How do you improve a professional services firm

Firstly you need to change.

We all know the definition of madness 'doing the same thing tomorrow as you did yesterday and expecting a different result'

I repeat, 'You need to change'

David H Maister observes, 'The primary reason we do not work at areas in which we know we need to improve is that the rewards (and pleasures) are in the future, the disruption, discomfort and discipline needed to get there are immediate.'

You must abandon TSOH, The Strategy Of Hope, you must focus your attention on specifics.

Here are a few strategies that need to be deployed;

• Adopt an A/B/C client service plan
• Partners should not work above 90% of their capacity, they should always have time to listen and to meet clients
• Rainmakers should spend their time making rain
• Remove poor performers at any level
• Bill regularly and implement a robust collection culture
• Partners should carry out only partner work
• Invest in training programmes for everyone

The above strategies should be embedded into the culture of the Practice, and the firm must live and breathe this culture.