Aug 30, 2020 ideas in writing should always form a pyramid under a single thought by barabra minto in the minto pyramid principle. I read it in the mid2000s after it being recommended by the managertools team and recently reread it again. The minto pyramid principle textbook explains in detail the entire thinking process that should precede writing. Plus, consulting teams can be better organized when searching for the right data, resulting in better solutions and happier clients. This led to me learning about the minto pyramid principle which helps structure your communication and deliver your message efficiently. Driving strategic impact key takeaway sub argument 1. The approach and structure of this book has survived the test of times and it is now up to its 3rd edition. This is a structured way to communicate your ideas, for instance. Use the following examples of connected and complementary models to weave mintos pyramid into your broader latticework of mental models. First published in book form more than 40 years ago, its lessons are still taught at embark. Here, you present your results first and then how you got there.
Communicating clearly your ideas using the mece principle. Yes, thats right, writing a memo like its 1980, or 2019 if you work at amazon. The minto pyramid principle book summary techonomics. How to communicate with great precision by jason lai. Minto pyramid principle the basics of mckinsey problem. Combined with strong logical reasoning will prove your abilities for a case situation complication question hypothesis point a point b point c. Mintos book also gives us the mece rule, with the volumes contents becoming ubiquitous in consulting and often being repackaged for audiences in other areas. One of the best, yet relatively unknown tools to help you hold the attention of executives or any audience is the pyramid principle. Mutually exclusive means that the issues should not overlap, while collectively exhaustive means that the issues should include everything that is relevant. Communicate effectively with mece and the pyramid principle. In the consulting industry, these issues are often characterized as being mece, or mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. The pyramid principle was created by barbara minto the first female postmba hire at mckinsey in the 1970s. The minto pyramid principle textbook explains in detail the. The minto pyramid principle explained case interview.
Recently i came across a book called the minto pyramid, you might know this book, by barbara minto, exmckinsey. The mece principle, pronounced by many as mesee, and pronounced by the author as meese like greece or niece, is a grouping principle for separating a set of items into subsets that are mutually exclusive me and collectively exhaustive ce. Logic in writing, thinking and problem solving in 1996. Her pyramid principle works really well with the consulting problem solving process as it is a natural partner for hypothesisdriven thinking. The pyramid principle is aimed at bettering your communication by helping your thinking, and focuses fundamentally on the logic of writing. The mece principle, pronounced mesee, 1 2 3 is a grouping principle for separating a set of items into subsets that are mutually exclusive me and collectively exhaustive ce. What is the mece approach a users guide by shirqille.
My notes are informal and tailored to my own interests at the time of reading. Sep 27, 2020 download the pyramid principle book summary, by barbara minto as pdf want to get the main points of the pyramid principle in 20 minutes or less. Mece muse is an insiders guide to consulting, providing invaluable. Believe it or not, barbara minto also invented mece. It is based on the mece principles and was a book often referred to and used while i was at mckinsey. Thats why there is a saying among strategy consultants that if your approach to structuring a problem is not mece, then its probably messy. Jan 30, 20 the definitive book on this subject is the pyramid principle by barbara minto. Mece mckinsey pdf mece framework mckinsey mece, pronounced. More importantly though, its used day in and day out by all the leading consulting firms. Jun 28, 1987 the pyramid principle is a classic book written by barbara minto back in the late 80s. This is my summary of the book the pyramid principle. The pyramid principle will show you how to communicate your ideas clearly and succinctly. Barbara minto was with the firm for only 10 years, but the mark she left is permanent.
She based her thinking around ideas ranging from aristotles rhetoric and other sources on logic throughout history. Three key principles behind making impressive management. Logic in writing, thinking and problem solving 2010 edition supersedes the pyramid principle book, which was written in 1987 and reissued by the publisher unchanged in 2002. The first female mba professional hire our firm ever made, barbara is best known for the minto pyramid principle, her immortal framework for writing and presenting ideas. Origins of a key business term mece understanding ecommerce. Read a quick 1page summary, a full summary, or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. This way i can show the interviewer i am 100% hypothesis driven and i dont ask any irrelevant data. The mece principle, pronounced mesee, is a grouping principle for separating a set of items into subsets that are mutually exclusive me and collectively exhaustive ce. Hope you enjoy this tried to take the most important key ideas of. For those who dont know the pyramid principle is one of the classic books of the consulting industry. Abc analysis, breakeven, benchmarking define common terms of business e.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend you read it yourself check it out on amazon. When using the pyramid principle to build a case, the hardest part of this process is to find the correct set of issues to focus on postanswer. Logic in writing and thinking by barbara minto 20101223. The mece principle is a problem solving tool used by mckinsey, bcg, and bain consultants both to structure data analysis and to communicate effectively. The pyramid principle sets out a topdown workflow, describing a method of presenting information clearly and precisely. Pyramid principle in consulting interviews myconsultingcoach. The pyramid principle is a famous book by barbara minto on the mckinsey method for effective communication. The book is over 200 pages long, but what you really need to know for your case interview is synthesized in this article. A book by barbara minto of mckinsey who pioneered the scqa situation, complication, question and answer framework.
As you might expect from the title, the pyramid principle is the central concept in that book. This is now the heart of the structured analysis that the top strategy consulting firms like mckinsey, bcg and bain the mbbs use to solve client prob. Npv, cagr, fixed and variable cost in our bootcamp, you can find all the necessary basics. The minto pyramid principle explained by stephan spijkersleave a comment earlier we discussed the mece principle, which states that every grouping of arguments, information, data, etc. May 24, 2017 while its not exactly clear who coined the phrase mece, one of the definitive books on logical problem solving and problem structuring is barbara mintos the pyramid principle. Minto wrote the now worldfamous book, the pyramid principle, and in it, she describes the mece rule. In other words, elements should exclude each other, i. Double check the origin of the grouping to make sure its mece i. Logic in writing and thinking, in 1985, and an upgraded edition entitled the minto pyramid principle. Apply the pyramid principle and mecethinking in real life. Mece a guide to the mece principle with applied examples.
Barbara was the best at getting all the new recruits to go from hotshot, straightfromcampus. Enroll in a free 3day minicourse to learn the secrets of strategy consulting. State the recommendation for action or key takeaway first. Whilst we can trace similar logical methods back for thousands of years, to aristotle and similar ancient thinkers, the consulting mece framework concept as we know it in the consulting world was invented by baraba minto of mckinsey and popularised in her book the pyramid principle. Mece principle wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. The mece principle is an effective and crucial tool for those preparing for case interviews, consultants already in the field, and for life in general. Her concept literally flipped presentations on their head, and her book on the subject is still widely recognized as the standard for communicating concepts and arguments in a logical, wellstructured way. The pyramid principle was created by barbara minto, who headed training for. The pyramid principle online powerpoint training kubicle. Right here, we have countless books the pyramid principle.
Ideas at any level in the pyramid must always be summaries of the ideas grouped below them. The pyramid principle book summary, by barbara minto. Barbara minto first popularised it in her book and it has since come into common usage by consultants around the world. The mece rule is set out as part of mintos hugely famous book, the pyramid principle. The pyramid principle consultants not only use the mece principle for solving problems, but also for clearly communicating their ideas. The pyramid principle barbara minto the cambridge consultant. The mece muse is a bronze winner of the 2017 wishing shelf independent book award and a playbook of how you too can become a great worldclass business consultant. It is used for communicating in a fast, direct and efficient manner. Logic in writing and thinking, she says that the advice people were getting was to write more clearly. The pyramid principle is a structure to present your synthesis in an effective and convincing manner. Mece a strategic framework to solve business problems. The pyramid principle logic in writing and thinking. An indepth realworld case exercise on facebooks shift from desktop to mobile.
The pyramid principle is barbara mintos powerful and compelling process for producing everyday business documents. All rights are reserved to minto books international, inc. It is a topdown approach, meaning you start with your final conclusion and work your way down to the specifics. Barbara mintos pyramid structure for conclusions and. Summarize the situation, complication, and question to be answered in the beginning. Simple and easy to understand lectures on mece, pyramid principle, issue trees, problem solving, slide design, storytelling, powerpoint and persuasion. First defined by barbara minto of mckinsey, the pyramid principle suggests structuring the presentation so that the key message is right on top. It shows how to organise information clearly and persuasively. The pyramid principle is a way to structure your whole argument. Sep 26, 2001 among them, mece principle might be the most important takeaway from the book, follo those skills, marked as mckinsey way, are applicable to more than highincome consultants, but general employees, managers, executives. The pyramid principle is a tool that helps to get the point across most effectively source. Great consultants possess a je ne sais quoi that are equal parts confidence, passion, technical acumen, purpose, and charisma.
I first came across it over 25 years ago when i was working for the consultancy a. The pyramid principle book summary, by barbara minto allen. Barbara minto first popularised it in her book and it has since come into common usage by. Issue tree, mece, pyramid principle use business analysis tools e. A generation ago, this was an important bestselling book about structured informational writing. The pyramid principle is a mckinsey problemstructuring tool. The pyramid principle was invented by barbara minto at mckinsey. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. She continues to conduct training sessions for small groups of participants globally, through her business minto books international, inc. The pyramid principle by ameet ranadive lessons from. Her pyramid principle works really well with the consulting problem solving process as it. Earlier we discussed the mece principle, which states that every grouping of arguments, information, data, etc. Its a book that describes an approach to communicating complex ideas in easy to understand ways. More info on case interviews and the pyramid principle in a new post later this week.
There is a precise sequence defined by the principle. Barbara minto reveals that the mind automatically sorts information into. Having a mece framework for a business problem is like having a roadmap in case of an ambiguous project. Remember minto1 the pyramid principle structured communication is a very important part of case interviews. It is a central pillar of consulting work and is discussed constantly in the industry. Also check out my book and the official pyramid principle book by minto.
Logic in writing, thinking and problem solving 2010 edition supersedes the pyramid principle book, which was written in 1987. The definitive book on this subject is the pyramid principle by barbara minto. Jul 27, 2020 the pyramid principle is an oftproven method to craft a compelling story that will pass an elevator pitch test making it perfect for timecrunched investors. The pyramid principle for more information see rules ideas at any level should be summaries of the pigs should be kept as pets. The pyramid principle barbara minto 2009 how many times have you. The minto pyramid principle explained by stephan spijkersleave a comment earlier we discussed the meceprinciple, which states that every grouping of arguments, information, data, etc.
Similar to the pyramid principle, the mece approach also uses deductive. Structure the case conclusion recipientfriendly by applying the pyramid principle use the pyramid structure to provide syntheses and recommendations at the end or in between your case interviews. Mckinsey pyramid principle give a brilliant structure to your presentations with the. Minto insists that meces proper pronunciation is so as to rhyme with niece. Mece a guide to the mece principle with applied examples mece is a best practice method to lay down a robust structure for your case interview. At mckinsey, one of the lessons i learned was the importance of structured thinking and communication. Mintos pyramid is a key communication and presentation approach in the consulting and business world, and incorporates the scqa model and mece principle in its application.
Whilst never exactly a fun read, it then seemed like good advice, well explained. The main idea behind the pyramid principle is to communicate the most important idea first. The person who coined this principle herself was a consultant at mckinsey. In short, this is a topdown way to present information.
The minto pyramid principle by exmckinsey consultant barbara minto outlined the strategy all management consulting firms would come to. A summary of the book the pyramid principle by barbara minto. The pyramid principle is barbara mintos powerful and compelling process for. It is related to a principle called mece principle mutually exculsive collectively exhaustive. The pyramid principlebarbara minto 2009 how many times have you.
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