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Newsletter nr. 19 - octombrie 2009 |
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HUMAN INVEST RECOMMENDS - Ask a lot of questions, shut up and listen |
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Probably the most important principle in an advisor-client partnership. Perhaps with the exception of those partnerships based solely on the simple exchange of expertise. Actually if we were to take a closer look we would discover that those partnerships based on this principle are actually the exceptions.
For this reason and many others "The Trusted Advisor" from Publica, is a book that shouldn't be missing from the nightstand or desk, knapsack or briefcase of any person in the business field. From entrepreneurs to managers, experts and consultants to students preparing to make their debut in the world of business. All of them should acquire the abilities required for building trust based partnerships.
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Aside from David Maister, considered by many as being the foremost expert in strategic and management consultancy, this book was also coauthored by Charles Green and Robert Galford, experienced advisors in areas such as management, strategic consultancy and professional services management. All three authors are well known in the business environment through the books they've written as well as their collaborations with various prestigious publications such as Harvard Business Review and Management Horizons.
"The Trusted Advisor" is structured in the same way as a training session. The first chapter introduces a series of concepts and abilities that are the center pieces of trust based partnerships, which are then structured and approached in a more professional manner in the second one. The last chapter is dedicated to teaching us how to practice the concepts we've learned beforehand.
The field experience of the three authors can be seen in the great number of examples and situations used to put theory into practice. Moreover, those that are passionate about structure will find the lists and diagrams, present in different chapters, to be of real help in remembering key ideas. These also help the reader easily find and remember a certain subject of interest.
This book tears down all the myths present in the minds of many advisors regarding the real needs of the client. Especially those that have to do with experience and the role it plays when it comes to selecting an advisor. There are many out there that still consider citing your years of experience, client recommendations and number of diplomas as being a guarantee of success. The same people that can't seem to understand why they lost a pitch or a client even though, on paper at least, they were certainly the best. The reason, according to David Maister, is that you have to earn your right to give advice.
The goal of every professional services partnership is that of moving from the position of expert in a certain field to that of valuable resource and ultimately trusted advisor. For this reason, the authors suggest, advisors should resort to using even pitches as an instrument through which the client can be shown what a probable collaboration between the two parties would look like. More than obvious if we take into consideration the fact that, in this area at least, the "product" you buy is not only expensive but many times intangible and vague.
Another strong point of the book is the way in which it analyzes the different aspects that might be considered as hindrances in the attempt of building a trust based partnership. From different categories of clients (those that want to dominate, those that don't trust you, those that pay attention to details etc.) to the way in which you can adjust your speech and the way you work, to different prejudices advisors might have towards developing these sort of partnerships (risk, the idea that knowing all the theory means everything and so on and so forth). All these questions that we normally ask ourselves are analyzed and resolved so that the only question that remains after reading this book is "Why haven't I done this sooner?"
The ideas stated above and many others are carefully explained and backed up by succinct checklists that offer a short digest of the abilities and attitudes that are necessary in order to build trust based partnerships. Perhaps the most interesting one refers to one on one situations between advisor and client:
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You don't have to prove your abilities once every ten seconds
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The problem that needs to be solved is rarely the one that the client has stated in your first meeting |
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You can bring more added value if you correctly define the problem rather than starting to solve it the minute you hear it |
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Just because the client asked a question doesn't mean it's the one you should answer |
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Sometimes the best answer is another question |
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And most importantly:
Am I trying to win this argument or help the client get a clearer image?
These are just a few elements that can make the difference between a trusted advisor and just another advisor. And the client's trust means a great deal of advantages for that person who has managed to prove that he is capable of more than just giving advice.
So for those people that want more from their current and future partnerships the "Trusted Advisor" from Publica is one of the most valuable resources you can come across.
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Tel: +40-21-318 89 27 / 318 89 28
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