Professional Development
Training and Professional Development
When you join L.E.K., you take the first step toward accelerating your career as a business leader. We invest heavily in the professional development of every consulting professional with a goal of helping you grow into a well-rounded, analytically-minded business professional capable of solving the most challenging business problems. No matter where you are heading, our training and professional development program will help you get there.
In the Classroom
Our world-class formal professional development program provides you with the skills to succeed at L.E.K. and beyond. Training begins on day one of your employment, occurs with your cohort regularly throughout the year and is offered not only to all staff, but also to our Partners. Tailored to the needs of your position, ongoing training supplements on-the-job experience. In addition to annual regional and global events, you participate in regular in-office sessions and have access to an online library of more than 500 learning experiences. For our Associate-level employees, training covers many of the topics you would learn at a top MBA program.
Learning at L.E.K. is truly collaborative, fostering best-practice and experience-sharing. Senior leaders from around the globe lead training sessions and develop training materials. Learning approaches are dynamic and diverse, from presentations to exercises to role plays to small-group discussions.
On the Job
Your most important training is gained on the job. L.E.K.’s casework uniquely positions you for accelerated professional development. L.E.K. consultants are exposed to a wide range of industries, new business issues, and new teams, so you will continually be challenged and acquire skills faster than your peers.
Our cases involve formulating and delivering advice on our clients’ toughest, highest value issues. You are exposed to the big picture, as well as senior executive challenges and how to meet them. Our focus is on solving tough issues rather than implementing processes. There is no better or faster way to develop strategy consulting and business leadership skills.
Mentorship and Coaching
The coaching culture of L.E.K. fosters both formal and informal mentor relationships.
Our Career Development Coach program (CDC) provides consulting staff with productive career feedback in a supportive environment. Upon joining the firm, you are paired with a mentor who provides support and guidance throughout your time at the firm. The role of your mentor is multi-faceted and may change or evolve as your needs change; we recognize this and support you with a mentor pairing that meets your individual needs.
Our apprenticeship approach offers you the opportunity to coach and mentor up and down, across all levels of the firm. Each member of our staff has an opportunity to act as a counselor, teacher and listener, fostering an environment of professional growth.
L.E.K. allowed me to pursue my interests and specialize in retail and consumer products after one and a half years with the firm. Since then, I've worked on more than 35 fun and unique projects, including a case where I was sent to Paris for two months to help a U.S. toy company pursue its expansion into Europe.
The Career Development Coach program has been a key element of my professional development since joining L.E.K.. There is no doubt that regular chats with my 'coach' – one of the partners in the London office – helped me to adjust to, and to manage, some of the challenges experienced during my transition into consulting. And more importantly, the program continues to provide me with a valuable forum to work alongside my mentor to define key career objectives and a path to accomplish them.
Being a Career Development Coach (CDC) to our junior staff has been incredibly rewarding. Having been an Associate myself, I can empathize with the challenges of the job, and hopefully help my mentees overcome them and get the most out of their L.E.K. experiences. I know that my own CDC has been tremendously helpful as I’ve sought to focus on innovation, so it’s great to have the opportunity to 'pay it forward.
Senior Staff Development
L.E.K. has a long history of promoting from within, and invests significant time and resources in professional development programs throughout an employee’s time at the firm. In particular, we have many programs to prepare our senior staff to become Partners. Our senior staff professional development initiatives focus on combining four key learning areas that are essential to becoming a successful Partner in the firm:
- Delivering exceptional and impactful solutions to client problems
- Managing and coaching internal teams
- Building strong relationships with business contacts
- Building the firm through local and firm leadership (e.g. social, community, recruiting, thought leadership and publishing)
Our senior staff development program provides senior consulting staff with various opportunities to enrich their experiences and build the relevant skill sets to reach the point of Partner promotion. The program comprises four components:
Career Development Coach (CDC)
Each senior consulting staff member has a CDC who is a Partner and meets with him/her at least once a month. The objective of these meetings is to share experiences, provide tailored advice and offer neutral feedback outside of casework.
Global Horizons
The objective of this program is to encourage case-related overseas travel, rotations of people among L.E.K. offices, (especially after promotion to manager), and to allow permanent transfer between regions.
Business Insights
Secondments and corporate time out are encouraged and facilitated to help Consultants and Managers enrich their work experience.
Advanced Learning Program
In addition to training that is focused on consulting skills and sector expertise, we are open to providing financial support for individuals who want to strengthen their knowledge in a specific area that is relevant for L.E.K. such as finance, marketing, management accounting or relationship development.
