Synopses & Reviews
Trainees are often expected to grow the different skill sets required by observing and learning from people they work alongside in their firm when the standard rules vary greatly within professional services. Useful for both those entering a profession and those already working in a professional services business, Key Skills for Professionals helps readers acquire and develop the key skills that will enable them to stand out in a fiercely competitive environment - the world of professional services.
Skills covered include: effective writing, oral communication, presentations, negotiation, persuasion and influencing on behalf of a client, the role of the trainee or new hire in meetings, understanding team dynamics in a professional services business, ethics, risk management, understanding financial information and the importance of commercial awareness.
The authors make use of realistic and relevant case studies based on their knowledge, experience and expertise, as well as management exercises, tools for analyzing self-awareness and communication styles and summaries with ideas for further reading to explain how to effectively implement the skills necessary to progress a career.
Review
Acknowledgements
Introduction: acquiring the key skills of a professional
01 The professional services business
Introduction
Management and economic performance
Business structures
Strategic planning and risk management
Effective financial management
Financial control
The engine of profitability
Getting profitable work
Conclusion
02 Communicating with clients, professionals and third parties
Introduction
Differences in people
What is communication?
Verbal and non-verbal communication
A communication model -- understanding the process of communication
Listening skills
Clarifying communication -- asking questions
Emotional intelligence
Communicating with others in rapport
Communicating with clients
Conclusion
03 Personal organization
Introduction
The three circles of personal organization
Circle A: forward planning and priority setting
Circle B: self-organization
Further tools and ideas
Circle C: managing relationships and communication
Delegation
Conclusion
04 Effective business writing
Introduction
What we want to avoid
Your writing strategy
Action: making something happen
Structuring longer documents
Sitting down to write
Accuracy: spelling, grammar and punctuation
Conclusion
05 Presentation skills
Introduction
Do your homework
Choose your content
Structure your content
Prepare to present
Deliver your presentation
Deal with the unexpected
Answer questions
Conclusion
06 Meetings: making an effective contribution
Introduction
Before the meeting
Effective preparation
At the meeting
Participating in meetings effectively
Dealing with difficult people in meetings
After the meeting
Video and telephone meetings
Conclusion
07 Networking
Introduction
What is networking?
What is a network?
Planning your networking strategy
Developing your network -- places to meet
The networking event
What prevents us from networking?
Dealing with difficult people and situations
Managing your network and yourself
Measuring success -- evaluation
Conclusion
08 Negotiation skills
Introduction
Styles of negotiation
Principled negotiation
Preparing for a negotiation
Your negotiation toolkit
Tactics in negotiation
Completing a negotiation
Telephone negotiations
Conclusion
09 Team working
Introduction
Individual performance and motivation
Roles, relationships and groups
Teams
The life-cycle of a team
Effective team members
The team leader
Conclusion
10 Managing performance, setting objectives, maintaining momentum and responding to feedback
Introduction
The benchmark for good performance
Objectives
Maintaining momentum
Receiving feedback
Giving feedback
Performance reviews
Conclusion
11 Financial and commercial awareness
Introduction
Types of trading entities
The role of financial information within a business
Internal application of financial information: management accounts
External application of financial information: financial statements
The regulatory framework for statutory accounts
Interpreting the financial statements: assessing the financial health of a business
Conclusion
12 Behaving professionally
Introduction
Professional behaviour
Confidentiality
Conflicts of interest
Client care
Risk management
Conclusion
13 Where do you go from here?
Index"[T]he authors discuss basic financial information, plus how to network, negotiate, communicate, develop better speaking and writing skills, manage your time, conduct performance evaluations, and handle other aspects of professionalism. This manual provides basic, sound advice to help you manage any client-oriented business. getAbstract recommends this thorough, basic primer to anyone launching a client-first firm, or to beginners in professional services." getAbstract
Review
"[A] strong addition to business practices and skills collections, enthusiastically recommended." Library Bookwatch
Synopsis
Key Skills for Professionals will help you understand and develop the skills you need to be truly professional in a fiercely competitive environment. The areas covered in this book are useful not only to those qualifying for a profession but also for those people who are already working in a professional services business. Practising and demonstrating these skills effectively will help you in your day-to-day work, and could enhance your career progression.
Based on their knowledge, experience and expertise, the authors first explain the theory and applicability of each skill area and then provide practical and realistic advice as to how to apply those skills in the working environment on a daily basis. Each chapter explains appropriate management tools and theories in plain language using practical exercises, realistic and relevant case studies and tools for analysing self-awareness, communication styles, financial and commercial awareness and effective writing. The book also contains useful summaries and ideas for further reading.
Synopsis
Useful for both those entering a profession and those already working in a professional services business,
Key Skills for Professionals helps lawyers, accountants, tech developers and consultants acquire and develop the expertise needed to stand out in a fiercely competitive environment -- the world of professional services.
Skills covered include: advocacy and communication skills, client care, professional standards and financial and business skills.
The authors make use of realistic and relevant case studies based on their knowledge and experience, as well as management exercises, tools for analyzing self-awareness and communication styles. Summaries with ideas for further reading explain how to effectively implement the skills necessary to progress a career.
Synopsis
Ambitious new lawyers, consultants and accountants; anyone in the professional services who wishes to brush up existing skills
About the Author
Alan Pannett is CEO of Fresh, an award-winning provider of in-house learning and development to the legal profession.
Shalini Sequeira currently works as a consultant, with a focus on integrating learning and development consulting and legal consulting.Andrew Dines is a trainer working with law firms and law firm professionals. He supports the development of effective leadership, governance regimes and business plans.Andrew Day is a professional writer and an experienced trainer and manager.
Table of Contents
- Written for the highly-qualified, very competitive trainees who are battling for the few jobs available in professional services
- Includes case studies; practical management exercises and tools for analyzing self-awareness and communication styles