McKinsey & Company Mock Interview

Master 35 McKinsey interview questions covering case studies, problem-solving, and fit assessments.

Question 15 of 35

How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

What You Need to Know
Example Answer
Example Answer 2
Community Answers

Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.

Missed deadlines are never good and can reflect poorly on you, but they happen. However, this question focuses on how you react to disappointment when things don't go according to plan. Your answer will inform them of your emotional maturity, what you learn from your setbacks, and how you implement those lessons into action and hold yourself accountable. Give an example of a time your team missed a deadline. Walk the interviewer through your response and how you prevented yourself from making the same mistake again.

Kimberly Hallman

Kimberly is a freelance writer and editor with a decade of experience in the education field, including her time as a pre-kindergarten teacher.

"My team is highly efficient, and we rarely miss a deadline. When we do, it's surprising. Last year, we had a very challenging client who made significant changes throughout the project. These changes caused us to miss our deadline. I took action after that to ensure a better client onboarding process. This new process helped us dig deeper with each client at the start, which has resulted in fewer mid-project changes."

Kimberly Hallman

Kimberly is a freelance writer and editor with a decade of experience in the education field, including her time as a pre-kindergarten teacher.

"When my team misses a deadline, it is disappointing. On the odd occasion that this has happened, I first ask my team for feedback. I want to know what I could have done better as a leader to ensure we hit our goal. Then, I ask them to look internally and tell me what they honestly feel they could have done differently. I prefer a collaborative approach to these types of conversations."

Interview Coach

Jaymie

A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.

Typically responds within 24 hours.

0 - Character Count

Previous Question Next Question

35McKinsey & Company Interview Questions & Answers

Communication

1.How would you explain the management consulting industry to someone unfamiliar with it?

Competency

2.Who are our clients at McKinsey and Company?

Experience

3.As a management consultant, who is your ideal client?

Experience

4.Which management tools have you employed in your career?

Communication

5.Why do companies need consultants?

Competency

6.How do you keep a leading edge on the latest developments and trends in our industry?

Behavioral

7.How do you weigh and implement the feedback you receive on client projects towards your professional growth?

Compatibility

8.Who are McKinsey and Company's biggest competitors, and how do we stand apart?

Compatibility

9.Our best consultants continually grow and learn. What have you done to expand your knowledge in the past three months?

Compatibility

10.How would you contribute to the profitability of McKinsey and Company?

Communication

11.What is your approach when entering an emotionally charged situation?

Experience

12.How do you learn the company culture of a new client when taking on their project?

Experience

13.How do you manage the lifecycle of your projects, ensuring on-time deliverables and deadlines?

Experience

14.What steps do you take when researching a new market or industry?

Problem Solving

15.How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

Problem Solving

16.What makes you an outstanding problem solver?

Problem Solving

17.How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

Compatibility

18.What do you believe is the most important service we offer at McKinsey and Company?

Leadership

19.Have you ever supervised or trained junior consultants?

Job Satisfaction

20.Of the many industries McKinsey and Company works with, which of our client industries interests you the most?

Behavioral

21.What do you think makes a good management consultant?

Problem Solving

22.How will you overcome the toughest challenges you anticipate in this job?

Diligence

23.What have you done in the last few months to fortify your professional network?

Experience

24.What do you believe are the most critical KPIs for a management consulting firm to consider?

Customer Service

25.What is the most challenging client issue you've faced this year? How did you overcome the situation?

Behavioral

26.Do you consider yourself a persuasive person?

Experience

27.What are the components of a successful and effective presentation?

Job Satisfaction

28.How does a career in management consulting fulfill and satisfy you?

Behavioral

29.How can McKinsey and Company motivate you?

Teamwork

30.Tell me about a time you had to collaborate with a colleague with whom you did not see eye-to-eye. How did you ensure your success?

Diversity

31.Describe a time you had to work in a group of people with different backgrounds.

Leadership

32.How would you describe your leadership style?

Compatibility

33.Provide one of your greatest strengths and one of your weaknesses.

Conflict

34.Give me an example of a conflict that occurred in one of your teams, and describe how you managed it.

Behavioral

McKinsey & Company Mock Interview

How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

35McKinsey & Company Interview Questions & Answers

1.How would you explain the management consulting industry to someone unfamiliar with it?

2.Who are our clients at McKinsey and Company?

3.As a management consultant, who is your ideal client?

4.Which management tools have you employed in your career?

5.Why do companies need consultants?

6.How do you keep a leading edge on the latest developments and trends in our industry?

7.How do you weigh and implement the feedback you receive on client projects towards your professional growth?

8.Who are McKinsey and Company's biggest competitors, and how do we stand apart?

9.Our best consultants continually grow and learn. What have you done to expand your knowledge in the past three months?

10.How would you contribute to the profitability of McKinsey and Company?

11.What is your approach when entering an emotionally charged situation?

12.How do you learn the company culture of a new client when taking on their project?

13.How do you manage the lifecycle of your projects, ensuring on-time deliverables and deadlines?

14.What steps do you take when researching a new market or industry?

15.How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

16.What makes you an outstanding problem solver?

17.How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

18.What do you believe is the most important service we offer at McKinsey and Company?

19.Have you ever supervised or trained junior consultants?

20.Of the many industries McKinsey and Company works with, which of our client industries interests you the most?

21.What do you think makes a good management consultant?

22.How will you overcome the toughest challenges you anticipate in this job?

23.What have you done in the last few months to fortify your professional network?

24.What do you believe are the most critical KPIs for a management consulting firm to consider?

25.What is the most challenging client issue you've faced this year? How did you overcome the situation?

26.Do you consider yourself a persuasive person?

27.What are the components of a successful and effective presentation?

28.How does a career in management consulting fulfill and satisfy you?

29.How can McKinsey and Company motivate you?

30.Tell me about a time you had to collaborate with a colleague with whom you did not see eye-to-eye. How did you ensure your success?

31.Describe a time you had to work in a group of people with different backgrounds.

32.How would you describe your leadership style?

33.Provide one of your greatest strengths and one of your weaknesses.

34.Give me an example of a conflict that occurred in one of your teams, and describe how you managed it.

35.Tell me about a personal achievement, not related to work, which you are proud of.