TPG Spotlight: Meet Nathan Ling

While we push each other to be the best versions of ourselves, we are also a very supportive, tight knit group. When I face difficulties, knowing that there is a group of people to back me up has solidified my relationships with my colleagues. The people I work with are the reason why I look forward to going to work everyday.

What do you wish you knew before entering consulting?

Consulting is an industry where the ones who succeed are those with impeccable interpersonal skills, which initially surprised me. Coming from an engineering background, most of my peers, myself included, are heavily analytical and technical oriented. The feedback I often receive is that I have solid analytical and problem skills, but I could continue improving my interpersonal relationships with others.

Being aware of how important this skill is, every day, I make it a high priority to reflect on how I interacted with my coworkers and clients and continue growing in this area.

What made you get into consulting?

I am a very curious person who greatly enjoys learning, being able to challenge myself everyday and do something different. This is why I decided to enter consulting. In only 4 months, I have completed change management initiatives at a national retailer to running initial exploration studies at an insurance firm. Acquiring a versatile set of skills has greatly increased my confidence and capabilities to face future challenges. The learning experience of tackling new challenges every day is why I most enjoy my work.

What are some of the main lessons you have learned in your role?

As the consulting work environment is fast paced and susceptible to changes, it is important that you are adaptable at any given situation and able to thrive under tight deadlines. Communicating constantly with your team, embracing a positive attitude, and being receptive to feedback has enabled me to overcome the various challenges in this field. The lessons I have learned from my work have not only improved my professional capabilities but have taught me to be more resilient and confident in my personal life.

What has been your favourite part of working with The Poirier Group (TPG)?

Being surrounded with bright and ambitious people has helped me grow personally and professionally. While we push each other to be the best versions of ourselves, we are also a very supportive, tight knit group. When I face difficulties, knowing that there is a group of people to back me up has solidified my relationships with my colleagues. The people I work with everyday are the reason why I look forward to going to work everyday.

Have you had a favourite type of project so far?

I’d say my favorite project experience so far has been an internal project helping TPG to automate some of our back office processes. This project is very programming heavy. Before entering TPG, I struggled in programming courses in school. I decided to take ownership of the internal automation project to confront my own fears and perceived beliefs. Completing this project has shifted my thought process from believing I’m terrible at programming to becoming one of the better programmers in the organization. Seeing the results of my own work enhance an organization’s operations is really rewarding.