What It Takes (PDF)

Expert insights on what sets the great professional firms apart
from all the rest

Having devoted a career that spans fifty years to consulting
with and studying professional firms in the Americas, Asia, and
Europe, author Charles Ellis learned firsthand how difficult it is
for an organization to go beyond very good and attain, as well as
sustain, excellence. Now, he shares his hard-won insights with you
and reveals "what it takes" to be best-in-class in any
industry.

Enlightening and entertaining, What It Takes explores
firms that are leaders in their particular field and the superior
people who create and maintain them. Along the way, it identifies
the secrets of their long-term success and reveals exactly how they
can put your organization in a better position to excel when
properly executed.

* Contains many stories of achieving excellence, and addresses
the obstacles that top-ranking organizations face in sustaining
it

* Includes insights on leaders in their particular
field--from McKinsey & Company in consulting and Cravath,
Swaine & Moore in law to the Mayo Clinic in healthcare

* Written by one of the most experienced and respected business
consultants/advisors of our time

What It Takes skillfully shows you how innovation and a
commitment to excellence can drive success, while also revealing
how easy it is to fall behind. With it, you'll discover what
separates the great firms from the good ones and learn how to
attain, and maintain, organizational success throughout the
years.