Why Do Investment Managers Sound Alike?

You are giving a new business presentation, and it seems to be going well. But suddenly a key decision-maker leans forward and asks, with sharp skepticism: That’s all well and good. But tell us, please, what makes your firm any different from the other firms...

A Tale of Two Strangers

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.”*―Philo of Alexandria Two asset management firms were competing for a sizable investment mandate—a piece of business significant not merely in terms of revenues, but also for what it would mean in enhanced...

The Soul of Wit Revisited

Brevity will always be “the soul of wit” (Hamlet). In the modern world, brevity also has become a scarce and highly valued form of courtesy. In final presentations, or in client and consultant meetings, representatives of investment management firms...

Know Your Audience—The Professor

“The presentation is yours to lose,” an investment company was told going into a finals presentation. The presenters had every reason to feel confident. The performance numbers were excellent, and the company had recently hired a presentation coach* to...

Bedside Manners for Client Service Professionals

The following excerpt from Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is reprinted with permission from the author, Malcolm Gladwell. Mr. Gladwell’s exploration of why doctors are or are not sued for malpractice offers invaluable lessons for investment...