Synopses & Reviews
Professional services firms – in law, accounting and other disciplines – are typically organized around partners who are joint owners and business directors. Making partner is very prestigious at large or midsized firms and the path to partnership—always difficult—has always been the goal of ambitious young lawyers, accountants and other professionals. An associate who is an employee of the firm with the prospect of becoming partner may have to wait as long as 9 years before the decision is made whether the associate “makes partner.” And then it is Up or Out.
Working long and hard is expected, but there are multiple other ways to get recognized and succeed in making partner. This practical resource book offers advice on how to stand out, be in the right place at the right time and build skills to overcome all hurdles. Townsend and Larbie, both experienced coaches, also help associates make informed decisions on whether or not this is the right step for them; if it is, they’ll guide them to take the promotion and also have a life of their own.
Review
"I wish I'd had access to a book like this before I became a partner." --Charles H. Green, author of The Trusted Advisor
Review
-Specifically written to meet the needs of professionals in practice who want to successfully take the step up to partner and still have a life outside of work
-Demonstrates the skills, attitudes and behaviors needed to make partner and shows how to get them
-Includes practical tools, frameworks, tips and action points which can be used to get fast results
"I wish I'd had access to a book like this before I became a partner." --Charles H. Green, author of The Trusted Advisor
"[A] viable partnership path for accountants, architects, engineers, attorneys and other professionals in todays competitive corporate environment. getAbstract recommends Townsend and Larbies guidance to those who work at partnership firms and charge clients for their time. This very basic career manual explains how to win the partnership war and how to survive the stresses of battle and of victory." --getAbstract
"How to Make Partner and Still Have a Life is a key for any business library appealing to aspiring professionals, and offers a 'route map' to making it to the top, from making career choices that build a definite path to overcoming hurdles in making partner. It also tells how to get promoted, and how to retain a life outside of work during the process. From overt and covert 'rules of the game' to making definitive steps in climbing one's career ladder, this covers everything from getting the most from a mentor to stopping meetings that waste time and identifying priorities. The result is a powerful set of specifics any aspiring businessman will appreciate." --Midwest Book Review, California Bookwatch, The Business Shelf
Synopsis
The burning question on every ambitious fee-earner's lips is: 'how do I make partner at this firm?' This book is your route map to making it to the top in a professional services firm. It shows you how to stand out, be in the right place at the right time and build your kitbag of skills to overcome the many hurdles and reach the Holy Grail of becoming partner. This book reveals what it really takes to make it, and what it will involve once you're there. It helps you make an informed decision on whether or not this is the right step for you, and guides you on how to become a partner and still have a life of your own. Heather Townsend and Jo Larbie show you the rules of the game, laying bare exactly what you need to do to take the ultimate step.
Synopsis
The burning question on every ambitious fee-earner's lips is: :how do I make partner at this firm?".
How to Make Partner and Still Have a Life is a route map to making it to the top in a professional services firm. It explains how to stand out, be in the right place at the right time, build a kitbag of skills to overcome the many hurdles and become partner.
This book reveals what it really takes to make it and what it will involve once there. It helps professionals make an informed decision on whether or not this is the right step for them. It guides them on how to make partner and still have a life of their own. Heather Townsend and Jo Larbie explain the rules of the game, laying bare exactly what is needed to do to take the ultimate step.
Synopsis
Making partner is has always been the goal of ambitious young lawyers, accountants and other professionals.
This practical resource book offers advice on how to stand out, be in the right place at the right time and build skills to overcome all hurdles on the path to partnership. Townsend and Larbie, both experienced coaches, help associates make informed decisions on whether or not making partner is the right step for them; if it is, they'll guide them to take the promotion while having a life of their own. Topics covered include the different routes to partnership, building a reputation to outshine peers, time management, developing relationships, keeping control of career and personal life, creating and writing a career plan and what to do after the promotion.
Synopsis
Ambitious professionals working within a partnership structure, junior and senior associates and trainees
About the Author
Heather Townsend is an executive coach who helps professionals achieve business and career success through networking and social media. She has coached, trained and mentored 1000+ professionals and is also the author of The Financial Times Guide to Business Networking.
Jo Larbie is a leading thinker in the world of talent management for professional service firms. She has experience in organizational and leadership development and as a lawyer, consultant, business coach, academic and senior international executive in global firms.
Table of Contents
Foreword Acknowledgements
Overview and introduction
Part One Is partnership right for you?
1 What does being partner in the 21st century actually mean?
What makes a partnership environment different from a limited company?
The changing world of professional services firms
What does it take to be a partner in a firm today?
Summary
Action points
Further resources
2 What do you want from your career and life?
Taking responsibility for your career
Who are you, and why does this matter?
The importance of your firm's values to you and your career
Summary
Action points
Further resources
3 The four different routes to partnership
Differences between the small firms and large firms
The four different routes to partnership
The three different types of partner
Summary
Action points
Further resources
4 Is partnership for you?
Making the right choices
Becoming a career manager
Moving out of professional services into industry: taking an in-house role
Career change
Is partnership for you?
Summary
Action points
Further resources
Part 2 Building a firm foundation for partnership
5 How to become partnership potential
What is partnership potential?
How to be perceived as having partnership potential
Summary
Action points
Further resources
6 How to develop yourself on the route to partnership
How we learn and develop new skills and behaviors
The importance of playing to your strengths
How to identify gaps in your skill base
How to keep your knowledge up-to-date
Summary
Action points
Further resources
7 Creating and writing your own career action plan
Why set goals?
How to get started
Writing your own career action plan
The importance of gaining feedback from others
Summary
Action points
Further resources
8 Building your support team
Why do you need a support team?
The crucial role of a mentor
Mentoring and diversity
What do mentors do?
What to look for in a mentor
What should you expect from a mentoring relationship?
How to get the most from your mentor
Summary
Action points
Further resources
9 How your firm makes money
Building your understanding of your firm's financial performance
How does the firm make money and profit?
Summary
Action points
Further resources
10 How to be seen as "one of the club"
The firm's culture - warts and all
How to navigate and survive the firm's politics
Join "the club"
Summary
Action points
Further resources
11 How to find the time to fit it all in
The challenge of having to do it all
Adopt the right mindset to be productive
Why you need to be assertive
How to make sure you make time for the "right" stuff
Conquering distractions
Stopping meetings wasting your time
Delegation
Summary
Action points
Further resources
12 How to look, sound and be the part
What do we mean by effective communication?
Positively influencing others
How to handle a difficult conversation
How to give and receive feedback
How to dress the part
Delivering a presentation with impact
Summary
Action points
Further resources
Part 3 Surviving the early years
13 How to build your network for life
What is networking?
Common concerns and myths around networking
How to design and build your network
How to network effectively Summary Action points
Further resources
14 how your role will change as you move upwards
Pre-qualification
Qualified
Manager or associate
Partner
Summary
Action points
Further resources
15 Keeping your eyes on the prize
How to stay focused when you are too busy to think
How to keep yourself constructively busy and motivated when work is light
Summary
Action points
Further resources
Part 4 How to build your own client portfolio and team
16 How to keep your body working at peak performance
The Health Audit
Pressure vs performance
Feed your soul
Alternative asset management
Summary
Action points
Further resources
17 How to become the "go to" expert for your firm and profession
What do we mean by profile?
How to build your personal profile and become the "go to" expert in your field
Relationship management
Summary
Action points
Further resources
18 Building your own client portfolio
The business development process
How to build your own personal marketing plan to build your client portfolio
The sales process
The importance of keeping in touch
Summary
Action points
Further resources
19 Managing and leading your way to success
What are "management" and "leadership"
How to build and develop a team
What motivates people
How to develop your people
How to run a performance review and set goals
How to coach
Quality controls
Summary
Action points Further resources
Part 5 How to make it through your firm's partnership selection process
20 Overcoming the final hurdles to making partner
Undertaking your own due diligence
The partner admission process
Your moment of truth - is partnership right for you at this firm?
Summary
Action points
Further resources
21 First steps as partner
Your first few steps as a new partner
Creating your legacy
Summary
Action points
Further resources
Index