What if one program could upgrade how you learn, solve problems, communicate, build relationships, and use tech? That’s exactly what McKinsey Forward did for me.
But let’s be clear: No, McKinsey Forward isn’t a magical tool.
Just showing up to a 10-week online program won’t transform your leadership. But if you apply what you learn—consistently, intentionally, and with curiosity—it can fundamentally shift how you think, lead, and grow.
I joined in 2025, curious. I left in June (10 weeks later), transformed—with a practical, actionable system that now shapes how I lead, coach, and develop organizations.
Here’s what I learned—and how you can apply it right now in your leadership, team, or consulting work
The McKinsey Forward Program connects five key areas into one continuous learning loop:
- Adaptability & Resilience → Intentional learning mindset
- Problem Solving → Structured, hypothesis-led thinking
- Communicating for Impact → Story-building that moves people
- Relationships & Well-being → Energy management & psychological safety
- Digital Toolkit → Tech fluency & test-and-learn mindsets
When applied consistently, these skills form a powerful cycle:
Learn → Frame → Solve → Influence → Reflect → Learn again.
🎯 The Five Skills That Changed Everything
1. Learn on Purpose – Not for Praise
From: Set performance goals.
To: Set learning intentions.
Replace „I want to succeed“ with „I want to master.“
Every quarter, I now define 2–3 experiments I want to run—like “explore AI tools for ethical coaching” or “test story-first keynotes.” That mindset unlocks curiosity and resilience.
Try this: Rewrite your next OKR as a learning goal. Ask yourself:
🔁 What do I want to test, reflect, and improve this quarter?
Also: I use the APR technique (Awareness – Pause – Reframe) in tense moments and rewired habits using the Cue–Routine–Reward loop.
2. Solve Problems Like a Strategist
Forget vague problem statements or endless brainstorms. The 7-step Forward model taught me to move from fog to focus—fast:
- Define it clearly: What’s really the problem? Use SMART criteria.
- Structure it cleanly: Break it into MECE categories.
- Prioritize what matters most (hello, 80/20!).
- Plan & act, then synthesize the “so what.”
Example from my work:
I used this model to reduce delays in replying to customers‘ emails—cutting process time by nearly half with one focused sprint.
Try this:
Take your current messiest project. Ask:
🔍 What’s the core question I need to answer by next Friday?
3. Make It EPIC – Every Time You Speak
McKinsey taught me the EPIC formula for high-impact communication:
| Step | Your Move |
|---|---|
| Empathy | Start with what your audience feels |
| Purpose | Share your „why“ upfront |
| Insight | Deliver the headline first (Pyramid Principle) |
| Conversation | Engage → focus → land the message |
How I use it: In keynotes, coaching sessions, and team meetings.
People don’t need more noise: they need story + insight + call to action.
Try this:
Before your next pitch or talk, outline these four steps.
🗣️ Does your message feel clear, personal, and purposeful?
4. Energy Is Your Leadership Currency
Most of us manage time. Few manage energy.
I track four “batteries” each week:
🧠 Mental | 🫀 Physical | 🤝 Social | 🌱 Purpose
Add in tools like gratitude rituals, psychological safety norms, and reframing failure as data, and suddenly performance feels sustainable.
Try this:
Block 15 mins Friday afternoon:
⚡ Ask: “Which battery needs recharging and what action would help?”
5. Work in Beta: Build a Digital Muscle
No, you don’t need to be a techie. But you do need to think like a tester.
I now set aside at least one hour every weekend, often together with a friend or reverse mentee, to explore a new GenAI tool, prototype a potential use case, and reflect on how it could be scaled or applied in practice.
My principle: Scan. Test. Reflect. Apply.
Try this:
Set yourself an AI-Focus Routine („Playground“) to experiment
💡 What new tool might 10x how you coach, lead, or learn?
🧭 Your Forward-in-Action Plan
Want to start today? Here’s your 7-day mini sprint:
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Define a learning intention for this month |
| 2 | Choose one real challenge to structure with MECE |
| 3 | Use EPIC to prepare for an upcoming conversation |
| 4 | Check your energy budget; take one recovery action |
| 5 | Reflect on what you’ve unlearned lately—and what’s next |
| 6 | Run a pulse-check on psychological safety in your team |
| 7 | Test one new digital tool—just for fun and insight |
👉 Curious about your own potential? Whether you’re exploring your career path or want to strengthen your leadership through coaching, book a personal session with me here: cal.com/marlowguttmann
💬 Final Thought: From Learning to Leverage
Since completing the program, I’ve systematically integrated its tools into my work with leaders, teams, and my mentees. The true value lies in the synergy between structure and meaning: when strategic frameworks align with personal purpose, leadership becomes not just more effective but more human.
That, to me, defines the leadership of tomorrow.
Zukunft gestalten. Generationen verbinden.
Let’s shape the future—Forward, together.
🚀 Ready to apply it in your own team?
Check out my coaching sessions or keynote topics on www.marlowguttmann.de — or DM me for more information I created to stay on track.
Keywords: McKinsey Forward 2025, Future Skills, Structured Problem Solving, EPIC Communication, Digital Leadership Tools, Energy Management for Leaders, Gen Z Leadership, Coaching Methods, Leadership Development 2025
About the Author
As a consultant, HR and organizational developer, coach for in-depth personality development, and published author, Marlow D. Guttmann designs transformation processes, supports leaders on equal footing, and empowers young talents to launch meaningful careers – using diagnostic assessments and innovative impulse-driven formats, among other methods.
Marlow D. Guttmann stands for a new way of thinking in leadership, talent development, and organizational culture: values-based, generation-conscious, and future-oriented. He bridges classical and systemic approaches with current issues such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, ethics, sustainability, and New Work – always with a focus on what people and organizations will need tomorrow.
He publishes in leading (german) outlets such as DGFP, Personalwirtschaft, managerSeminare, and Capital, bringing the voice of a new generation into the discourse on modern leadership and workplace culture.
More information: www.marlowguttmann.de