structure**
Break this into 3-4 main branches (MECE at each level):

Branch 1: [First major question to answer]
  - Sub-issue 1.1
  - Sub-issue 1.2
  - Sub-issue 1.3

Branch 2: [Second major question]
  - Sub-issue 2.1
  - Sub-issue 2.2

Branch 3: [Third major question]
  - Sub-issue 3.1
  - Sub-issue 3.2

**MECE Check**
- Are the branches mutually exclusive (no overlaps)?
- Are they collectively exhaustive (nothing missing)?
- Is each level MECE?

**Prioritization**
Which branches/issues are most critical to test first? (Highest uncertainty + highest impact on the answer)

**Exclusion (The "So What" Test)**
For each low-priority branch, ask: "If I knew the answer, would it change my recommendation?"
- Which issues should I explicitly NOT analyze? Why?
- What analyses would be interesting but wouldn't change the decision?
- State what's out of scope and why.

Visualize the prioritized issue tree, marking which branches are in scope vs. explicitly excluded.

Putting It Together

The Think Clearly actions flow naturally:

Diagnose → Define → Frame → Hypothesize → WWHTBT → Disaggregate → Prioritize → Exclude

In practice, you iterate. New information updates your hypothesis. Better framing changes your priorities. But you always start with structure.

Practice This Week

Problem definition exercise: Take a challenge you’re facing (academic, personal, career). Write a proper problem statement.
Issue tree exercise: Build a MECE issue tree for “How should I prepare for consulting recruiting?”
WWHTBT exercise: For your hypothesis “I can get a consulting offer,” what would have to be true?