The first time I heard of Kenway Consulting was late in the summer leading into my junior year of college. Like most other students I knew at the time, I was not only gearing up for the advent of a new school year, but also preparing myself for the chaos of internship recruiting season by which I soon expected to be fully consumed. I anxiously filled out applications, spent untold hours practicing case interviews, and clumsily navigated my way through endless networking sessions.
Throughout this process, I eventually connected with a Kenway employee who was fortunately willing to offer some insight on the firm and his experience as a Consultant. The conversation proceeded in a fairly typical fashion, with discussions of company history, project work, etc. However, what became instantaneously clear to me was how strong an emphasis the organization seemed to place on its culture. At the time, I couldn’t quite pinpoint why this portion of the conversation didn’t feel like merely another recitation of platitudes. Instead, it came off as much more of a genuine commitment to ensuring its employees thrived and felt challenged to grow. In retrospect, I now realize that this was because the conversation was anchored around a discussion of the concrete Guiding Principles that undergird every decision Kenway makes as an organization.
I ended up having the opportunity to intern with Kenway during the following two summers, and now as a full-time Consultant with just over a year under my belt, I can confidently affirm that, in fact, these are not mere platitudes. Kenway really is driven by a commitment to ensuring its employees thrive and feel challenged. It is truly not an exaggeration to say that I can scarcely go a day without taking part in a discussion during which a colleague makes reference to our Guiding Principles or implores the group to consider how they ought to inform our behavior in that particular circumstance.
I believe this is what differentiates Kenway from our competitors. Our culture, bolstered by our unwavering commitment to our Guiding Principles, is not only what enables such a strong internal work environment. It is also inextricably linked to the quality of our delivery and depth of client relationships. Moreover, it’s what has compelled me to keep coming back to Kenway.
One of the Guiding Principles that has rung true for me since the very beginning is the commitment to Treat Each Individual Uniquely. Upon starting my first internship, I expected to be nudged through a series of rudimentary, cookie-cutter training models and low-stakes internal projects. Instead, I received one-on-one training and mentoring from a senior individual, had the opportunity to operate in client-facing environments, and was given the freedom and encouragement to pursue various internal initiatives.
With the appropriate safety nets in place, I was enabled to stretch the limits of my comfort zone knowing someone would be there to catch me if I fell. I was not treated as “just another intern” for whom my superiors begrudgingly manufactured busy work. I was, and continue to be, treated as a unique individual with the freedom to strive toward maximizing my potential.
Another Guiding Principle foundational to Kenway’s culture is the promotion of an Entrepreneurial Spirit and Tenacity. While my understanding of this Guiding Principle has matured as I’ve become more engrained in the organization as a full-time Consultant, it is something I could genuinely attest to even during my time as an intern. I was encouraged to express my ideas and perspectives on live issues, and the extent to which my contributions were taken seriously was based on their quality and merit, not the title I held.
This continues to be true within Kenway’s culture and it’s also what enables us to be the dynamic, nimble organization we are. We never rest on our laurels and are capable of quickly pivoting strategy in the face of shifting circumstances, both internally amongst our employee base and externally on client engagements.
Finally, I’d like to touch on what I believe to be Kenway’s most unique Guiding Principle - the prioritization of Means Over Outcomes. I was raised in accordance with the adage that “the ends do not justify the means”. Of course, as I grew up and began making contact with the real world, I quickly realized that not everyone shares this belief. This is precisely why I found Kenway’s commitment to means over outcomes so refreshing. This orientation may appear counterintuitive for a business that needs to generate revenue, compensate employees, and make future-oriented investments in the growth of the company.
However, these are far from incompatible efforts. We believe, and have continually demonstrated, that this model not only works, but thrives – and it allows us to mitigate the perverse incentive structures that plague far too many outcomes-oriented companies. While we understand and acknowledge the importance of outcomes, we simply believe that sufficiently stringent adherence to the right means breeds the desired outcomes for both our clients and Kenway as an organization. Doing right by our clients and employees and prioritizing our integrity as an organization is a long-term investment of much greater importance than any short-term concern with profits.
Reflecting on the summer leading into my junior year, I’ve come to appreciate how fortuitous that initial conversation was. I now have the benefit of being able to call that individual a great mentor, colleague, and friend, and with over two years of cumulative experience at Kenway, I’m incredibly excited to see what the future holds for the company.
If you would like to learn more about Kenway and our culture, feel free to reach out to us to discuss how we can support your company.
