How to Lead Your Fellow Rainmakers.

In most corporate settings, leaders are expected to inspire and direct employees—leading is something they do to followers. But in professional service firms, the situation is different. These firms tend to be full of powerful, opinionated experts who prize their autonomy. They don’t easily accept the role of follower—and may be just as unwilling to act as leaders. A leader’s authority is contingent upon their consent, which can be quickly withdrawn. In this context, leadership has to be a collective, not an individual, endeavor. It requires a grasp of three key dynamics: Establishing legitimacy. To be accepted by their peers, leaders have to keep demonstrating an ability to generate revenue. Maneuvering politically. Achieving consensus requires social astuteness and networking skill, and peers must believe the leader is acting in their interests. Negotiating perpetually. To strike a balance between asserting control and giving peers autonomy, leaders must always negotiate. These dynamics are both in flux and interconnected, and leaders have to constantly manage them. INSET: Guiding Principles for Leading in a Professional Service Firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]