Synopses & Reviews
Bestselling author David Maister teams up with Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford to bring us the essential tool for all consultants, negotiators, and advisors.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;In today's fast-paced networked economy, professionals must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one's discipline is not enough, assert world-renowned professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. To demonstrate the paramount importance of trust, the authors use anecdotes, experiences, and examples -- successes and mistakes, their own and others' -- to great effect. The result is an immensely readable book that will be welcomed by the inexperienced advisor and the most seasoned expert alike.
Review
William F. Stasior senior chairman and former CEO, Booz-Allen and Hamilton This book is engaging, enjoyable, and absolutely on target. It is packed with truth. andlt;Iandgt;The Trusted Advisorandlt;/Iandgt; will guide success not just in the advisory professions but in leadership and life as well.
Review
William F. Stasior
senior chairman and former CEO, Booz-AllenandHamilton
This book is engaging, enjoyable, and absolutely on target. It is packed with truth. The Trusted Advisor will guide success not just in the advisory professions but in leadership and life as well.
Review
Tom Peters author of andlt;Iandgt;The Professional Service 50andlt;/Iandgt; This is a brilliant -- and practical -- book. In our "world gone mad," trust is, paradoxically, more important than ever.
Review
Professor Charles Fombrun Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University andlt;Iandgt;The Trusted Advisorandlt;/Iandgt; gets to the heart and soul of the advice business. This path-breaking book is a must-read.
Review
Carl Stern CEO, Boston Consulting Group An invaluable road map to all those who seek to develop truly special relationships with their clients.
About the Author
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 andlt;iandgt;Managing the Professional Service Firm, True Professionalism,andlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;Practice What You Preach,andlt;/iandgt; and coauthor of andlt;iandgt;The Trusted Advisor.andlt;/iandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Robert M. Galfordandlt;/Bandgt; is currently a Managing Partner of the Center for Executive Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was formerly the executive vice president and chief people officer of Digitas, Inc., a leading Internet professional services firm with over 1,400 employees. He taught for many years on executive programs at the Columbia Graduate School of Business and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, in addition to consulting to professional services firms, technology companies, and financial institutions.andlt;BRandgt;Rob has lived and worked in both Western Europe and North America as a vice president of The MAC Group and its successor firm, Gemini Consulting. He has practiced law with the international firm of Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt and Mosle in New York and Washington, and has also worked in investment management for Citicorp.andlt;BRandgt;Rob's writing and commentaries on management have been published in the andlt;Iandgt;Boston Globeandlt;/Iandgt; and he is a three-time contributor to the andlt;Iandgt;Harvard Business Review.andlt;/Iandgt; He currently sits on the boards of directors of Forrester Research, Inc., and Access Data Corporation. He also hosts the business video andlt;Iandgt;Talk About Change!andlt;/Iandgt; with the popular cartoon character Dilbert.andlt;BRandgt;His educational background includes Liceo Segre, Turin, Italy; a B.A. in economics and Italian literature from Haverford College; an M.B.A. from Harvard; and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an associate editor of andlt;Iandgt;The Tax Lawyer.andlt;/Iandgt; Rob lives with his family in Concord, Massachusetts. He may be reached at:andlt;BRandgt;E-mail:
[email protected]Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Contentsandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Introductionandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;How to Use This Bookandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part One: Perspectives on Trustandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;OL TYPE="1" START="1"andgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;A Sneak Previewandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What would be the benefits if your clients trusted you more?andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;What are the primary characteristics of a trusted advisor?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;What Is a Trusted Advisor?andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What do great trusted advisors all seem to do?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Earning Trustandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What are the dynamics of trusting and being trusted?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;How to Give Adviceandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How do you ensure your advice is listened to?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Rules of Romance: Relationship Buildingandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What are the principles of building strong relationships?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Importance of Mindsetsandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What attitudes must you have to be effective?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Sincerity or Technique?andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Do you really have to care for those you advise?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/OLandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part Two: The Structure of Trust Buildingandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;OL TYPE="1" START="8"andgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Trust Equationandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What are the four key components that determine the extent of trust?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Development of Trustandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What are the five stages of trust-building?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Engagementandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How do you get clients to initiate discussions with you?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Art of Listeningandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How can you improve your listening skills?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Framing the Issueandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How can you help clients look at their issues in a fresh way?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Envisioning an Alternate Realityandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How can you help clients clarify what they're really after?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Commitmentandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How do you ensure clients are willing to do what it takes to solve their problems?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/OLandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part Three: Putting Trust to Workandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;OL TYPE="1" START="15"andgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;What's So Hard About All This?andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Why are truly trust-based relationships so scarce?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Differing Client Typesandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How do you deal with clients of differing types?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Lieutenant Columbo Approachandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What can we learn from an unorthodox winner?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Role of Trust in Getting Hiredandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How do you create trust at the outset of a relationship?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Building Trust on the Current Assignmentandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How can you conduct your assignment in a way that adds to trust?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;Re-earning Trust Away from the Current Assignmentandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;How can you build trust when you're not working on an assignment?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Case of Cross-Sellingandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Why is cross-selling so hard, and what can be done about it?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;LIandgt;The Quick-Impact List to Gain Trustandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;What are the key things you should do first?andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/OLandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Appendix: A Compilation of Our Listsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;A comprehensive summary and list of concepts, insights, tips, and tactics.andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Acknowledgmentsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Notes and Referencesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Indexandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;About the Authors