Articles
Explore over 350 articles that will help you grow your client relationships and improve your personal effectiveness.
The Most Powerful Relationship Commandment
Steve Pfeiffer had just stepped down as chairman of one of the largest law firms in the United States, Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright). Elected and reelected three times by his partners, he served three terms as chairman over ten years. Why was Steve Pfeiffer reelected so many times? Leadership. He’s smart and […]
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How to Transform a Relationship
On November 25th, 2008, Citigroup executive James Bardrick stepped off his plane at the Mumbai airport in India. At the time, he was co-head of Citigroup’s banking business for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. His keen intellect, easy way with people, and fierce client devotion had propelled him rapidly up the corporate ladder at one […]
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A Magical Way to Get Trust
It was a perfect evening. I still remember it vividly nearly twenty years later. My wife and I were sitting at a table for two at one of the most talked-about restaurants in Paris. You could just spy the Eiffel Tower out of one of the windows, lit up against a dark sky. The moon […]
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Clients Speak: How a Lack of Empathy Destroyed a Relationship and Scorched the Earth for Ten Years
Years ago, I moderated a panel discussion about trusted business advisors. I interviewed three senior executives who were chosen because they had spent a lifetime selecting and hiring professional advisors and suppliers of all types. The audience consisted of the senior bankers from a prestigious global investment bank. My first question for the panel was, […]
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The Essential Starting Point for any Relationship
Your starting point for building a powerful relationship is always the other person’s agenda. An agenda embraces someone’s goals, but it’s even broader. To highlight how important this is, let me introduce you to Richard Major. Richard taught me a lesson I’ll never forget about understanding agendas. Richard is a senior executive at his company, […]
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How Do Your Clients and Friends Reflect on You?
Recently, NJ Governor Chris Christie and Dr. Ben Carson both endorsed Donald Trump as a republican presidential candidate. I strive to see positive qualities in everyone, regardless of whether I share all of their beliefs and views. Christie’s and Carson’s endorsement of Trump, however, has pretty much obliterated any esteem I (and many others!) had […]
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Evolving Your Songs: The Beatles Principles – #1
Innovation at the Intersections Sir George Martin, the Beatles’ producer, passed away this week (see NY Times Obituary here). He was a gifted classical musician who did an extraordinary job of drawing out the Beatles’ innate musical ability and creativity while also providing some structure and guidance for their song writing. He was also the only […]
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What Do Gravitational Waves and Money Have in Common?
Scientists recently proved that gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein in 1915, actually exist. The great physicist believed they would never be detected because they are so faint. But new technology has allowed their measurement. These gravitational waves, which were created by the collision of two black holes a billion years ago, distort the fabric of […]
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