Great employees aren’t being poached by bigger, badder firms offering bigger, badder salaries or “Cadillac” benefits. They’re not overwhelmed by their to-do lists or workloads.
They’re leaving because YOU—the attorney—are not holding up YOUR end of the bargain.
Just this week, I talked to a rockstar Professional Legal Administrator (PLA)—a PLA who we searched high and low for—who is resigning after just 45 days. Her words?
“I cannot care about the business more than the attorney cares about the business.”
“I’m not set up for success here.”
She went on to explain that the entire team has been walking on eggshells around the attorney. The attorney rarely shows up to team meetings, and when they do, they are frustrated and discombobulated. They spend so much time traveling all around the country, going to all kinds of business development events and, when they come back, they have all these grand plans and new strategies…
…and then they never follow through, and nothing changes.
Sound familiar?
Your great team members are leaving because YOU don’t have enough time, attention, or availability to give to your firm. And you’re not laying down the framework for your team members to be able to communicate with you about what they want and need to succeed in their roles.
Another call I got last week was from a Client Services Coordinator whom we hired six years ago for a small firm. She was promoted to COO within the firm, and the firm continued to grow beyond expectations. In fact, just last week, they moved to a new office…
…and, it was on that day, that the COO put in her resignation.
She isn’t leaving because she’s overwhelmed. She’s not leaving because she’s stressed out. She’s leaving because the attorney is too afraid to take entrepreneurial risk or action. None of the marketing strategies we had discussed while working together have been implemented. For six years, all the COO has heard is, “I don’t have enough information to make an informed decision.”
The truth is, if YOU, as the attorney, are constantly paralyzed in fear, then how can your team have faith that there will be opportunities for them to grow in their roles?
And if your team members don’t feel comfortable approaching you about your lack of inspired action—if they are afraid to have these courageous conversations with you—then PLEASE enroll them in our Law Firm Admin Bootcamp program. I will coach your team members to become “leaders leading leaders,” so they can hold you accountable and keep the firm on track towards reaching all of its productivity and profitability goals.
Our Law Firm Admin Bootcamp program is a 12-week program designed to empower your administrators to hold your hand through the entrepreneurial processes of marketing, sales, and leadership. You can’t afford to NOT give your employees to me. Click the button below to schedule a FREE qualifier call with me today!
