StrategyU
StrategyU Learning

Think Like a Strategy Consultant

A focused, high-signal learning path that blends mindset, structured problem solving, and persuasive communication. Start with the public preview lessons or work straight through the outline below.

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Course outline

76 lessons across 14 sections.

Welcome To Week 1 - Mindset & Process

Your first week's mission: shift how you think about work. From outputs to process, from reacting to structuring.

1Mission For The Week
Module 1

🧠 Consulting Mindset - How To Think Like A Strategy Consultant

Five mindset shifts that separate consultants from everyone else. The 'how' over the 'what,' learning mindset, thinking before you PowerPoint, and what high-performance work actually looks like.

1Module #1 Introduction
Preview
2Mindset Shift #1 Shifting From The "What" To The "How"
Preview
3Mindset Shift #2 Learning Mindset & The Quest For Better Explanations
Preview
4Mindset Shift #3 Rule Of Three: Why Do Consultants Always Offer Lists Of Three?
5Mindset Shift #4: Think Before Your PowerPoint! (Beyond The Digital Default)
6Mindset Shift #5: Doing "High-Performance" Work
7Advanced Consulting Process: Bottom-Up & Top-Down Modes
8Bringing It Alive - Mini Case Study - University Budget Cuts
9BONUS: Overview Of Strategy Consulting
Module 2

🎯 MECE Mind - How To Think Clearly

The foundational thinking tool used at every major consulting firm. MECE isn't just a framework — it's a way of seeing the world more clearly.

1Introduction to MECE - Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive
Preview
2Fun Facts: Are most people saying "MECE" wrong? A word from Barabara Minto
Preview
3Four Ways to Use MECE in Your Work
4Basic Business Example: Profit = Revenue - Costs
5MECE: Social Media Example
6More Example: Test Yourself!
7MECE FAQ: What happens if you are using "other" too much?
8MECE Practice: Spotting MECE Breakdowns
9MECE Practice: Fixing Flawed Breakdowns
Module 3

💡 From Information To Insight: How To Use The Pyramid Principle To Synthesize

Barbara Minto's Pyramid Principle — the communication framework behind every consulting presentation. Learn to think top-down, synthesize bottom-up, and turn data into insight.

1Module #3 Introduction
Preview
2Intro To The Pyramid Principle
3Why Synthesis Matters: The Illusion Of Transparency
4Using The Pyramid Principle: Five Step Process
5Minto's Three Rules
6Test Yourself: Pyramid Principle Mini-Assignment
7Synthesis Exercise: Answers
8Technique: Label, Sort Insight
9How The Pyramid Principle Fits In The Consulting Process
10Walkthrough Example #1: Label, Sort, Insight
Preview
11Walkthrough Example #2: Label, Sort Insight
12Preview: Pyramid Principle Part 2
13Bonus: Mapping The Pyramid Principle To A Real PowerPoint Deck
Module 4

🛠 Real World Problem Solving: Using SCQA & Issue Trees To Help Facebook Shift To Mobile

SCQA and issue trees applied to a real case: Facebook's mobile pivot. Learn to define problems rigorously, build hypotheses, and structure your analysis before touching a spreadsheet.

1Module #4 Introduction
Preview
2The Top-Down Mode: Defining Problems & Developing Hypothesis
3Facebook Case Kick-Off & Goals
4The SCQA Framework & Defining Problems
5Issue Trees & Developing Hypotheses
6Q&A - Student Questions on SCQA & Problem Solving
Module 5

💭 PowerPoint Storytelling

How consultants turn analysis into presentations that move people. Top-down communication, slide sequencing, argument structure, and real slide critiques from McKinsey and BCG decks.

1Module #5 Introduction
Preview
2Pyramid Principle Part 2: Communicate Top-Down
3Write Before You PowerPoint
4How To Sequence Insights & Arguments
5Structure Your Arguments: Inductive & Deductive Reasoning
6PowerPoint Storytelling: Three Principles of Flow
7Slides Critiques of Real Slides From McKinsey, BCG & More...
8Types of Presentations / End Products (Free Examples + Templates)
9Influencing Different Levels of The Organization
10Charts 101: Why Not To Use Pie Charts
11Three Types Of Frameworks & How To Build Your Own
Preview
Module 6

🔥 Persuasive Presentations: How To Create Memorable & Persuasive Content

Beyond structure: how to make presentations people actually remember. Seven tips from cognitive science, three storytelling modes, and why data alone never changes minds.

1Impossible To Ignore: 7 Tips For Memorable Presentations
2Three Principles of Persuasive Storytelling
3Perceptive Mode: Bringing Facts Alive
4Cognitive Mode: Giving Ideas Deeper Meaning
5Affective Mode: Emotions!
6Article: 20 Tips On Creating Amazing Presentations
Module 7

🤖 Build Decks with AI

Use AI tools to build better presentations faster — with a custom skill file that encodes everything taught in this course.

1Using AI to Build Better Presentations