The document presents a diagram illustrating how problems originating from clients make their way down the hierarchy in consulting firms. At the top, clients generate issues that initially reach partners, who pass them on to senior managers and then managers. The problems pick up speed and momentum as they roll downhill, eventually landing on consultants who get fully covered in the issues. While analysts are protected from the problems by their ignorance, they discover and conceal their own issues, allowing them to ferment over time and create additional problems for consultants.

1. As we all know, shit rolls downhill.
The following diagram illustrates exactly how this
process takes place in consulting firms.

2. At the top of the hill is the Client.
Generally, the Client, in one way or another,
generates the shit.
Client
Shit

3. The shit first reaches the Partner.
But Partners are very adept at smelling shit coming,
and say, “I’m a Partner, I don’t have to take this
shit.” And so the shit rolls on by.
Partner

4. Now the shit reaches the Senior Manager.
It’s picking up some speed by now, and the Senior
Manager gets splashed. “Phew, this shit stinks,”
says the Senior Manager, “better pass it down.”
Senior
Manager

5. So the shit washes over the Manager, and he gets
well dipped in shit. But by this time, the shit has a
lot of momentum, and it keeps rolling down.
Manager

6. And so the shit lands on the Consultant.
And the Consultant gets covered in it, and spends the
entire engagement swimming in it.
Consultant

7. The Analysts are shielded from the shit by the Crest
of Ignorance, which keeps shit from rolling down on
them, and ensures that the Consultant remains
submerged.
Crest of Ignorance
Consultant
Analysts

8. Meanwhile, however, the Analysts discover more
shit as they proceed with the engagement. Not sure
what to do with it, they conceal it in the Cave of
Unreported Exceptions.
Cave of Unreported Exceptions Analysts

9. After a while, the cave gets filled with shit, and it
starts to ferment. Then the Consultant begins to
smell hidden shit, and wonders “Dammit, now who’s
been hiding shit?”
Fermented shit
Analysts

10. So, next time you’re a Consultant on an engagement,
and you wonder why your life seems like shit, just
refer to the diagram.
Analysts