Marvin Bower

“A firm's reputation is its most precious asset and must be guarded jealously.”

“We will not do anything we can't be proud of and that can't be published on the front page of The New York Times.”

“Decision-making is the primary function of a leader.”

“We are a profession, not a business. We're on a mission to help our clients succeed.”

“Character is the most important attribute of a professional.”

“We will only take on an engagement if we believe we can create value for the client substantially in excess of our professional fees.”

“The most important thing for a young man is to establish a creditable reputation, character.”

“The interest of the client is paramount.”

“We tell the truth as we see it.”

“We guard client confidences.”

“Professionalism is not a label you give yourself - it's a description you hope others will apply to you.”

“A fact-based, analytical approach to decision-making is fundamental.”

“A truly professional man will, in all his relationships, subordinate his own egotistical drives to the interests of his client, his profession, and his firm.”

“The will to manage is the inward drive to put in the time, the thought, the energy, and the action to make things happen.”

“High standards are a prerequisite of every professional.”

“There is no such thing as a business problem; there are only people problems.”

“Effective leaders build a company-wide state of mind, not just a set of procedures.”