Business Ideas from One of the Country's Top Consulting Firms

February 18, 2019 by Molly McGrath

“That’s Not How We Really Do It At This Law Firm” and Other Responses That Are Holding Your Team Members Back

We get called in to help law firms when what they’re doing isn’t working. And even though we are hired as consultants because we have an impressive track record of success helping firms advance their leaders and develop their teams, we still hear this response more often than you might think: well, that’s not really how we do it at this law firm.

Just last week, after our Team Empowerment Academy Masterclass, I received a phone call from a Client Relations Coordinator who is enrolled in the program.

“Molly, when you were talking about how other firms have their CRC coming in at the end of the client meeting and playing the role of Julie McCoy (yes, I’ve dated myself)—getting the signed engagement agreement, and scheduling the next appointments through delivery—my attorney says that’s not how we do it here. I don’t know how change his mind. Can you please help me? We barely made payroll last week, and I heard him tell a prospective client to go home and think about it…to get back to us when they’re ready to get started on their planning!”

“I know its not my job to worry about money, but I am!”

The first thing that went through my head when I heard this was: if what you were doing there was working, your attorney certainly wouldn’t have called us in the first place. And your attorney definitely wouldn’t be writing a check for you to be in this program!

But my response was this: “Yes. It is your job to be aware of—but not to worry about—money, clients and processes…especially if you want part of the incentive-based compensation model we set up for your firm this year. Time, place, and delivery are everything. I know you were excited about the idea, but sharing it with him between back-to-back meetings—when he is already running 30-minutes behind for the day and has to be out the door at 5PM sharp to get the kids because his wife is out of town—probably wasn’t the best time to present the idea of revamping a process he has followed for the past 9 years. His response was most likely out of habit, as he wasn’t clear that you were presenting an idea that has proven successful for 1,400+ other law firms across the country. Don’t take it as a hard “no.” Lets talk about how to present your attorney with these suggested process refinements.”

And here is my message to attorneys: when your team comes to you with suggestions for refinements or improvements to your systems, you may want to say, “I am impressed by your enthusiasm and vested interest in improving our practice. Can you please put that topic on the agenda for our weekly stakeholders meeting on X-date, and type up your proposed solutions and bring a copy to the meeting? I am more of a visual learner.”

When an employee hears, “that’s not how we do it at this law firm,” they actually hear, “I’m the boss, leave the idea generating to me.” This sends a subconscious message to your employee to show up and do what is asked of them…and nothing more. But you NEED your team members to WANT to go above and beyond, and you need to trust that, given the freedom to make business decisions, they will make GREAT decisions that advance your firm. But if they feel like their ideas are shut down before they’re even heard or considered, they will lose the drive to take initiative. And, trust us, you don’t want that!

If you’re stumped and not sure how to empower your team to step up and bring their valuable ideas and system refinements to you, please take advantage of the opportunity to schedule a complimentary Law Firm Discovery Session. Over a 30-minute call, we’ll discuss your challenges and brainstorm solutions to help your law firm overcome these obstacles and get on the path towards growth and sustainable success. Click the button below to schedule your Law Firm Discovery Session today.

February 14, 2019 by Molly McGrath

Crushing Chaos in Law Firms: How to Create Systems that Make Your Law Firm Run Smoothly

Guest Blogger: Allison C. Williams, Esq.

A few months ago, one of our 66-Day Law Firm Turnaround clients mentioned that she was working with a “systems coach.” Our immediate response was…TELL US MORE!! We’ve been looking for a systems coach to partner with!! After conducting a power partner meeting with Allison Williams of Law Firm Mentor, I knew immediately that she has created a unique model that many of the law firms we’ve worked with over the past 22 years have a huge need for.

It’s rare that we have guest bloggers here, but when Allison and I got to chatting about her company’s systems and her own personal story, we had to have her write a blog—it’s just so in alignment with what we have been shouting from the mountaintops for years. And be sure to read to the bottom…Allison will be hosting Hiring and Empowering Solutions as her guest this coming Wednesday (February 20, 2019) on the Law Firm Mentor Movement Facebook LIVE. We’ll be talking about how to transform your law firm employees into leaders!

So here’s why we are so inspired by Allison and her journey…

When I started my law firm in 2013, I thought I had things all figured out. I crafted a plan using my trusty spreadsheet, gave my notice, rented my office space, and together—with 43 of my then 48 clients—I struck out on my own (with a partner). My secretary was coming with me, so I figured we’d be fine.

Then, “reality” hit the fan. My partner was a nice guy—but a nice guy who had greatly discrepant goals than I did. So, that ended quickly. My secretary, who could barely keep up with me as a super-billing associate, became terrified of what would await her as the lead (and only) assistant to me in the role of chief cook and bottle washer. So, she backed out the week before I left my employment, leaving me staff-less when I started my firm.

As a new solo, I had to run 43 files, take in new files, learn how to manage a trust account, order supplies, clean the kitchen, lease equipment, and—my personal favorite—be my own secretary while running to 16 different courts in my state-wide practice…all while trying to hire my next secretary. I had tens of thousands of dollars coming through my hands daily, and the fear of where it should be spent crippled me into living like a pauper, despite having plenty of money in the bank.

One night, I fell asleep driving 90 miles per hour on my way home, at the end of yet another 90-hour work week. And that was when I realized it. I was either going to kill the chaos in my business or, quite literally, it was going to kill me.

That’s where creating systems to make your law firm run smoothly comes in.

A system is an organized or established procedure, or a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole. Quite simply, it’s a way of doing things that maximizes efficiency, reduces redundancy, and eliminates the need for conscious thought to be summoned for routine tasks, preserving that energy for the higher-order activities that clients actually pay us to provide (such as strategic management, complex negotiation, and multi-layered litigation processes). When people in business follow a system, the office runs smoothly, since crisis intervention is reserved for clients rather than office functioning.

What requires a system? In a nutshell, EVERYTHING requires a system! From how we answer the phones, to how we interface with new clients seeking consultations, to how we close client matters, to how we manage our trust accounts. Even the most mundane, routine activity (like opening and dispensing mail) needs a system.

Generally speaking, law firm owners should consider creating systems for each of the major functions in your law business, including Sales, Marketing, Intake, Communications, People (both employees and vendors), Work Flow (the legal work), Facilities and Money Matters.

Creating systems in law firms is not sexy. It’s not the “stuff” most business owners crave, but it will absolutely and dramatically improve the quality of the law firm and the life of the owner…when executed properly. And, the good news is, if the systems are in a constant state of flux, that means the law firm is growing and evolving steadily.

We couldn’t agree more with Allison and her systemic approach. Join Allison and I this coming Wednesday, February 20, 2019 on the Law Firm Mentor Movement Facebook LIVE. We will be talking about TRANSFORMING YOUR LAW FIRM’S EMPLOYEES INTO LEADERS!

Join us on Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Join Allison and I as we dive into a great conversation about law firm leadership and team development on Wednesday, February 20, 2019, at 12:30pm EST.

February 6, 2019 by Molly McGrath

What Every Attorney Business Owner is So Desperate to Hear

We talk to attorneys all day, every day. We typically start the conversation off with, “What are you not seeing that you really need and want to?” It starts with what’s not working, what is working and what they so desperately wish they could find time to work on, but can’t because they’re not confident that anyone has their back while they step away from the business.

“So, what I’m hearing is your desperate to know someone in your firm has your back. To know that someone’s got yours (the business owner) and the firm’s (reputation) and the client’s (why we all still have jobs) back?

Every attorney is desperate to hear, “I got your back!” and then see consistent evidence that their employees know what this means.

There is no lonelier feeling than being a business owner. You start off as a solopreneur, practicing law independently. You’re good at what you do, and business is coming in. You soon recognized the need to hire a few people, start growing your team. You got juuuust the right people in place—in your mind, they were going to dive in head-first, clear your plate of the day-to-day operational tasks, and completely free you up to keep growing your business.

But somewhere between your new employees diving in head-first and you being able to focus on growing your business, you get that gut feeling that you need to start paying closer attention. Turns out that people are a lot of work. They require training. They need to be developed into the type of employees who can step up, suit up, and start taking over the tasks that you simply don’t have time for if you really want to focus on building a successful and sustainable business. They need to be taught how to be their own leaders…and unfortunately, that just doesn’t happen overnight.

If you’re feeling frustrated with your team—if you’re sick of balls dropping, office drama, details slipping through the cracks, etc.—chances are your team is feeling just as frustrated. They probably want to help, but are struggling with where to start. They are just as desperate to get you out of the day to day. They want to take the management tasks off your plate, how to stand in for you at that industry event, how to problem solve without asking for your input every 5 minutes…

But training and development alone won’t turn your team into effective leaders—you have to be willing to hand over some ownership. Teach them how to do what you do, and hand over your responsibilities—along with the authority to make decisions without your approval. Not only is this huge for improving employee engagement and loyalty, but it’s what will ultimately free you up to focus on growing your firm.

You also need to let your team members get connected with each other, and with other industry colleagues. It’s no secret that powerful leaders are skilled networkers. Learning from you is great—learning from other industry leaders, too…now that’s a truly valuable experience…for your team member and your firm.

Employee development isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it deal. As your employees progress and really start to stand into their roles as leaders, it’s important that you continue to mentor them. Meeting with your team members one-on-one, whether to discuss new ideas, brainstorm solutions to problems they may be struggling with, or to open up a dialogue about a work-related book or article you both read, is key to keeping the lines of communication open, and making sure your insight and appreciation is evident, always.

We get it, it is a big investment. Not just financially, but time-wise, too. Developing your team members into leaders, hearing “I got you and I got this firm” and having confidence that is finally true, is scary. But Investing in the right people now will reap huge dividends later.

If your team is good, but you’re ready to make them “I got your back” great, schedule a call and we can strategize mastering your next move.

January 30, 2019 by Molly McGrath

If Bosses & Employees Both Know That the Boss Doesn’t Have ALL the Answers, Then Why Do We Keep Continuing On As If They Do?

It probably won’t come as a surprise that bosses don’t have all the answers. If you’re a boss, you’re probably nodding your head, thinking, No kidding, that’s why I keep asking for help! And if you’re an employee, you’re also nodding your head, thinking, No kidding, that’s why I keep offering to help.

But if leaders and employees both know that the boss doesn’t have all the answers, then why do we keep continuing on as if they do?

I can remember, like yesterday, when our business was starting to grow, and I recognized that some of workflow processes just weren’t working. Not only were they not working, but their inefficiencies seemed to be coming to a head. I knew we could no longer tolerate these weaknesses, but somehow we kept limping along. And nothing changes if nothing changes.

A key employee emailed me about two of the most glaring issues. Without thinking too much about it, I responded with a series of suggestions about how we could resolve the issues. I didn’t suggest any follow-up actions, or concrete plans about how to implement my suggestions, so it’s no surprise that, two days later, I got frustrated with the lack of resolution and started to type up the usual “boss email.” You know the one: overflowing with frustration and rambling on about all of the things “we” need to fix. No clear directions or solutions, just verbal vomit.

It struck me sometime around midnight, as I was typing up bullet point #23, that the email, well, it was completely pointless. I paused for a minute and tried to sit in her seat. I realized I was trying to have a strategy meeting via email, addressing issues that she had been trying to bring to my attention for months. Sending this email would only add to her already growing list of “still no answers,” and the truth of the matter was that I didn’t have all the answers. I needed input from her and the rest of my team about how to actually fix these issues. I need KPI’s, cost analyses, and input from our outsourced vendors. Sending a hastily-written email in the middle of the night would only exacerbate the issues we were struggling with. It would leave my key employee feeling as though she needed to respond to all 23 of my bullet points, while leaving my entire team concerned that their leader was burning out, preparing to shut the business down, wanting to fire people, etc. That’s the dark place employees go to when the leader is not leading.

In that moment I realized that bosses do this…a lot. We feel the need to respond immediately to every problem: client complaints, process issues, cash flow issues and employee frustrations. The problem is that, when we jump the gun and respond without stopping to think, we forget to include important information, such as a plan for follow-up, a road map for implementation, or how to gauge the effectiveness of our suggestions in the long-term. And forgetting this information just makes us look flaky and inconsistent to our team. And honestly, email communication ping pong is not an effective platform from which to master your next moves.

How many times have you had to send a follow-up email to that big, long, hasty, frustrated “boss email?” It usually starts something like, “You know, I thought more about this and…”

I know I’ve sent quite a few of those emails.

What if instead of shooting off shotgun suggestions to solve complex operational problems we learned to step back and respond with, “I need to think about this. Let me get back to you tomorrow with some thoughts, add it to our daily huddle list.” Let’s learn to acknowledge a problem, and let our team members know that finding a solution is a priority…without making shoot-from-the-hip suggestions that don’t actually solve anything in the long run. Let’s start having well-prepared, thought-out discussions about how to fix our problems, get feedback from relevant team members, and make an informed decision that comes complete with an action plan with deadlines and accountability.

If you aren’t sure how to lead a conversation like this, about improving inefficient processes—or creating new processes—at your firm, download our e-book, “Intrapreneurs in an Entrepreneur’s World: How to Empower Your Employees to Step Up and Lead!” You’ll learn how to effectively connect and communicate with your team members in a way that not only leads to effective problem-solving for your firm or business, but that also drives employee retention and loyalty!

January 23, 2019 by Molly McGrath

What Kind of Leader Are You? And What Does That Mean for Your Firm and Team Members?

No two leaders are the same. Two leaders can be equally amazing, even though they have completely different sets of personality traits and professional talents. In fact, being an amazing leader isn’t derived from personality traits or professional talents (though those things, of course, are important). Being an amazing leader is all about understanding your personality traits and professional talents, and how they compliment and support those of your team members.

So, what’s your leadership style? The success of your firm or business depends on your ability to lead your team…so…what it is? Are you bossy and autocratic? Are you a visionary? Ask yourself these questions to find out:

What are your core values?
What are the values that you live and die by? That drive your every decision? Respect, integrity, authenticity, courage, service, humbly, wisdom. Those with deep-seated core values make better leaders. Determining what your core values are will help you weigh your options and make better decisions…especially when it comes to human resources and hiring.

What is your personality type?
There is no right or wrong personality type for leadership. Introvert or extrovert, disciplined or action-oriented, your personality is a huge part of your leadership style, and understanding your personality will help you build a team that will either support or compliment the types of leadership efforts you put in.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Assessing your strengths and weaknesses will help you recognize (and ultimately achieve) your full potential as a leader. Consider the wins and losses of your past. Now, consider your present-day wins and losses. What has changed? Where can you deduce patterns? What kind of person do you need on your team to fill in the gaps where you are weak?

What do your team members say about you?
Ask your team members how you’re doing as a leader—what your strengths are, and how they would characterize your style. Ask them what you can do to improve. Sometimes we are so blind to our own areas of strength and weakness that we need other people to point it out for us…constructively, of course.

Once you’ve answered these questions for yourself, you’ll have a better sense of what category of leader you fall into. There are so many different leadership styles, but these three tend to cover most of the bases:

1. Autocratic. You’re maybe a bit bossy, and like having total control of your team. Your employees aren’t expected to have ideas or opinions—they’re just supposed to execute on demand.

2. Visionary. You’ve got a vision, and know how to pull your team together to achieve it. Visionary leaders are great at fostering employee loyalty, and encouraging employees to achieve a goal via their own path.

3. Democratic. Democratic leaders are sometimes uncertain, which leads them to rely on the input of their team members for fresh ideas and initiatives. The democratic leader is in the trenches with his team, though he or she makes any final decisions.

Each leadership style has its pros and cons, but there are famous leaders in each category. Steve Jobs was known for being bossy, while Larry Page has honed a more democratic leadership style, and Nelson Mandela is the prime example of an effective visionary leader.

Once you understand your leadership style…then what? Apply what you now understand about yourself to your firm’s hiring, training and development practices. At Hiring & Empowering, we’re huge advocates for using the Kolbe Personality Test to help leaders and team members understand each other, communicate more effectively, and leverage each others strengths for the benefit of the firm as a whole. At the end of the day, the big takeaway here is that leadership style matters…and the success of your firm or business depends on your ability to leverage it.

Schedule a Free 30-Minute Discovery Session

If you’re unsure about your leadership style and think that some of the problems at your firm could be addressed if only you had a better understand of your own personality or your team members’ personalities, then click the button below to schedule a free 30-minute discovery session with our co-founder, Molly Hall. You’ll have the chance to explain the pains your firm is feeling, and she’ll have the chance to suggest some solutions.