Beyond Assumptions: Codifying Growth in Professional Services Firms
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
In professional services, success often gets credited to the latest initiative, a new hire, or a flashy tech investment. This thinking falls into the trap of post hoc ergo propter hoc—Latin for "after this, therefore because of this." Just because something happened after a change doesn’t mean that change was the cause. This faulty logic has led too many firms to chase trends instead of doubling down on what truly drives results.
The Pitfall of Assumed Causation
Take a firm with multiple industry groups. The healthcare group starts winning big, and leadership chalks it up to a recent technology rollout. But a closer look reveals a different story: a tight, industry-focused go-to-market strategy, a strategic lateral hire who brought deep relationships, and relentless thought leadership that positioned the group as trusted advisors. If leadership misreads the cause, they risk misallocating resources—betting big on tech instead of reinforcing the behaviors that actually drove success.
The Necessity of Codifying Success
To scale, firms need to move beyond guesswork. Success isn’t random—it’s built on repeatable behaviors, strategic choices, and disciplined execution. The challenge? Most firms don’t have a system to identify and institutionalize these winning behaviors. Without that structure, they reinvent the wheel with every new initiative instead of building on proven successes.
The SCALE System: A Playbook for Growth
At Chief Seconds, we use the SCALE System to help firms codify and operationalize their success:
Survey and Strategize: Identify where your firm excels. Pinpoint the behaviors, strategies, and structures driving success. Set a clear, firm-wide vision for what winning looks like.
Capitalize on Strengths: Double down on what’s working. Allocate resources, talent, and marketing efforts toward high-performing sectors and teams.
Apply Best Practices Elsewhere: Take proven strategies and deploy them across other service lines or industry groups. Equip underperforming areas with the tactics that have already delivered results.
Launch New Practices: Expand strategically. Use data-driven insights to enter new markets or roll out new services based on your firm’s strengths, not hunches.
Enhance Efficiency or Eliminate: Cut what’s not working. Regularly assess service lines, specialty areas, and even client segments. Free up resources to invest in the highest-return opportunities.
Driving Action: Implementing the SCALE System
For firms ready to move from assumption to action, the SCALE System offers a roadmap:
Make it cyclical: Growth isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. Reassess and refine continuously.
Foster collaboration: Get buy-in from leadership, partners, and key teams. Real change happens when the whole firm aligns.
Embrace data: Stop guessing. Use real performance metrics to drive decision-making.
Stay flexible: Markets shift. Strategies that worked yesterday might need tweaking tomorrow. Keep evolving.
Success in professional services isn’t about luck or one-off wins. It’s about knowing what works, systematizing it, and executing with discipline. The firms that do this don’t just grow—they dominate their verticals.
For a deeper dive into the SCALE System and how it can work for your firm, check out The SCALE System: A Strategic Approach to Growing Professional Services Firms.
Let’s Build a Winning Strategy
If your firm is tired of guessing and ready to start scaling, let’s talk. Chief Seconds helps professional services firms like yours turn scattered wins into sustainable growth. Schedule a consultation today and let’s start building your firm’s future—on purpose. Click Here
