In 2000, I co-wrote The Trusted Advisor, with David Maister and Rob Galford. At the time, it was aimed largely at external professional services advisors. The word “leadership” appeared exactly once in the book (I checked). This month, Andrea Howe and I published The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook. The subtitle is, “A Comprehensive Toolkit for Leading […]
In my most recent post, I addressed an issue plaguing those of us who communicate by email – incomplete responses or the failure to respond at all. In that post three experts shared their advice on how to improve the emails. If you’re following all the great advice, and the problem persists, what do you […]
Join us at one or more upcoming Trusted Advisor Associates events. This Summer, we’ll be hosting and participating in events in Washington DC and through globally accessed webinars. And a word about the Trusted Advisor Mastery Program. ———————————————————————————————- Wed. July 20th Washington, DC Andrea Howe (Rescheduled) Andrea will be speaking at the Washington DC Chapter […]
I smoked cigarettes until I was in my mid-forties. I smoked pretty heavily–more than two packs a day–and had done so pretty much forever (despite running the Montreal Marathon back in 1982, when I quit for several days). It wasn’t that I didn’t know how stupid smoking was. I could feel it myself. But as […]
The countdown continues until “The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook: A Comprehensive Toolkit for Leading with Trust,” (from Wiley Books) hits shelves everywhere. As we eagerly await publication, my co-author, Andrea Howe, and I are posting a series of daily Trust Tips. These brief yet insightful tips can be found on Twitter by using the hashtag #TrustTip. […]
If you own a house and I’m your neighbor, I’ll respect your property rights. It’s just the right thing to do. (Though if there’s a fire at my place, I might break in to borrow your fire extinguisher). If you live in a nice neighborhood, you have little to fear from the more modest parts […]
Many people have asked me how I get so much done. I just submitted my third book (with co-author @AndreaPHowe) to the publisher. I write a fair amount of blogs, articles, and presentations. I tweet. Plus the usual complement of email and other correspondence. I’m not a super-technoid, though I do all right for someone […]
Supposed you asked me the score of the latest Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees game, and I told you “12.” You: Twelve? What kind of score is that? Me: Twelve points were scored in the game; you asked the score, that’s it. You: Well, who scored how many? Me: New York scored 7 […]
Rodney Dangerfield said, “I went to the fights; a hockey game broke out.” The crusty old editor says to the cub reporter, “Don’t give me dog bites man; if you’ve got man bites dog, now that’s a story!” Something like that is happening over at Forbes Magazine, where TCU Economist John T. Harvey has guest-written […]
On March 30, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway announced David Sokol’s resignation. Buffett’s reputation quickly took a bit of a hit from the likes of Joe Nocera. Nocera suggests it wasn’t the first time Buffett had tap-danced his way out of a tight spot; he cites the Salomon Brothers’ bond scandal in the 1990s, and the […]
You’ve graduated from Question Obsession 101. You’ve learned not to pepper clients with endless questions or craft that perfect “Keystone Arch Question” expecting miracles. You’re focusing on relationships, creating insights, and empowering clients. But have you fallen into the next trap? The Answer Trap. Many consultants who overcome question obsession swing to the opposite extreme, […]
Question Obsession: The Silent Sales KillerMay 6, 2025 - 5:00 pmHave you counted how many questions you ask in your typical client meeting? Do you find yourself carefully crafting the “perfect” question sequence before every sales call? Are your meeting notes filled with question frameworks rather than real insights? If so, you may be suffering from Question Obsession—a condition that’s quietly sabotaging your client relationships […]