The Professional Service Firm 50 by Tom Peters
Summary:
Notes:
The Professional Service Firm 50 by Tom Peters
PSF = Inc + Clients + Projects
1. Think Inc
1a. Commit "Cool."
2. Think client. Period.
3. Select clients very carefully.
3a. Seek out clients who are leaders.
3b. F-i-r-e clients upon occasion.
4. Turn every "task" into a Project.
4a. The work matters.
5. Become a catalyst for revolution.
Portfolio Quality
6. Visit every client.
7. Create an immodest current projects list.
8. You are a venture capitalist.
9. Conduct a weekly - or a more frequent - formal current projects review.
9a. Words … matter.
Impact
10. Transform every "job" into a … Wow project.
11. Never ever compromise your identity.
12. Pursue P-A-S-S-I-O-N.
13. Measure: Did we make an impact?
14. Tom's Epithet No. 1: "Thoroughly professional … but not provocative"
15. L-e-a-d your client.
16. Another flaovor of Wow: Politics.
17. PSF success boils down to … the fine art of balance.
18. Accounting (etc.) is a performing art.
19. Speaking of accounting … remember the bottom-line: "Business-ing."
20. Got any quirky projects on the list?
21. Think … legacy.
22. Pitch in … or bail out.
22a. Practice serial monogamy.
23. PSFs need vision statements.
23a. We help people.
Live with Them
24. Make clients an integral part of every project team.
24a. Cohabit with the client.
24b. Turn the client into an expert.
24c. Engage clients in a measured "risk progression" process.
25. Insist that clients submit a formal evaluation of "your people" (and "their people") at the end of the project.
25a. Think external.
26. Client-centric = PSF imperative.
27. Bring in wild and woolly outsiders. E-x-p-a-n-d the box.
A Culture of Urgency
28. Create a "sense of urgency" / "excitement" / "vibrancy" / "buzz."
29. Hot teams thrive in hot spaces.
30. Celebrate … constantly.
30a. Projects-worth-doing are bumpy.
30b. You need a clown.
31. Love thy "support staff."
32. A rabid scheduler is must.
32a. We're in this for the money.
33. Pay attention to the "hard stuff" … e.g. Methodology.
34. Embrace marketing.
Knowledge is US
35. Become a research & development evangelist.
35a. Devote a sizeable share of effort/revenues to knowledge development.
36. Turn your current portfolio of projects into a … Research & Development playground / goldmine.
37. Think … design.
38. Evaluate the possible bases of PSF competitive advantage.
Talent
39. Become a … connoisseur of talent.
39a. We want to be magnet for talent.
40. Cherish instability. Mix up teams.
40a. Mix redux: encourage turnover.
41. Demand that every PSF member be known for … something.
42. Champion passion. Champion perfection.
43. Create stories / mythology around "project winners."
44. T-R-A-I-N. Teach the "PSF basics" … with a vengeance.
45. Provide "project management-leadership" opportunities … ASAP.
46. Cherish great listening skills.
47. Geeks - the antisocial, masterful diggers-of-obscure-facts - should be adored.
48. Challenge. Challenge. Challenge.
It's ours.
49. Think … Dream … Act. Wow. Beauty. Impact. Distinction.
50. We own this place.