One Skill That Changes Everything

CareerCast - Life-long Career Development

Robert McLean HeadshotHave you ever faced a problem that seemed unsolvable? Having the ability to see beyond the obvious and create a solution can give you an unbelievable edge in your career and life. Robert McLean is a Senior Advisor at McKinsey and Company, served on the firm’s global Director’s Committee, and is co-author of Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything. In this CareerCast, Robert shares the wisdom, tactics, and strategies he applies as a trusted advisor, investor in mathematics education and data analytics software, and in his endeavors in social enterprise and conservation to help you excel.

Aired July 19, 2019

Robert is a Senior Advisory and Director Emeritus of McKinsey and Company. He led the Australian and New Zealand McKinsey practice for eight years and served on the firm’s global Director’s Committee. As Dean of the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), Robert saw the growing need for stronger problem-solving capability for business leaders of the future. He is now an investor in mathematics education and data analytics software, alongside his philanthropic interests in conservation and social enterprise. He employs these techniques in his role as a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Australia and Asia to address water for wetlands, shellfish restoration and improving human health from urban green spaces. He is a director of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest philanthropic Foundation He is a graduate of the University of New England in Australia and the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He became a member of the Order of Australia in 2010 for his contributions to business, social welfare and the environment.

Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything by Charles Conn and Robert McLean (2019)

The Creative Thinking Handbook: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Problem Solving in Business by Chris Griffiths and Melina Costi (2019)

Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick: People, Probabilities, and Big Moves to Beat the... by Chris Bradley (2018)

Cracked it!: How to solve big problems and sell solutions like top strategy consultants by Bernard Garrette, Corey Phelps, and Olivier Sibony (2018)

Smarter Faster Better: The Transformative Power of Real Productivity by Charles Duhigg (2017)

Stop Guessing: The 9 Behaviors of Great Problem Solvers by Nat Greene (2017)

Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills by Michael Kallet (2014)

The Moment of Clarity: Using the Human Sciences to Solve Your Toughest Business Problems by Christian Madsbjerg and Mikkel B. Rasmussen (2014)

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (2013)

Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries by Peter Sims (2013)

Bulletproof Problem Solving by Robert McLean and Charles Conn

Read an excerpt of Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything by Charles Conn and Robert McLean

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