1. HIGH PERFORMANCE FIRMS
Sam: Mixed firms
HIGH PERFORMANCE FIRMS
Overview for Non-Attendees

2. WELCOME! Welcome to High Performance Firms!
While you did not attend the first workshop, your implementation team did and is excited to share what they learned.
This is a journey that will forever change your firm and your career.
Sam: Mixed firms

3. TODAY’S OBJECTIVES
To explain what the program is and why your firm decided to sign up for the HPF journey.
To help you understand what this means for you and your team.
To help you choose how best to engage in the program.
Sam: Mixed firms

4. High Performance Firms is a progressive, two-year program for leaders of firms. It is designed to help your firm stop going through the motions of change and transform the firm’s vision, culture and processes, so your firm not only gets on the path to high performance, but makes the changes needed to stay on that path.
Sam: Mixed firms

5. Please know that the path to becoming a high performance firm is most likely a five to six year journey for most firms.
Sam: Mixed firms

6. The progress you’ll see in the next two years will be measurable, significant, real, and rewarding.
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7. WHAT IS HIGH PERFORMANCE?
We’re convinced that any firm can become a high performance firm. Why?
Because high performance isn’t about size, location, practice areas, employee headcount, or number of offices.  
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8. WHAT IS HIGH PERFORMANCE?
High performance is about everyone in the firm being passionate about doing better. Not once in a while or once a week, but every day.
It’s about recognizing that mere belief or hope or desire won’t get you there. It isn’t just about doing high performance things, it’s about becoming high performance.
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9. WHAT IS HIGH PERFORMANCE?
High performance is about process improvement. It’s about believing there really are best practices and then relentlessly pursuing and embracing them.
It’s about getting on and staying on the path of continuous improvement. It’s far more about a journey than a destination.
Sam: Mixed firms

10. WHAT IS HIGH PERFORMANCE?
So what does high performance look like?
We think of high performance in terms of attributes and areas of discipline. Here are the attributes we’ve observed in high performance firms.
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11. HIGH PERFORMANCE FIRM ATTRIBUTES
Passionate about continuous improvement
Shared belief that problems can be solved
Absence of artificial harmony
A compelling, shared vision that excites every firm member
Ability to think and act strategically
Proven ability to set and reach stretch goals that align with vision and strategy
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12. HIGH PERFORMANCE FIRM ATTRIBUTES
Passionate about exceptional service and ability to deliver it consistently
A strong culture of self-accountability
Ability to work together as team members in an atmosphere of mutual respect
A “leave nothing to chance” approach to achieving anything of significance
A strong business development culture
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13. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
High performance firms are excellent in each of these six areas of discipline.
We will address each of these six areas over the next two years.
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14. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
LEADERSHIP
Firm Governance
Partner Meetings
Partner Unity/Teamwork
Succession Planning Process
Non-negotiable Performance/Behavior Standards
Tolerance for Known Weaknesses
Culture
Vision/Strategy
Partner Compensation Process
Sam: Mixed firms

15. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Average Partner Income
A/R over 60 Days
Top Line Growth
WIP over 30 Days
Retention % of Top Performers
% of Top Performers
Sam: Mixed firms

16. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
PARTNER EFFECTIVENESS
Partner Review
Partner Goal Setting
Partner Accountability
Optimizing Partner Horsepower
Knowledge Transfer Process
New Partner Training
Partners as Experts
Sam: Mixed firms

17. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Bench Strength Process
Meaningful Evaluations and Career Planning
Rapid Skill Development
Staff Mix
New Partner Selection Process
Connection and Commitment to Vision and Strategy
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18. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
CLIENT MANAGEMENT
Client Classification
Proactive Client Plans for A/B Clients
Continuous Improvement of Service Offerings
Raving Fans Strategy
Client Upgrading
Payment Expectation Process
Sam: Mixed firms

19. HPF AREAS OF DISCIPLINE
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Business Development Results Tracking
Business Development Culture
Rainmaker in Training Process
Optimizing Rainmakers
Client Screening and Acceptance
Niche Development Process
Cross Servicing Plan
RFP Process

20. THE JOURNEY TO HPF ISN’T EASY
“The primary reason we do not work at areas in which we know we need to improve is that the rewards (and pleasures) are in the future; the disruption, discomfort and discipline needed to get there are immediate.”
David H. Maister
Sam: Mixed firms

21. BID FAREWELL TO “TSOH”
One of the most important things you will need to abandon to have success on the journey to becoming a high performance firm is “the strategy of hope.”
Sam: Mixed firms

22. WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
Workshop 1: Vision & Strategy, Financial Metrics and Partner Alignment
Workshop 2: Strategic Team Member Alignment
Workshop 3: Providing Amazing Client Service
Workshop 4: Developing a Culture of Business Development
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23. HPF TOOLS
We will provide you with the tools, documents and training needed to implement the processes and best practices learned at each workshop.
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24. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRINCIPLES
In each of the four workshops, we introduce key principles that are vital to your firm’s journey.
A principle is a tenet, an anchor, an enduring truth that can guide you in making decisions. It has been our observation that good things consistently happen when principles are followed.
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25. PRINCIPLE EXAMPLE
Fewer things accomplished at an exceptional level will always yield better results than many things done at a mediocre level.
Counsel: Focus more on the quality of the things you do than on the quantity. Abandon your tolerance for doing things at a mediocre level.
Sam: Mixed firms

26. JDIs
Some performance factors are short-term fixes that will drive immediate results. We call these JDIs – Just Do Its.

27. SOs
Other performance factors are the result of making longer term investments to improve outcomes and change the nature of your practice. We refer to these as SOs – Strategic Outcomes.

28. WHY OUR FIRM? Good enough isn't good enough anymore.
Growth is great if your growing something that is healthy.
We don’t want the next recession to affect us the way the last one did.
Our people deserve it.
Our clients deserve it.
Sam: Mixed firms

29. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME
Anytime there is a shift in the direction of a firm, everyone must reassess their role and their desire to continue to contribute in a new and positive manner.
Sam: Mixed firms

30. ROWERS, THROWERS, AND SITTERS
Individuals in a firm (including partners) generally fall into one of three categories:
ROWERS
THROWERS
SITTERS
Sam

31. ROWERS Spirited commitment to the firm’s success
Anxious to grab an oar and move the firm forward
Open to new ideas and most changes
Sam: One firm

32. THROWERS Generally a barrier to progress Willing to fight most changes
Anxious to throw out anchors to stop or slow down changes
Sam: One firm

33. SITTERS Generally willing to sit on the fence
Slow, but willing to adopt most changes
At times they are willing to be team players, but definitely not leaders
Sam: One firm

34. HOW DO I ENGAGE?
“I don’t understand why the implementation team is so excited about changing how we do everything. It sounds like a lot of work.”
Accepting that the new direction is going to provide you with a highly efficient, client-centric path to success allows you to learn a new way of serving clients.
Sam: Mixed firms

35. Questions or Comments? info@upstreamacademy.com
Sam: Mixed firms