--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not enough for a professional to be…" description: "\"“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful. David”\" — David H. Maister" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg" --- # It is not enough for a professional to be right: An… ![“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful. David” quote by David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg) > ““It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful. David”” [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional correctness isn’t enough; advisors must also provide practical, useful guidance. **In simple terms:** Being right isn’t sufficient; be helpful too. Key Takeaway Focus on usefulness, not just accuracy. Themes service effectiveness professionalism Mood practical insightful Type professional advisory When to use this quote - consulting meetings - client presentations - team briefings Key Concepts advice client relations utility Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your advice is truly helpful? - What metrics define helpfulness in your field? A Different Perspective Being helpful can be subjective and hard to measure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advisor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advisor/) ## Related quotes > [“in David’s life is helpful for us. David, as flawed as he was, received”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-okechukwu-ogbonnaya/in-david-s-life-is-helpful-for-us-david-as-flawed-as-he-was-received/) A. Okechukwu Ogbonnaya > [I never dreamed I would want to be or become a financial advisor,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-aames/i-never-dreamed-i-would-want-to-be-or-become-a-financial-advisor/) [Willie Aames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-aames/) > [“HSPs tend to fill that advisor role. We are the writers, historians, philosophers, judges, artists, researchers, theologians, therapists, teachers, parents, and plain conscientious citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/hsps-tend-to-fill-that-advisor-role-we-are-the-writers-historians/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [Many financial advisors recommend that you diversify for your own protection. What they fail to tell you is that it is also for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/many-financial-advisors-recommend-that-you-diversify-for-your-own/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Usually when reporting on powerful public figures, the press advisor and I would have had a conversation that established what journalists call 'ground rules,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/usually-when-reporting-on-powerful-public-figures-the-press-advisor/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“The aim of a PhD's to ensure that no one, including your advisor, understands what you're doing after the first couple of years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/the-aim-of-a-phd-s-to-ensure-that-no-one-including-your-advisor/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Are you a devious, plotting, unreliable madman? Ah, good, then you can be my most trusted advisor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/are-you-a-devious-plotting-unreliable-madman-ah-good-then-you-can-be/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Sometimes, the best advisor is one that serves as a sounding board for his commander’s thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-v-larson/sometimes-the-best-advisor-is-one-that-serves-as-a-sounding-board-for/) [B.V. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-v-larson/) > [I was talking to my spiritual advisor. I got a letter from somebody who said that they were about to kill themselves, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-friedman/i-was-talking-to-my-spiritual-advisor-i-got-a-letter-from-somebody/) [David Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-friedman/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Recently, my personal advisors have been telling me to go to America. Actually, people have been walking up to me in the street and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/recently-my-personal-advisors-have-been-telling-me-to-go-to-america/) [Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/) > [Abe Foxman has been a friend and advisor of mine for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/abe-foxman-has-been-a-friend-and-advisor-of-mine-for-a-long-time/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [You dont need to take advice from somebody. Wait for your time, it is the best advisor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/you-dont-need-to-take-advice-from-somebody-wait-for-your-time-it-is/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“In fact, it is virtually impossible for students to do their own research without someone guiding their work. Having an advisor is absolutely essential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-frenkel/in-fact-it-is-virtually-impossible-for-students-to-do-their-own/) [Edward Frenkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-frenkel/) > [“In short, a strong royal advisor class insists on stopping and thinking. And it tries, I think with growing success in modern times, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/in-short-a-strong-royal-advisor-class-insists-on-stopping-and/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) ## More by David H. Maister > [“Advisors who rate the highest on reliability will not just deliver their work on time and on spec. Nor will they simply be consistent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/advisors-who-rate-the-highest-on-reliability-will-not-just-deliver/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“Make sure you’ve done absolutely all your homework on the client company, the client marketplace, and the client individual, and that it’s absolutely up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/make-sure-you-ve-done-absolutely-all-your-homework-on-the-client/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“Speak with expression, not monotonically. Use body language, eye contact, and vocal range. Show the client you have energy around the subject at hand. 5.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/speak-with-expression-not-monotonically-use-body-language-eye-contact/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“A good rule to remember is that, in relationships, there are no win-lose or lose-win combinations: There are only win-wins and lose-loses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/a-good-rule-to-remember-is-that-in-relationships-there-are-no-win/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“Fig. 8.2. Trust Realms The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/fig-8-2-trust-realms-the/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“Review agendas with your client, before meetings, before phone calls, before discussions. Clients should know that they can expect you to always solicit their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/review-agendas-with-your-client-before-meetings-before-phone-calls/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“The attitude of exclusive professionalism (which restricts the label of professionalism to the advisor) manifests itself in a number of dysfunctional ways. It reinforces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/the-attitude-of-exclusive-professionalism-which-restricts-the-label/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“There are dangers in this model of succumbing to “committee-itis.” If too many people are jointly responsible for the execution of firm business, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/there-are-dangers-in-this-model-of-succumbing-to-committee-itis-if/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“The biggest leverage for reliability enhancement probably lies in the emotional realm. The more a provider can do to understand and relate to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/the-biggest-leverage-for-reliability-enhancement-probably-lies-in-the/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“while most providers sell on the basis of technical competence, most buyers buy on the basis of emotion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/while-most-providers-sell-on-the-basis-of-technical-competence-most/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“Make specific commitments to your client around small things: getting that article by tomorrow, placing the call, writing the draft by Monday, looking up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/make-specific-commitments-to-your-client-around-small-things-getting/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“In early Greek society, particularly in Athens, democracy meant the equivalent of a permanent town meeting—all decisions of consequence were made in public assembly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/in-early-greek-society-particularly-in-athens-democracy-meant-the/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“By starting with caring (working from the inside out), we open ourselves to possibilities and become willing to go where the client will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/by-starting-with-caring-working-from-the-inside-out-we-open-ourselves/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“Sincerity, the way we usually mean it, has to do with intentions; we assume it comes from within. But our clients have no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/sincerity-the-way-we-usually-mean-it-has-to-do-with-intentions-we/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“It is important to note that while goods are consumed, services are experienced. The professional service provider is (or should be) as much in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/it-is-important-to-note-that-while-goods-are-consumed-services-are/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) [Explore all 32 David H. Maister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) ## More Advisor quotes > [“In short, a strong royal advisor class insists on stopping and thinking. And it tries, I think with growing success in modern times, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/in-short-a-strong-royal-advisor-class-insists-on-stopping-and/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [“In fact, it is virtually impossible for students to do their own research without someone guiding their work. Having an advisor is absolutely essential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-frenkel/in-fact-it-is-virtually-impossible-for-students-to-do-their-own/) [Edward Frenkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-frenkel/) > [You dont need to take advice from somebody. Wait for your time, it is the best advisor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/you-dont-need-to-take-advice-from-somebody-wait-for-your-time-it-is/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Abe Foxman has been a friend and advisor of mine for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/abe-foxman-has-been-a-friend-and-advisor-of-mine-for-a-long-time/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Recently, my personal advisors have been telling me to go to America. Actually, people have been walking up to me in the street and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/recently-my-personal-advisors-have-been-telling-me-to-go-to-america/) [Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I was talking to my spiritual advisor. I got a letter from somebody who said that they were about to kill themselves, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-friedman/i-was-talking-to-my-spiritual-advisor-i-got-a-letter-from-somebody/) [David Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-friedman/) > [“Sometimes, the best advisor is one that serves as a sounding board for his commander’s thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-v-larson/sometimes-the-best-advisor-is-one-that-serves-as-a-sounding-board-for/) [B.V. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-v-larson/) > [Are you a devious, plotting, unreliable madman? Ah, good, then you can be my most trusted advisor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/are-you-a-devious-plotting-unreliable-madman-ah-good-then-you-can-be/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The aim of a PhD's to ensure that no one, including your advisor, understands what you're doing after the first couple of years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/the-aim-of-a-phd-s-to-ensure-that-no-one-including-your-advisor/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Usually when reporting on powerful public figures, the press advisor and I would have had a conversation that established what journalists call 'ground rules,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/usually-when-reporting-on-powerful-public-figures-the-press-advisor/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Many financial advisors recommend that you diversify for your own protection. What they fail to tell you is that it is also for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/many-financial-advisors-recommend-that-you-diversify-for-your-own/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [“HSPs tend to fill that advisor role. We are the writers, historians, philosophers, judges, artists, researchers, theologians, therapists, teachers, parents, and plain conscientious citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/hsps-tend-to-fill-that-advisor-role-we-are-the-writers-historians/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [I never dreamed I would want to be or become a financial advisor,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-aames/i-never-dreamed-i-would-want-to-be-or-become-a-financial-advisor/) [Willie Aames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-aames/) > [“Imagine how fluid life would be if we each had an advisor who, with our best interest at heart, provided clear, objective and decisive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-greenlee/imagine-how-fluid-life-would-be-if-we-each-had-an-advisor-who-with/) [Gina Greenlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-greenlee/) [Browse all 35 Advisor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advisor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful. David”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David H. Maister" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-be-right-an-advisor-s-job-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advisor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-be-right-an-advisor-s-job-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/david-h-maister-19663_advisor_it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-b_487804.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful. David” — David H. Maister", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David H. Maister", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is not enough for a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-be-right-an-advisor-s-job-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/it-is-not-enough-for-a-professional-to-be-right-an-advisor-s-job-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```