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Firms that are perceived by their employees
to actually practice what they preach are more financially
successful than their competitors, says consultant David
H. Maister, based on a worldwide survey of 139 offices in
29 professional service firms in 15 countries in 15 different
lines of business.
Maister asked the simple question: Are employee
attitudes correlated with financial success? The answer,
he found, was "an unequivocal "Yes!'" Further,
the author shows that high levels of employee commitment
and dedication "cause (yes, cause) a demonstrable,
measurable improvement in financial performance." Maister
proves that if your firm doesn't promote enthusiasm and
high morale in your employees, your firm will make less
money.
So, how can you create a culture in your
firm that promotes growth and superior financial returns?
Maister discovered that the most successful firms surveyed
excelled by doing well on things to which most, if not all,
firms pay only lip service: commitment to clients, teamwork,
high standards, employee development, and other familiar
topics. However, what distinguishes the best from the rest
is that the best live up to their own standards.
Digging deeper by conducting in-depth interviews
with managers and employees of the firms he surveyed, Maister
has found that the key to success is not the systems of
the firm, but the character and skills of the individual
manager. He explores in detail the central role of the manager
(what he or she must be, must do, and must require of others).
The reader will find specific action recommendations from
the managers and employees of these "superstar"
businesses on how to build an energized workplace, enforce
standards of excellence, develop people, and have fun --
all as powerful profit improvement tactics.
Practice What You Preach can help
any manager increase firm growth and profitability, and
will provide proof to firm executives that great financial
rewards come from living up to the high standards that most
businesses advocate, but few achieve.
David H. Maister is widely acknowledged
as one of the world's leading authorities on the management
of professional service firms. He advises firms in a broad
spectrum of professions on issues ranging from marketing
to human resources strategies. He is the author of the best-selling
Managing the Professional Services Firm (1993) and
True Professionalism (1997) and the coauthor of The
Trusted Advisor (2000).
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