Books

As well as showcasing our latest thinking through articles, roundtables and conferences, members of the Meridian West team have authored books on various aspects of professional services strategy, marketing and leadership.

Professional Services Leadership Handbook: How to lead a professional services firm in a new age of competitive disruption

Co-authored by Alastair Beddow and Ben Kent with Adrian Furner and Nigel Clark

Reviews

“It is not uncommon to be elected or appointed to a leadership post without a real understanding of the many challenges that the role will throw up, and with little support on hand to guide you along.

The Professional Services Leadership Handbook will be a lifesaver for people in this situation.

Based on the authors’ collective professional and personal experiences, it is written in a clear and entertaining style with lots of invaluable practical advice.”

Anne-Marie PiperSenior Partner, Farrer & Co

“The Professional Services Leadership Handbook is really interesting, hugely practical and a thoroughly good read. Professionals entering the unfamiliar world of leadership will find clear, readable and entertaining advice, peppered with insights from firm leaders. The “how to” approach to knotty issues such as strategy, profitability and client focus is particularly helpful, as is the focus on you as a leader and how you can develop the right skills and mind-set. If you are a leader, or you want to be one, keep this book close, as it will be an invaluable companion. I wish it had been written twenty years ago!”

Nick Holtformer Managing Partner, KLegal

A practical guide for leaders and aspiring leaders to help them address the common leadership challenges, and to meet the challenge of industry disruption head-on.

Using insights drawn from experienced professional services leaders, the book explores new models and working practices to address four components of strategic leadership: business, people, client and self leadership.

Professional Services Marketing Handbook: How to build relationships, grow your firm and become a client champion

contributing authors Alastair Beddow and Ben Kent

Featuring international case studies and best practice from industry leaders and experts such as Allen & Overy, Baker & McKenzie, Kreston Reeves and White & Case, Professional Services Marketing Handbook explains how to become a complete client champion – the voice of the client – to both shape and deliver a firm’s client solution and experience. It helps marketers develop a growth strategy for their firm, understand and connect with clients more deeply and develop and manage client relationships to build successful brands.

The Professional’s Guide to Business Development: How to win business in the professional services

by Stephen Newton

The ability to ascertain, quickly and accurately, what drives your customer’s decisions and to respond to their needs is critical in differentiating you from your competitors. If you can do these things well, you will win more business from both new and existing clients. This book gives you a repeatable and scalable methodology to achieve this.

Success as a Coach: Start and build a successful coaching practice

by Stephen Newton

A complete guide to business development whether you’re newly qualified or an experienced coach. It covers all the crucial factors that will help you build your clients and your business including: finding the right clients; extending your professional network; planning and running meetings; delivering value for the client; calculating fees; structuring and delivering sessions; structuring your business; strategic client leadership and systematically growing your business.