As entry barriers rapidly disappear, competition is accelerating and reshaping the business landscape for professional service firms. Navigating this continual change successfully requires extraordinary leadership abilities. This professional service firm management program provides the frameworks you need to develop and retain talent, deliver outstanding client service, and build a flexible corporate culture that can exploit disruptive innovation and market trends.
As entry barriers rapidly disappear, competition is accelerating and reshaping the business landscape for professional service firms. Navigating this continual change successfully requires extraordinary leadership abilities. This professional service firm management program provides the frameworks you need to develop and retain talent, deliver outstanding client service, and build a flexible corporate culture that can exploit disruptive innovation and market trends.
Key Benefits
In this intensive program led by multidisciplinary HBS faculty, you will expand your ability to satisfy clients and motivate staff, build a strong vision and implement an effective strategy, and employ the fiscal discipline to maintain a sound bottom line and maximize enterprise value.
In this intensive program led by multidisciplinary HBS faculty, you will expand your ability to satisfy clients and motivate staff, build a strong vision and implement an effective strategy, and employ the fiscal discipline to maintain a sound bottom line and maximize enterprise value.
Details
Design and implement effective strategies that drive growth and profit
Differentiate your firm in the context of new competitors and market trends
Sharpen core competencies to deliver maximum value to your clients
Maintain strategic and operational alignment and focus through business ebbs and flows
Attract, develop, and retain talented professionals
Foster both organizational success and individual achievement
Create an intimate, flexible culture that is inclusive, supportive, and collegial
Help professionals manage rising expectations, remain productive, and grow throughout their careers
Develop leaders at all levels of your organization
Become a more effective, impactful leader
Implement meaningful governance, decision-making, performance approaches, and metrics
Optimize the use of your time and energy, achieve work-life balance, and help your colleagues to do the same
Communicate your vision and strategy effectively and inspire others to realize their potential
Expand your personal and professional network
Extend your network by living and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges and career decisions
Who Should Attend
Leaders who define and execute strategy for firms and organizations that provide services and who serve in roles such as chief executive officer, general manager, principal, partner, or head of an office, business unit, or practice
Participants may be responsible for accounting, architecture and engineering, marketing and advertising, venture capital, investment banking, software development, technical systems integration or law firm management, or may represent a hospital or university
May also be suitable for: Past participants who attended the program before 2017, when the curriculum was substantially revised and expanded
Dive Deeper into the Experience
Inside the Classroom
See how exchange with faculty and peers yields new insights into critical business trends.
Leaders who define and execute strategy for firms and organizations that provide services and who serve in roles such as chief executive officer, general manager, principal, partner, or head of an office, business unit, or practice
Participants may be responsible for accounting, architecture and engineering, marketing and advertising, venture capital, investment banking, software development, technical systems integration or law firm management, or may represent a hospital or university
May also be suitable for: Past participants who attended the program before 2017, when the curriculum was substantially revised and expanded
Dive Deeper into the Experience
Inside the Classroom
See how exchange with faculty and peers yields new insights into critical business trends.
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.
Admissions Criteria and Process
We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional achievement and organizational responsibilities.
Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals. Contact a program advisor via email or call 1.800.427.5577 (outside the U.S., call +1.617.495.6555).
Application Submission
We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1.617.495.6226.
Application Review
To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals. No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.
We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional achievement and organizational responsibilities.
Answering Your Questions
Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals. Contact a program advisor via email or call 1.800.427.5577 (outside the U.S., call +1.617.495.6555).
Application Submission
We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1.617.495.6226.
Application Review
To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals. No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.
What You Will Learn
Your rich learning experience will include multidisciplinary faculty presentations, case studies, and individual and group exercises. Through an intensive and comprehensive curriculum, you will examine the strategic challenges that have transformed the essence of client service, while exploring best practices for developing, governing, and growing a profitable service firm.
During the program, you will develop a personal case based on a specific challenge facing your service organization. After presenting your case and discussing potential actions with peers and faculty, you will leave with a plan you can implement immediately.
Your rich learning experience will include multidisciplinary faculty presentations, case studies, and individual and group exercises. Through an intensive and comprehensive curriculum, you will examine the strategic challenges that have transformed the essence of client service, while exploring best practices for developing, governing, and growing a profitable service firm.
During the program, you will develop a personal case based on a specific challenge facing your service organization. After presenting your case and discussing potential actions with peers and faculty, you will leave with a plan you can implement immediately.
Why are so many firms about 30 years behind in their appreciation of human capital and talent management?
What are the warning signs of talent problems?
What is your talent strategy—where are you going and how will you get there?
How can you employ big data and artificial intelligence in recruiting and managing talent?
How are compensation models changing—and what does that mean for your organization?
Managing teams
How do you get individual contributors to work effectively in teams?
What is the difference between visible and hidden teams—and why does it matter?
How do you leverage your time and energy more effectively when managing others?
How can you be more effective and also have a life outside of work?
Managing attrition
How should you respond to poor engagement scores?
Is it enough that your engagement scores remain the same?
Are you avoiding the tough conversations that you need to have?
Leading with impact
What does it mean to be an authentic leader?
Would your team choose you as their boss?
How can you make a difference in the lives of the people you lead? How will that affect their leadership style and the future of the firm?
How will you lead change? Can you really change yourself, an organization, and an industry? Why do smart professionals resist change?
Professional service firms and governance
Why are partnerships being used more often as organizing and governing structures?
How has global firm management changed over the past few decades?
Special sessions
An in-depth look at the major challenges and opportunities facing the global economy
A hands-on exercise in exploring the assumptions that executives make when communicating without enough information
A deep dive into the latest strategies in digital marketing, social media, and direct mail
The HBS Advantage
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Program content, dates, fees, and faculty are subject to change. In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.
Professors DeLong and Fubini examine the issues facing today's firms.
