True Professionalism: The Courage to Care about Your People, Your Clients, and Your Career

ISBN-13: 9780684840048 / Angielski / Miękka / 2000 / 224 str.

David H. Maister

Opis

David Maister, the world's premier consultant to professional service firms, vigorously challenges professionals to examine this essential, yet under-addressed question: What is true professionalism?

Professional firms are forever trying to get their people to act like professionals--to do the right things. Though their various incentives may create employee compliance, these don't often encourage excellence. His answer is clear: It is believing passionately in what you do, never compromising your standards and values, and caring about your clients, your people and your own career. In clear and compelling terms, Maister shows that this approach is not only ethical but also conducive to commercial success.

Recenzje

Thomas J. Tierney Worldwide Managing Director, Bain & Company Insightful, entertaining and useful! Maister's work bridges the gap between theory and practice; grounded in conceptual bedrock, it offers practical 'Monday morning' advice for anyone involved in managing a professional service firm.

Spis treści

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction: The Power of Principles

PART ONE: (MOSTLY) ABOUT YOU

1. Real Professionalism

What is professionalism, and how do you manage in order to breed it?

2. Are You Having Fun Yet?

What is the role of excitement and enthusiasm in professional success?

3. No Regrets

How do you develop a personal career strategy?

4. Dynamos, Cruisers, and Losers

How do you keep your career in high gear? How do you tell if it is?

5. It's About Time

What are the key business processes of a professional practice, and how do you manage your investments in these areas?

6. Are You Willing to Be Managed?

How can management in a professional environment be reconciled with the need for autonomy?

7. Why Should I Follow You?

What are the key attributes of a manager of professionals?

PART TWO: (MOSTLY) ABOUT YOUR FIRM

8. Values inaction

How vigorously do you "enforce" your values? Do your people think you live up to them?

9. The Value of Intolerance

What should a firm be "intolerant" about? How do you ensure that you do not slip into tolerating "OK" performance?

10. A Time for Healing

How do you create a sense of teamwork?

11. How Firms (Should) Add Value

How do you ensure that there is value in the institution, not just in the individuals who work there?

12. Success Through Skill-Building

How do you invest in and manage rapid skill-growth?

13. What Kind of Provider Are You?

What are the key skills of different types of providers, and what are the differences between them?

14. Managing Your Client's Projects

How do you track the profitability of individual assignments?

15. Why Merge?

When does a professional firm merger make sense?

16. The Adaptive Firm

What do you have to do to be good at constantly evolving and adapting?

PART THREE: (MOSTLY) ABOUT YOUR CLIENTS

17. How Real Professionals Develop Business

What works in marketing, and how does this compare to the standards of professionalism?

18. Finding Out What Clients Want

How do you discover how the client defines quality?

19. Why Cross-Selling Hasn't Worked

How can cross-selling really be made to happen?

20. Measuring Your Marketing Success

What's the difference between "more business" and "better business" and can you measure it?

21. Satisfaction Guaranteed

Can/should you guarantee your clients' satisfaction?

Index
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O autorze

David H. Maister, one of the world's leading authorities on the management of professional service firms, is the author of several successful books, including Managing the Professional Service Firm, True Professionalism, and Practice What You Preach, and coauthor of The Trusted Advisor.