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About The Book

Bestselling author David Maister teams up with Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford to bring us the essential tool for all consultants, negotiators, and advisors.

In today's fast-paced networked economy, professionals must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one's discipline is not enough, assert world-renowned professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. To demonstrate the paramount importance of trust, the authors use anecdotes, experiences, and examples -- successes and mistakes, their own and others' -- to great effect. The result is an immensely readable book that will be welcomed by the inexperienced advisor and the most seasoned expert alike.

About The Authors

Charles H. Green is an executive educator and business strategy consultant to the professional services industry. Charlie has taught in executive education programs for the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and for Columbia University Graduate School of Business, as well as independently through his firm, Trusted Advisor Associates. His current work centers on the nature of trust-based relationships within organizations, and on the management of professional service firms. Green is a graduate of Columbia and  Harvard Business School. He spent the first twenty years of his career with The MAC Group and its successor, Gemini Consulting, where his roles included strategy consulting (in Europe and the United States), VP Strategic Planning, and a variety of other firm leadership roles. He is the author of numerous papers, with articles published in the Harvard Business Review and Management Horizons. He is president of Trusted Advisor Associates, which he founded with Rob Galford. He resides in Morristown, New Jersey.

Robert M. Galford is currently a Managing Partner of the Center for Executive Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was formerly the executive vice president and chief people officer of Digitas, Inc., a leading Internet professional services firm with over 1,400 employees. He taught for many years on executive programs at the Columbia Graduate School of Business and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, in addition to consulting to professional services firms, technology companies, and financial institutions. Rob has lived and worked in both Western Europe and North America as a vice president of The MAC Group and its successor firm, Gemini Consulting. He has practiced law with the international firm of Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle in New York and Washington, and has also worked in investment management for Citicorp. Rob's writing and commentaries on management have been published in the Boston Globe and he is a three-time contributor to the Harvard Business Review. He currently sits on the boards of directors of Forrester Research, Inc., and Access Data Corporation. He also hosts the business video Talk About Change! with the popular cartoon character Dilbert.
 

David H. Maister, one of the world's leading authorities on the management of professional service firms, is the author of several successful books, including Managing the Professional Service Firm, True Professionalism, and Practice What You Preach, and coauthor of The Trusted Advisor.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Free Press (October 9, 2001)
  • Length: 256 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780743205443

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Raves and Reviews

The Trusted Advisor is a foundational text for any consulting professional looking to build, sustain, and grow their client relationships. I have leveraged its guiding principles and its exceedingly practical advice to reimagine what it means to demonstrate trust—and have urged the many colleagues to whom I have gifted the book to do the same. Twenty years since it was first published, The Trusted Advisor is more relevant and valuable than ever, helping professionals navigate constant disruption—so we can do the same for our clients.” —Janet Foutty, U.S. executive chair, Deloitte

“A rich source of examples and experiences that guide the development of truly special relationships with one’s clients.” —Rich Lesser, CEO, Boston Consulting Group

“Full of both sage wisdom and applicable advice, The Trusted Advisor has helped elevate the work of an entire generation of advisors, and I know it will continue to be an invaluable resource for generations to come.” —Kelly Grier, managing partner U.S. and Americas, EY

“For many years The Trusted Advisor has been Forrester’s handbook for delivering outstanding customer service—whenever we lost our way, this book’s wisdom and straight talk would snap us right back on track. This is my favorite book to give to clients—I’m so glad that I can now pass on an updated new edition.” —George Colony, chairman and CEO, Forrester Research

“Maister, Green, and Galford share intuitive frameworks, evidence-based insights, and practical actions to grow from an expert to a trusted advisor. This book stands the test of time and is required reading for anyone who wants stronger professional (and personal) relationships.” —John J. Kalamarides, president, Prudential Group Insurance

The Trusted Advisor will be invaluable to all professionals, young and old. Anyone who earns his or her living by giving advice should read this book.” — John Quelch, Leonard M. Miller University Chair Professor, University of Miami

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