Professionalism
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Summary
Editor's review
Maister points out that many professional firms get into trouble because they confuse the logic of "business" with that of "profession." They blindly pursue scale growth and profit maximization while neglecting the more fundamental elements of building exceptional professional quality, cultivating top talent, and earning deep client trust. His "professionalism" model emphasizes placing the pursuit of excellence in technical quality, absolute loyalty to client interests, and long-term investment in employee development above short-term financial goals. The book's discussions of "how to attract, develop and retain star employees," "how to manage knowledge assets," and "how to build client relationships based on trust rather than salesmanship" are highly practical.
For practitioners and managers in knowledge-intensive industries, the value of this book lies in providing a complete, coherent and proven framework of thinking. It helps you examine the core values and operating models of yourself and your organization, and consider how to achieve sustainable success while upholding professionalism. Reading it requires some industry experience and management thinking as a foundation, but the reward will be enhanced strategic vision and improved organizational health.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Senior and mid-level managers at professional service firms (consulting, law, accounting, architecture, etc.)
- Experienced practitioners committed to enhancing their personal professional brand and client relationships
- Researchers and entrepreneurs interested in knowledge-organization management and talent development
- Business school students and investors seeking to understand the underlying logic of the professional services industry
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for get-rich-quick tips or generic success literature
- Beginners with no interest in management theory whose work is unrelated to professional services
Reading tips
- Read in light of specific issues at your own organization, using the book's principles as diagnostic tools
- Focus on Part II "Talent Management" and Part IV "Client Relationships," which are key to putting professionalism into practice
- Read alongside other management classics (such as In Search of Excellence) to understand what is distinctive about managing professional services
About the publisher
In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 赞誉
- 译者序
- 译者简介
- 致谢
- 引言：准则的力量
- 第一部分 （主要）关于自己
- 1 真正的专业主义精神
- 2 你快乐吗
- 3 不留遗憾
- 4 进取者、安于现状者和失败者
- 5 关于时间
- 6 你愿意被管理吗
- 7 我为什么要追随你
- 第二部分 （主要）关于专业服务公司
- 8 实际行动中的价值观
- 9 不妥协带来的好处
- 10 治愈的时间
- 11 专业服务公司（应该）如何提高附加值
- 12 通往成功之路：技能训练
- 13 你是什么类型服务的提供者
- 14 管理客户的项目
- 15 为什么要合并
- 16 具有适应力的专业服务公司
- 第三部分 （主要）关于你的客户
- 17 真正的专业人士如何进行业务开发
- 18 发现客户需求
- 19 为什么跨业务线销售难以收到成效
- 20 评价市场营销的成果
- 21 满意度保证
FAQ
How is this book different from other books on "professionalism" on the market?
Is this book useful for ordinary professionals in non-management roles?
Are the book's views outdated in today's fast-changing digital age?
Comments
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About the author
David Maister is an author whose writing focuses on professional services and the management of knowledge-based organizations. Publicly available personal information about him is limited, and his life, nationality, and educational background are not clearly documented. Judging from the five works included in the catalog, his attention centers on the professionalism of practitioners, the operation and management of professional service firms, and the motivation and team management of knowledge workers, with his books commonly classified under finance and management. Representative works include Professionalism, Managing the Professional Service Firm (classic retranslation edition), and Managing the Professional Team: How to Motivate Knowledge Workers. Professionalism appears in multiple editions, suggesting sustained engagement with this theme. His writing leans toward practical analysis and managerial ideas, addressed to managers and practitioners in professional service organizations, and has exerted a certain influence among Chinese management readers.
Wu Weijun is an author about whom little public information is available; his nationality, dates of birth and death, and detailed career remain unconfirmed. The seven works held in the collection nonetheless indicate the general direction of his writing. His books centre on finance and management, with some attention to political topics, covering the operation of professional service firms, the management of professional teams, the motivation of knowledge workers, and how enterprises seek sustainable competitive advantage. He has also written a practical guide on drafting official documents in professional service organisations. Judging from the titles and categories, he addresses managers and practitioners in the professional services industry, combining conceptual analysis with hands-on methods and stressing how management ideas apply to concrete workplace situations. Some of his works appear as retranslations or new editions, suggesting sustained reader interest in these themes. Overall, he writes on professionalism and the management of professional firms.
Zhu Xiaoying is an author in the fields of finance and management, though limited public information is available about her. Three of her works are held in the collection, among which Professionalism appears in different editions, including Professionalism and Fresh Read: Professionalism, indicating that it is her representative work. Her writing centers on the topic of professionalism and professional conduct, aimed at readers interested in finance and management. The works explore the meaning of professional attitudes and standards for both individuals and organizations, combining practical discussion with argumentation. Because biographical details such as education, career history, and institutional affiliation have not been made public, no speculation is offered here. The number and categories of her existing works suggest a sustained engagement with popular management literature, with a core focus on offering readers a framework for career growth and organizational management through the idea of professionalism.
