Even after knowing what they need to do to succeed and setting all the plans in place, most of the service firms get unfocused and the plans get pushed aside. Developing a strategy is not difficult however sticking on to the developed strategy is where most of the service firms fail.

The Secret to Success

Being an ex-Harvard Business School professor, Maister shared a story with us about how his nieces and nephews used to ask him, "Uncle David, what's the secret to doing well in college?"

Maister's response, "Go to class. Do the homework."

Now, this is not earth shattering advice. But what his nieces and nephews were looking for was not a secret to success, but a shortcut. Going to class and doing the homework is an obvious way to succeed in college; however, is not always easy. It involves resisting the short-term temptations college has to offer—parties, members of the opposite sex, sporting events, activity groups, etc.—for long-term success.

The point is—there is no shortcut to success. It is common sense. It is hard work. And, it takes commitment, time, and the ability to say "no" (even to those cannolis from Mike's Pastry).  
The same holds true when it comes to professional services firm strategies. Developing a strategy is not the difficult part. Most professional services firms employ smart people who can and do develop great strategic plans. The place where service firms fail is committing to the plan and seeing it through over the long-term.

According to Maister, "Strategy is saying no." It means choosing specific areas to focus on and choosing specific areas not to focus on. It is about saying "no" to:

• That piece of pizza when you are on a diet.
• The Monday night basketball game when you have an exam the next morning.
• That one cigarette when you are really stressed out.
• The new prospect that is a large company, ready to spend money, but is looking for services that are not core to your business.

Saying "no" is the difficult part. It involves short-term discomfort and sacrifice. It takes drive, determination, and discipline to overcome these short-term temptations and stick with the firm's "diet and exercise program." This may even mean turning away business that is not aligned with your strategy (and I know how much we all love doing that).

According to Maister, this takes "guts and courage to stick with the plan" and the "ability to say no to temptation."

So, go forth and stay focused on the strategic goals you've chosen and just say, "No." It will not be easy, but it is the only pathway to success.