MECE at the Olympics: Test Yourself
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MECE is a powerful tool. Remember what it stands for? It's "Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive." While the idea is simple, applying MECE consistently and effectively is a skill that takes time to master. It's one of those tools that's deceptively simple yet incredibly powerful when used correctly. And it's not just a business concept; it's a framework for clear thinking that applies almost everywhere. You can use the Olympics to test your understanding of MECE: #1 Olympic medals: The classic gold, silver, and bronze. Simple, yet perfectly MECE. No overlap covers all bases. #2 Types of Olympic Games: Classify by season and type to get the 4 total Games: Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, Summer Paralympics, Winter Paralympics. Neat and tidy, right? #3 Gymnastics Events: Here's where it gets more interesting. Break down the events by gender (men's and women's), apparatus (floor, vault, uneven bars, parallel bars, high bar, balance beam, pommel horse, rings), and competition type (team, individual all-around, individual apparatus) to get each event. There are a lot of events, but MECE helps ensure we don't miss any. Remember, applying MECE consistently isn't just about making lists - it's about developing a mindset for clear, structured thinking. It pushes you to consider all angles and avoid gaps in your analysis.
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Paul Millerd
Freelancer, creator & writer
I started StrategyU to teach knowledge workers the tools, frameworks, mindsets, and approaches that I learned in strategy consulting. When I started this, I thought that my audience would be people in big companies stuck inside strategy, finance, or analytics groups that didn’t have access to training. This was one of the segments that have found value in my work but a second segment that surprised me has been small and medium-sized consulting firms ranging from 5 people to 200. Over the last...
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