297: From McDonald’s to McKinsey Killer – Atif Rafiq on Reinventing How We Decide and Communicate

Meet the man who scaled Kindle and turned McDonald’s, Volvo, and MGM into truly digital businesses. 

Atif Rafiq has helped reshape some of the world’s biggest brands by challenging how organizations make decisions and execute bold ideas. 

As the first Chief Digital Officer in the Fortune 500 and author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Decision Sprint, Atif believes the true competitive edge lies not in execution alone, but in mastering the messy, often misunderstood process of decision-making.

Atif breaks down how to foster a culture where problem-solving thrives, people feel heard, and collaboration leads to clarity. He knows what he talks about: Atif led the transformation of McDonald’s customer experience through self-service kiosks and shares how old school carmaker Volvo reimagined its digital strategy.

Now as founder of Ritual – an AI-native workspace designed for strategy, product, and cross-functional collaboration – Atif is building what some have called a “McKinsey Killer.” He offers a compelling take on how AI can democratize high-quality problem-solving and why consultants will need to evolve to stay relevant.

He also shares his most important piece of communication advice for leaders: seek clarity before you provide it. In a world moving faster than ever, Atif’s approach to thoughtful decision-making, human-centered innovation, and transparent leadership offers a powerful roadmap for change.

00:00 Welcome

00:19 Establishing a Culture of Problem Solving

01:31 Leadership and Cultural Shifts at McDonald's

04:12 Digital Transformation at McDonald's

07:48 Innovations at Volvo

09:18 Decision Sprint: The Book

16:58 Methodology for Effective Decision Making

18:25 AI and the Future of Decision Making

20:03 Introducing Ritual: AI Native Workspace

20:58 Key Questions for Exploration and Discovery

21:14 Ritual: AI-Powered Collaboration

21:38 Overcoming Information Sharing Challenges

22:10 Human-AI Collaboration in Ritual

22:32 Structuring Problem Spaces with AI

23:24 Measuring Confidence in Recommendations

23:37 Ritual vs. Traditional Consultants

24:44 Future of Consulting in the AI Era

28:38 Upskilling and the Next-Gen Knowledge Worker

32:47 Challenges and Opportunities for Founders

34:41 Building Long-Term Relationships

36:05 Advice for Younger Self and Community Building

38:39 Final Thoughts and Communication Advice