Quotes from David Maister

Believe passionately in what you do, and never knowingly compromise your standards and values. Act like a true professional, aiming for true excellence, and the money will follow.

I will accept your influence, guidance and direction if (and only if) I believe that you and I share similar goals.

I will not accept your guidance and critique unless you are supportive and nurturing. On the other hand, you need to be continually demanding.

Professional is not a label you give yourself - it's a description you hope others will apply to you.

Left untended, knowledge and skill, like all assets, depreciate in value surprisingly quickly.

Success comes from doing what you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, how can it be called success?

What you do with your billable time determines your current income, but what you do with your non-billable time determines your future.

The noble path does win but only if you are prepared to make the investment over a long period of time.

Your task as a leader is to help others to succeed, not to strive only for your own success. If I don't trust your motives, nothing else will matter -because my primary concern is your integrity.

Focus on being the best you can at what you want to do.

What do I have to do to earn and deserve the key relationships that are going to get me where I want to go?

If your clients aren't actively telling their friends about you, maybe your work isn't as great as you think it is.

More than any other factor, it is the people we have to deal with that determine the quality of our work lives.

The courage to care about your people, your clients, and your career.