StrategyU

Think Like a Strategy Consultant

80 lessons and 3 case assignments. Start with any of the 13 free lessons.

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Course outline

80 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 Week 1
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
Free
2Mindset shift #1: Shifting from the "what" to the "how"
Free
3Mindset shift #2: Learning mindset & the quest for better explanations
Free
4Mindset shift #3: Rule of three (Why do consultants always offer lists of three?)
5Mindset shift #4: Think before you 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
Free
2Fun facts: Are most people saying "MECE" wrong? A word from Barbara Minto
Free
3Four ways to use MECE in your work
4Basic business example: Profit = revenue - costs
5MECE: Social media example
6More examples: Test yourself!
7MECE FAQ: What happens if you are using "other" too much?
8MECE practice: Spotting MECE breakdowns
Quiz
9MECE practice: Fixing flawed breakdowns
Quiz
10MECE practice: Sorting Gamma's services
Quiz
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
Free
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
7Technique: Label, Sort, Insight
8How the Pyramid Principle fits in the consulting process
9Walkthrough example #1: Label, Sort, Insight
Free
10Walkthrough example #2: Label, Sort, Insight
11Preview: Pyramid Principle part 2
12Bonus: Mapping the Pyramid Principle to a real PowerPoint deck
13Synthesis practice: Finding Zeta's three themes
Quiz
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
Free
2The top-down mode: Defining problems & developing hypotheses
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
Free
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
7Slide 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
Free
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

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The 13 free lessons need no account. Enroll for all 80 lessons, with lifetime access and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

“This course helped me get promoted! It provides a framework to communicate complex business problems in a clear and concise manner. I wish I knew about MECE sooner.”
Andrew K., Sales Strategy Consultant
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