Leading global consultant, business author, A-list blogger and podcaster David Maister presents a podcast of highlights from his speaking engagements covering his four main topic areas: Strategy, Management, Client Relations, and Careers.
Strategy and the Fat Smoker
Preeminent business author and global consultant David Maister presents this enhanced podcast series exploring the themes found in his new book Strategy and the Fat Smoker. Each episode is accompanied by a supplementary pdf discussing the related chapter from David's new book.
As a new feature to my podcast, I will be including a link to the executive summary of each chapter of my book as a pdf. I encourage you to forward these to friends and colleagues who may be interested in the materials covered in this series.
TITLE | TIME |
Passion, People and Principles | (08:27) |
This summative episode focuses on the importance of Passion, People and Principles for the individual professional as well as the entire firm.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:36 – Introduction
00:50 – Passion, People, and Principles
03:02 – People
04:05 – Principles
06:54 – Conclusion
chapter summaryTITLE | TIME |
The Chief Executive’s Speech | (14:00) |
In this episode, we will examine a speech that was written for a newly titled CEO. We will see how these executives can take the first step in leading firm wide accountability and forward momentum.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:35 – Introduction
01:00 – On goals vs. strategy
02:24 – The values and principles of the CEO
03:32 – On the role of the partner
08:57 – On accountability
09:33 – On evaluations
10:00 – On managers
11:30 – On clients
11:59 – On my style
TITLE | TIME |
The Trouble with Lawyers | (24:48) |
What in law firm culture differentiates itself from virtually any other type of firm in the realms of management, collaboration and relationship building? In this episode, we explore what makes law firms different and what can be done to improve the s
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:35 – Introduction
01:29 – The difference in law firms
02:23 – The problem of trust
08:27 – Skepticism about ideology, values, and principles
12:03 – Professional detachment
15:34 – Approaches to decision making
19:24 – What can be done?
TITLE | TIME |
Managing The Multidimensional Organization | (17:30) |
Internal collaboration becomes increasingly difficult as a firm grows and diversifies. We will look at some of the issues that come up and some possible solutions.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:34 – Introduction
01:09 – The complexity of modern professional organizations
04:19 – Examine Structure, Process, People
05:01 – Choose the right group leaders
07:54 – Establish mandates for each group
11:25 – Clarify agreements within the groups
13:03 – Recognize shifting priorities in structural design
15:16 – Moving forward
TITLE | TIME |
The One-Firm Firm Revisited | (34:10) |
This episode revisits five firms named in a 1985 article entitled “The One-Firm Firm”. We will discuss the differences in these firms and the pertinence of the article 23 years on.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:35 – Introduction
01:47 – The changing landscape and the adapted firm
03:18 – What is it?
06:09 – The Warlord Model
08:38 – Twenty-Two Years On
13:08 – The Role of Leadership
15:33 – Size and Growth
17:15 – The Role of Selective Recruiting
18:43 – Alumni Management
21:11 – The Role of Lateral Hiring
23:30 – The Role of Compensation Schemes
25:18 – Review: The Importance of Trust and Loyalty
29:43 – The Stress of Boom Times on The One-firm Firm
32:37 – Summary
TITLE | TIME |
Selecting A Leader: Do We Know What We Want? | (14:45) |
Often, the guidelines an organization sets for what it expected of its managers are unclear at best. This episode focuses on setting non-ambiguous, non-contradictory standards for selecting leaders.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:37 – Introduction
01:20 – Contradictory expectations
05:02 – A diagnostic tool
11:07 – Using the tool
13:46 – Summary
TITLE | TIME |
Accountability: Effective Managers Go First | (23:40) |
Often, management neglects its own stake in the betterment of the organization as a whole. We will look into ways that managers can become accountable for their own work and improvement and serve as an example to the whole of the organization.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:37 – Intro
01:03 – Accountability in action
04:52 – A specific recommendation
10:02 – The benefits
TITLE | TIME |
A Natural Manager | (17:42) |
In this episode we will examine the intuitive managerial approach of Jerry Labbate and clarify the lessons you can take to maximize your managerial effectiveness.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:36 – Introduction
01:31 – A brief professional history
02:45 – Essential hiring practices
06:40 – The importance of clarity in employee training
09:00 – Structuring monthly meetings with the team
11:25 – Dealing with underperformers
13:45 – What are the lessons?
TITLE | TIME |
A Great Coach in Action | (24:22) |
The key to great coaching lies in a persons ability get another to commit to goals on their own terms. This episode looks into ensuring that those in managerial roles have the attitudes, skills, and behaviors of a skilled coach.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:37 – Introduction
01:13 – An example of a great coach in action
05:29 – The lessons
22:26 – Last thoughts
TITLE | TIME |
Why Most Training is Useless | (20:36) |
Too often, companies look to training as a stand-alone solution for behavioral changes in their employees. However, training is a wonderful last step in a committed process towards a common goal, but an almost useless first step.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:35 – Introduction
00:42 – Training is no quick-fix
02:08 – Choosing managers and implementing training
04:31 – The keynote speech
10:04 – The hard business of making change
14:46 – The correct approach to training
19:42 – Summary
TITLE | TIME |
Tyrants, Energizers and Cynics | (17:28) |
With so many approaches an organization can take to management, only one of these approaches will, in the long run, produce enduring profitability and abundant business generation. Why are so few firms willing to invest the time?
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:33 – Introduction
00:44 – The evolution of short sightedness
01:40 – Tyrants
05:22 – Energizers
08:39 – Cynics
13:45 – Short-term thinkers: The enabling factor
TITLE | TIME |
Doing It for the Money | (18:58) |
The basis for any successful marketing effort is the ability of the provider to convince the buyer that they are truly interested in them and are genuinely trying to help. This is however, rarely the focus of marketing discussions within any firm.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:39 – Introduction
01:40 – No quick fixes
06:34 – What’s wrong with “do it for the money”?
09:50 – Promoting enthusiastic involvement in business development
14:02 – Transactions vs. relationships in culture and rewards systems
TITLE | TIME |
The Friendship Strategy | (20:48) |
Trusting relationships in business are built on the same formulae as trusting relationships in personal life. We will look into some of the cues one can take from personal life to enhance ones professional standing.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:14 – Introduction
00:43 – Understanding business relationships through personal life
02:03 – Conversation and trust
06:54 – Socializing in business relations
10:21 – How do they feel about you?
15:30 – Being supportive
18:30 – Initiate relationships
TITLE | TIME |
Do You Really Want Relationships? | (27:22) |
The Fat Smoker Syndrome, the inability to do the things we know will help us accomplish our long-term goals, finds no better illustration than in the area of client relations. We will look into different types of client relations and relative merits of
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:39 – Introduction
02:28 – The benefits of trusting relationships
07:44 – Relationship building within the firm
10:10 – Relationships vs. Transactions pt.1
14:36 – Special Announcement: The “Give A Copy To Management” Campaign.
15:06 – Relationships vs. Transactions pt.2
16:17 – Expert or Advisor: Which are you and which do you seek?
23:11 – Converting the firm.
TITLE | TIME |
What's Our Deal? | (25:36) |
For any organization to achieve a unified, forward momentum, it must first have a solid set of rules and goals for its members to agree upon. We will discuss a number of integrating concepts aimed at getting all players on the same page.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:42 – Introduction
01:38 – A hierarchy of concepts
03:44 – The importance of purpose
08:35 – Management and commitment: The key to a mobile organization
11:44 – Will they follow you?
16:38 – No final whistle: excellence into the indefinite future
19:05 – Revisiting values over time
21:40 – Creating rules of decision making
23:26 – Conclusion
TITLE | TIME |
Are We In This Together? | (21:20) |
Firm-wide strategy often assumes firm-wide consensus. However, it is rarely the case that all players within any given firm are team oriented. We will discuss some of the widely held player preferences and prescribe alternatives in dealing with them.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:37 – Introduction
04:23 – 4 types of individual and firm wide practice preferences
09:00 – Are we in this together?
11:13 – Bridging the gap: organizational strategies managing a broad range of preferences
17:23 – Conclusion
TITLE | TIME |
It's Not How Good You Are, But How Much You Want It | (16:46) |
A career path is rarely a series of logical steps towards resulting in an ultimate goal, but is more often a series of experiments seen through by the drive and determination to find the next challenge. We will explore this principle in this podcast.
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:43 – Introduction
00:51 – A brief recount of my early career choices
06:11 – Finding your passion is sometimes a very long search
11:09 – Lifelong drive and determination: The key ingredients in career success
12:48 – Rebounding from failure and renewing efforts
15:34 – Conclusion
TITLE | TIME |
Strategy Means Saying No | (17:14) |
One of the hardest things for a professional to do is to turn down work and everyone has an excuse as to why they shouldn’t. We will learn why the refusal of work that is contrary to your strategy is essential to building a distinguished and special
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:40 – Strategy is deciding whose business you are going to turn away
02:40 – Wickham Skinner’s concept of the focused factory
05:10 – Courage: The only competitive advantage
08:06 – Excuses And Risk Aversion
12:04 – Managing for the Strategy Not The Cash
TITLE | TIME |
Strategy and the Fat Smoker | (19:08) |
A strategy, like any other lifestyle altering decision, requires the discipline stick to the plan. Without this determination, most strategic planning is a complete waste of time. We will discuss the tools necessary to do what is obvious but not easy
NOTES FOR THE EPISODE:
00:43 – Strategic planning and New Years resolutions
02:32 –Future rewards require immediate sacrifice
05:00 –The only meaningful debate is: Which diet are you really ready to get on.
16:48 – Conclusion: The total company for a better tomorrow
