Hiring & Empowering Solutions

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Podcast: 9 Nine Ways to Support the Boss’s Time and Energy

Today’s transformative episode on the Hiring & Empowering Solutions Podcast spotlights our very own Molly McGrath, discussing intentional “how to” techniques for effective leadership on a daily basis. We want your employees to learn how to “run the day” and boost everyone’s value creation, efficiency, and productivity.

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In this episode you’ll learn:

  1. How to run the day
  2. What it means to create permission standards
  3. How to proactively over-communicate
  4. Why weekly BOD meetings can save you from a cash flow crisis
  5. How to determine what every team member’s 3 most important activities are
  6. The difference between high performance days, creativity days and recovery days

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Podcast: 4 Simple Strategies to Teach Your Employees How to Communicate What They Do All Day

Today’s powerful, employee mindset-shifting episode on the Hiring & Empowering Solutions Podcast, spotlights our very own Molly McGrath on how to navigate everything from breakdowns to breakthroughs, whether you’re an employee supporting a very busy, unavailable entrepreneur, or a solo entrepreneur who is navigating the “its all on me,” very real, very rugged individualist business model.

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In this episode you’ll learn:

  1. How to instill daily confidence in your boss, that you have your eye on the clients, the calendar and any crisis(es)
  2. How to figure out who is doing what to reach goals each day, week and month
  3. How to proactively support a busy attorney, and how to be flexible…without taking things personally and losing your spirit and sanity
  4. How to catch the breakdown before it happens…there are always signs

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Podcast: Hiring & Empowering Solutions Talks to Paula Freidland About Discovering the Inner Talents of Your Team

Today’s LIFE ALTERING episode on Hiring & Empowering Solutions, spotlights “Truth Teller” Paula Friedland who is making a huge impact in the lives (and businesses) of impact-makers across the country. Whether Paula’s coaching clients one on one, leading Soul Speaks circles, delivering Leadership keynote speeches, her unique and interactive methods will deliver results that your group will be talking about (and utilizing) for years.

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In this episode you’ll learn:

  1. How business owners can motivate their individuals who want to discover their inner talents, how to help your team “discover their inner talents”
  2. How to use the “relational presenting” technique–how to be present and speak from a deep place of truth.
  3. How to get a new employee coming in and starting out on their journey of supporting an entrepreneur—how to get present and begin speaking from a deep place of truth in an honest while respectful manner
  4. How employees who have so much welling up inside of them…they have ideas, they see where the “boss” is causing troubles (unconsciously) in the business and how a few 2 mm shifts can get them out of pain and overwhelm.. and learn how to Express yourself more fully and authentically

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The Qualities You THINK You Need Probably Aren’t What You ACTUALLY Need

leadership qualitiesLaw firm leaders are tasked with the challenge of setting the direction of the entire organization. To be worthy of a leadership role, an individual must be respected and influential. They must be effective revenue generators with a long list of distinguished legal accomplishments. They must be able to attract and retain customers, and manage a large book of business. Right?

Not so much.

Respect and influence, the ability to generate revenue, praise-worthy accomplishments…sure, these are all impressive qualities. But which of them would enable a leader to engage and retain employees, propel organizational productivity, and drive customer satisfaction across the board? Which of these qualities will help them develop an effective marketing strategy, or make decisions about the firm’s long-term performance trajectory? None of them.

The problem, when law firm leaders run their organizations on respect, influence and authority alone, is that they never actually step up and lead. They make decisions in a vacuum, failing to keep what’s best for the firm in mind. Too often, leaders play rainmaker and bend over backwards to maintain client relationships…a great strategy for short-term sustainability. But when it comes to long-term sustainability, leaders need to develop their firms and their teams, making sure that employees are engaged, empowered, and properly trained. If leaders aren’t staying focused on these tasks, the firm is in serious trouble.

Likewise, if leaders aren’t focused on the right goals, the firm is bound to suffer. Performance metrics are great goals for attorneys. However, leaders must keep a keen eye on team and organizational goals, as well as on building relationships with team members and clients alike. On collaborating, and leveraging a diverse set of skills to solve problems and improve firm performance.

It’s time we say goodbye to the leadership ideal of respect, influence and authority, and start ushering in a new era of leaders who possess the following 7 leadership skills:

1. Has a firm handle on the firm’s long-term strategy and goals, and the ability to communicate that vision to team members in a way that excites and motivates them to perform

2. The ability to develop team members in a way that is aligned not only with the firm’s needs, but also with the individual’s career goals

3. Gets the job done and achieves positive results, against all odds

4. Collaborates rather than competes, and handles conflict quietly

5. Builds a professional network inside and outside of the firm

6. Is a social chameleon; can get along with a diverse group of team members, clients, and stakeholders

7. The adaptability to change demeanor as needed, based on the demands of whatever situation is arising

The challenge with these leadership skills is that they aren’t part of any law school’s curriculum. A leader must take it upon themselves to learn these skills, which means that, in addition to the 7 skills listed above, effective law firm leaders also need to have a learning mindset. But learning mindsets and egos oftentimes conflict, and convincing leaders to spend time perfecting skills that don’t directly generate revenue isn’t easy.

Leadership development programs designed specifically for law firms—like our Team Empowerment Academy—can be highly effective training and development tools, teaching leaders how to lead more effectively, and teaching team members the skills they need to support their leaders in a meaningful (and measurable) way. Our program generates real results in just 8 weeks, and it does that by taking into consideration the nuances of each leader or team member’s personality, determining their strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out how they can best work together for the benefit of the firm as a whole.

If you’re interested in empowering your team with the leadership skills you ACTUALLY NEED—not the leadership skills you THINK you need—email [email protected] or contact us using the form below to request a free 30-minute Discovery Session with our founder, Molly Hall.

Request a FREE 30-Minute Law Firm Discovery Session

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Getting Out of the Decision-Making Vacuum and 3 Ways to Make it Happen

employee engagementTrust us…we get it. It’s easy to pull the trigger and make decisions from the comfort of your own leadership vacuum. After all, you know your firm better than anyone, which means you know better than anyone what your firm needs to grow progressively and sustainably…right?

Maybe so. But there is another group of people who are huge stakeholders in the success of your firm—your team. And they also have a pretty good idea about what your firm might need. And they’ve got ideas—great ideas, in fact—that you won’t be able to hear from the confines of your vacuum.

A recent study of over 100,000 U.S. businesses confirms that there is a direct correlation between how involved employees are in corporate decision-making processes and their level of overall morale, motivation and job satisfaction.

Simply stated, keeping employees engaged and empowered results in more satisfied, “go-getter” type employees who can really step up and make a difference at your firm. The benefits of involving your team in decision-making processes include:

• Improved levels of effort and commitment. Being involved in making decisions for your firm makes employees feel valuable, and when they feel valuable, they’ll take more ownership of your firm’s performance.

• Better day-to-day decision-making. Understanding how decisions are being made at an executive level will help them make better decisions at a departmental or individual level. They’ll be better equipped to align their decisions with the direct of your firm.

• Stronger bonds of responsibility. When an employee has his or her say in making a decision, the outcome of that decision—in one way or another—reflects back on them. Employees do NOT want a negative outcome landing on their shoulders. The responsibility that comes with decision-making will keep team members at the top of their games.

• It takes the heat off of YOU! When you make a bad decision, it’s easy for employees to place 100% of the blame on you. However, when team members take an active role in the decision-making process, bad decisions will compel them to analyze what went wrong and make better decisions in the future.

• Employee morale and motivation will skyrocket. If employees have the authority to make decisions, or at least be an active part of the decision-making process, they’ll feel like they make a difference, which is directly related to their levels of motivation and overall job satisfaction.

• It frees up YOUR time to focus on future-oriented initiatives. Empowering your employees to make business decisions eliminates the need to micromanage. If you trust that your employees are capable of making good decisions about various aspects of your firm’s operations and systems, then you can take on those higher-level initiatives you just haven’t been able to find the time for…

Convincing law firm leaders to get their firm’s employees more involved in decision-making processes shouldn’t be that hard of a sell—the benefits are powerful, as you can clearly see. However, the actual process of stepping out of your leadership vacuum and into a more collaborative role isn’t always easy. Ease into the transition by implementing these three tactics:

1. Assemble committees of action teams to brainstorm solutions for specific problems.

2. Send out a survey and allow employees to vote on decisions that could impact the firm as a whole.

3. Make sure there are clear channels through which employees can provide feedback to managers and leaders. Informal face-to-face interactions (i.e. water cooler chats), or even a suggestion box will do the trick.

Law firm leadership development programs, like our Team Empowerment Academy, can add another dimension to your efforts to get your team members more involved in making decisions for your firm. Our Team Empowerment Academy equips law firm leaders and their teams with the tools and techniques they need to take tasks off their attorney’s plates and make decisions that benefit their firms. After just 8-weeks, your firm can expect real, measurable results. Your people are your greatest asset, and our program helps them become more resourceful, more efficient and more profitable.

Ready to Start Engaging Your Employees?

Send an email to [email protected] about the challenges you’re facing at your firm, and we’ll contact you to schedule a free discovery session to brainstorm solutions. Not quite ready to chat? Take advantage of the offer to download our best-selling book, Intrapreneurs in an Entrepreneur’s World: How to Empower Your Employees to Step Up and Lead…completely free!