The alumni team sat down with Don Haney (Global L&D Instructional Designer) to talk about his career path at BCG and beyond, his return, and the importance of developing human capital.
Don Haney is a former project leader and Americas training and development director who recently returned to help the Global LAB team build interactive training modules. During his six years away, Don worked primarily in the upstream oil & gas industry in a variety of roles, including corporate strategy, M&A, organizational development, HR, and operations.
What were you doing until your return, and what motivated you to come back to BCG?
I left BCG in 2010 to take on a corporate development role in offshore drilling. Through a series of positions in the oil & gas industry, I found myself transitioning from strategy and M&A to organizational development, executive coaching, and HR.
After leaving a very intense position, I wanted to have greater flexibility and the opportunity to be closer to family. I checked in with former colleagues on the L&D team and heard about the need in the Global LAB team. To be honest, after keeping in touch with my favorite BCGers over the years, I jumped at the opportunity to return. The rest is history.
What did you miss about BCG, and what do you notice that the firm now does better?
After seeing how L&D is done in different companies—all very valuable experiences—I realized that BCG is a global leader in developing people and training programs. The firm’s investment in employees’ development is really unique, as is the democratic access to information it provides to help them reach their full potential. Whether it’s live trainings or LAB programs, BCG’s full package of learning offerings is a big differentiator, and certainly more than what’s usually available in industries where people aren’t the only asset. In other positions, I’ve always tried to emulate BCG’s model, though it hasn’t always been possible.
When you also consider BCG’s strong culture built on feedback and growth possibilities—the most robust I’ve encountered after years of experience in L&D—it’s clear that the development of human capital is a high priority here.
How has BCG changed since you left?
For starters, it’s significantly bigger now, and it is a pleasant surprise that so many people who I enjoyed working with are still happy to be part of the BCG family. But it’s also clear that BCG is now a much more digitally savvy company than when I left. The new visual communications approach is unique, and even though BCG’s offering has expanded significantly into the digital realm, our culture remains as strong and unified as ever. BCG is still a great place with great people to be around.
It has been incredible to see old friends become senior partners and office administrators, putting them in a position to maintain and influence the firm’s culture. I believe that BCG will continue to be a home for me, and feel blessed for the combination of talented people, exciting projects, and the opportunity to work at a company that I believe in. I have also found the role that allows the flexibility I need to thrive. I’m very fortunate to be back!
Any other advice you’d give to anyone who is considering returning to BCG?
Upon returning, I was initially concerned about my reintegration into the firm and the amount of flexibility I would be given. Thankfully, BCG fosters a strong sense of collaboration with teams across the globe.
Other than continuing to advocate for the culture that we are all so proud of, I’d tell potential returners not to assume that they can’t be accommodated—it’s always worth exploring the range of possibilities BCG offers in terms of work-life balance, new opportunities, and collaborative work.