4 Keys to Excellence

In the mid-80s, Tom Peters published arguably one of the most influential business books ever, In Search of Excellence. Tom defined eight characteristics of excellent companies:

• a bias for action 
• staying close to the customer 
• autonomy and entrepreneurship 
• productivity through people 
• clear and compelling organizational values 
• focusing on what you do best 
• operating with a lean staff 
• finding a balance between having enough structure without getting stuck in it 

While for the most part, these eight characteristics still hold true today, the business world has changed a little (OK, a lot) in the last 30 years. At RSM we take excellence seriously – it’s one of our core values. And I’d say four characteristics of excellence that Peters listed really stand out for us:

Staying close to the customer

For RSM, building enduring relationships with our clients is key. Effective communication and generous listening enables our clients to truly be understood. By continuously developing these relationships, we become true business advisors and assist our clients with achieving their goals.

Focusing on what you do best

At RSM, we are focused on being the first-choice advisor to middle market leaders. This laser focus allows us to be the best at what we do and bring tremendous value to our clients. By staying focused, we are able to be the leading firm serving the middle market.

Having clear and compelling organizational values

At RSM, our five core values drive everything we do. We live these values every day and that makes RSM a great place to work.

• Respect
• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Excellence
• Stewardship

Autonomy and entrepreneurship

At RSM our professionals have the autonomy to work when and where works best for them and their clients. And an entrepreneurial spirit is one of key qualities we look for when bringing new people into the firm – someone who is always looking for opportunities to improve themselves and positively impact their clients’ businesses.