The Trusted Advisor: 20th Anniversary Edition

by David H. Maister, Robert Galford, Charles Green

Overview

The 20th anniversary edition of the “brilliant and practical” (Tom Peters, author of The Professional Service 50) business classic—now updated to reflect the digital world—provides essential tools and wisdom 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 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.

In this 20th anniversary edition, Maister, Green, and Galford enrich our understanding of today’s society and illustrate how to be effective communicators in a digital world. Using their model of “the trust equation” they dissect the rational and emotional components of trustworthiness. With precision and clarity, they detail five distinct steps you must take to create a trust-based relationship. Each step—engage, listen, frame, envision, and commit—is richly described in distinct chapters.

This immensely accessible book offers “an invaluable road map to all those who seek to develop truly special relationships with their clients” (Carl Stern, CEO, Boston Consulting Group). The authors weave together anecdotes, experience, and examples of both their own and others’ successes and mistakes to great effect. The Trusted Advisor is essential reading for anyone who must advise, negotiate, or manage complex relationships with others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781982157104
Publisher:	Free Press
Publication date:	02/02/2021
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	128,230
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

David H. Maister is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading authority on the management of professional service firms. Beginning four decades ago, David has advised firms in a broad spectrum of professions, covering all strategic and managerial issues, spanning the globe. A native of Great Britain, David holds degrees from the University of Birmingham, the London School of Economics, and the Harvard Business School, where he was a professor for seven years. He is the author of the best-selling books Managing the Professional Service Firm and True Professionalism. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Robert M. Galford is a Managing Partner of the Center for Leading Organizations, where he works with senior executives at the intersection of strategy, organization, and leadership. In addition to The Trusted Advisor, Rob has coauthored three books: The Trusted Leader; Your Leadership Legacy; and Simple Sabotage, and has been a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, HBR.org, and numerous other business publications. His educational background includes Liceo Segre, Turin, Italy, a BA in Economics and Italian Literature from Haverford College, an MBA from Harvard Business School and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.

Charles H. Green is a speaker and executive educator focused on trust in complex businesses and professional services firms. Charlie is founder and Chairman of Trusted Advisor Associates. In addition to The Trusted Advisor, Charlie wrote Trust-Based Selling, and coauthored The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook. He is a graduate of Columbia and of the Harvard Business School. He spent the first twenty years of his career with The MAC Group and its successor, Gemini Consulting. Charlie lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

Table of Contents

Foreword to the 20th Anniversary Edition xi

Introduction xxi

How to Use This Book xxv

Part 1 Perspectives on Trust 1

1 A Sneak Preview 3

What would be the benefits if your clients trusted you more? What are the primary characteristics of a trusted advisor?

2 What Is a Trusted Advisor? 7

What do great trusted admisors all seem to do?

3 Earning Trust 23

What are the dynamics of trusting and being trusted?

4 How to Give Advice 35

How do you ensure your advice is listened to?

5 The Rules of Relationship Building 49

What are the principles of building strong relationships?

6 The Importance of Mindsets 65

What attitudes must you have to be effective?

7 Sincerity or Technique? 79

Do you really have to care for those you advise?

Part 2 The Structure of Trust Building 91

8 The Trust Equation 93

What are the four key components that determine the extent of trust?

9 The Development of Trust 117

What are the five stages of trust-building?

10 Engagement 125

How do you get clients to initiate discussions with you?

11 The Art of Listening 135

How can you improve your listening skills?

12 Framing the Issue 145

How can you help clients look at their issues in afresh way?

13 Envisioning an Alternate Reality 155

How can you help clients clarify what they're really after?

14 Commitment 161

How do you ensure clients are willing to do what it takes to solve their problems?

Part 3 Putting Trust to Work 171

15 What's So Hard About All This? 173

Why are truly trust-based relationships so scarce?

16 Differing Client Types 193

How do you deal with clients of differing types?

17 The Role of Trust in Business Development: Getting Hired 207

How do you create trust at the outset of a relationship?

18 Building Trust on the Current Assignment 219

How can you conduct your assignment in a way that adds to trust?

19 Re-earning Trust Outside of a Current Assignment 227

How can you build trust when you're not working on an assignment?

20 The Case of Cross-Selling 235

Why is cross-selling so hard, and what can be done about it?

21 The Quick-Impact List to Earn Trust 249

What are the key things you should do first?

Acknowledgments 257

Appendix: A Compilation of Our Lists 259

A comprehensive summary and list of concepts, insights, tips, and tactics.

Notes and References 281

Index 285

Editorial 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

From the Publisher