  | Book Details Title: How to Lead a Values-Based Professional Services Firm: 3 Keys to Unlock Purpose and Profit |
Book DescriptionFrom the Inside Flap Those of us who lead professional services firms may think we sell billable hours. We don’t. Not anymore. The traditional way of doing business no longer suffices for today’s clients, who crave a sense of meaning and purpose in every transaction. To survive in this unprecedented environment, we need to start selling stories—ideas and narratives that guide our everyday operations and will inspire those we work with to trust us over the long haul. How to Lead a Values-Based Professional Services Firm makes the case for building purposeful brands and guides readers through a series of steps to transform their organizations and inspire stakeholders. The Three Keys—Purpose, Values, and Story—form the lens through which readers will come to view every aspect of the brands they lead. This simple yet powerful framework is a guide to remaking the foundation of your brand. Executives who have undertaken this process agree that a strong sense of collective purpose improves customer loyalty, facilitates change, and motivates employee satisfaction. These proven outcomes will inspire readers to undertake the transformative shift to a values-based culture, with the help of the insights, examples, and key tactics in this book. But making that culture shift won’t quite be enough. After you’ve identified your brand’s core identity, you’ll need to build that identity into your organization’s culture. This is easier said than done, as it requires bold leadership and the strength to model authentic commitment. Therein lies the real value of How to Lead a Values-Based Professional Services Firm. The authors developed the Three Keys framework in action and have led their own business to market dominance and brand success. They provide their tested takeaways on how to: Link leadership to purpose and profit in the 21st century Hire leaders who will carry the torch of values and purpose Infuse your Purpose, Values, and Story into all communications Strategically align mergers and acquisitions around core beliefs Measure the bottom-line impact of a values-based culture The brands that endure over the coming decades will be those that clearly understand and adhere to the Three Keys to brand identity. This book is for leaders who are ready to commit to the Purpose, Values, and Story that will propel their firms into the future. Read more From the Back Cover Praise for HOW TO LEAD A VALUES-BASED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM “Don and Fran have mastered the art of leading with purpose, values, and story. . . and now they’re giving you the playbook.” ―Larry Weber, Chairman and CEO of Racepoint Global and Founder of Weber Shandwick “This important book is a must-read for every leader striving to build a successful values-based organization.” ―Doug Fletcher, Co-Author of How Clients Buy “It’s no longer enough to just define your purpose; your customers need to experience it. Ensuring that it’s communicated through every interaction has proven to be a challenge. This book provides an excellent roadmap for you to become a purpose-driven organization.” ―Deborah Leff, IBM CTO 4; Data and AI “Travel is complex. Every day, Delta transports millions of travelers across the globe. The only way to make that happen is to align people around our purpose, values, and story. This book will guide you to uncover your Three Keys.” ―Henry Kuykendall, Senior Vice President, Delta “For over two decades, Gallup has studied how individual strengths impact organizations. In this book, Don and Fran explain the three critical organizational strengths that impact your company and the world. The Three Keys form a strong foundation for any organization to thrive.” ―Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Executive, Gallup “This book intelligently outlines a cardinal truth I’ve discovered myself, over my ample experience in leadership positions at top companies. Purpose is absolutely necessary to produce profit in the current market. Your business will thrive if you can successfully infuse meaning and values into everything you do, and this book discloses how.” ―David Grigson, Chairman, Investis Digital “Twenty years ago, David Maister taught us how to manage a professional services firm. Now, it’s all about leadership. Leading with purpose, values, and story will change everything. This book will show you how.” ―Cliff Farrah, CEO and President, The Beacon Group Read more About the Author DON SCALES has more than three decades of experience leading professional services firms and has driven exceptional growth by aligning people around core values. He currently serves as Global CEO for Investis Digital, a groundbreaking digital communications firm. Prior to Investis Digital, Don was CEO of iCrossing, a performance marketing company that Don sold to Hearst Corporation for $325 million. Don holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School. FRAN BIDERMAN-GROSS is the CEO and Founder of Advantages, an Inc. 500 global digital branding and marketing agency. A graduate of MIT’s Entrepreneurial Master’s Program and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, Fran is a master at helping others translate their vision and values into a consistent and authentic brand experience. Fran is the developer of the Three Keys Workshop and an in-demand speaker and consultant who has empowered countless leaders to form the emotional connections that drive revenue growth. Read more Customers Review: This book offers insight and a pragmatic approach on how to manage a professional services firm. Having worked with Don in previous roles, I have witnessed firsthand how he lives the values that he offers up in this book every day.The book covers topics ranging from attitudinal hiring to make sure you know how to find the right employees to keeping your team and company client-focused. It captures the essence of the Service Profit Chain but gives a fresh perspective on how to lead, motivate and get the most out of your teams.It also covers a wide range of topics that are critical today to successfully attract and retain talent. There is information on messaging, marketing and communications to strategic guidance on how to successfully complete acquisitions and successfully integrate them into your culture. There is a lot of great information here and I highly recommend. It is a great read for aspiring leaders. | |
3 reviews