Managing the Professional Service FirmIf you manage or work in a professional service firm, this book can put your operation into perspective by explaining what drives the firm's profitability. Author David Maister uses his personal experiences to enliven some of the dryer parts of the text with a few case studies, first-hand observations and advice. He covers the whole range of essential practices encountered by any service firm, including governance, hiring, motivation, coaching, marketing and compensation. However, there is one important caveat: This classic book was first published in 1993, including the chapter on professional compensation, which particularly needs updating. Some chapters were published even earlier in various trade magazines and journals, some dating back to 1982. Is this information still fresh and accurate in today's business environment? Even if the personnel advice is, the compensation counsel and pre-Internet marketing advice probably is not. With this caveat, getAbstract considers this foundational work important for anyone working in or with a professional service firm. |
Contents
A Question of Balance | 3 |
The Professional Firm Life Cycle | 21 |
Health and Hygiene | 31 |
Copyright | |
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achieve activities American Lawyer approach Arthur Andersen asset assignments average benefits billable hours billing rate career Chapter client service coach compensation committee competitive consulting costs counseling David H decisions effort engagement ensure executive existing clients experience expertise feedback fees firm management firm's firmwide goals Goldman Sachs Hewitt Associates hiring important improve income statement industry investment issue junior Latham & Watkins learned less leverage managing partner marketing marketplace Marvin Bower meetings ment motivation nonbillable one-firm firms opportunities organization partnership percent performance performance appraisal practice area practice development practice leader problem productivity profes professional firms professional service firm profitability rainmaker recruiting relationship require responsibility reward role scheduling sell seminar senior professionals sional skill building specific staff staffing structure success tactics target tasks things tion underdelegation