Miami Legal Business Development | Branding | Law Firm Coaching | Paula Black

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No one is ever REALLY solo... everyone has a team: big or small, on the payroll or contract, vendors or partners. Fast Company's Erin Schulte put together four of their best tips... lawyers listen up!

"Create Stars
Attract the best talent. Digital companies are hiring--and in fact are in hot competition for certain types of employees. But you don't have to be Google to attract top-tier talent. HUGE CEO Aaron Shapiro offers advice on luring the cream of the crop to your office.

Hire based on spirit--not just skill. A leader can be coached on how to become more influential and engage their team to achieve great results; an employee can be trained for technical skills. But spirit is the set of "soft” skills that can’t be trained effectively. You have to hire for them. These are hard to find, but are necessary for a company to excel.

Motivate your employees with workplace flexibility. Organizations that employ a healthy and robust work/life flexibility will win the talent war. Start with these pain-free ways to move your company toward greater flexibility that benefits you as well as your employees.

Keep your MVPs. If your once-stellar employees are starting to shine a little less brightly, it may be time to rethink your approach to accountability and rewards. Interpersonal Frequency CEO Harish Rao suggests putting more focus on the relationship than the size of their paychecks." 

Believe me... there is nothing better than working with people you like and respect. I have had enough years of doing the contrary and the former is the ONLY way to live. It means the difference in YOUR attitude and your clients experience. If your team isn't where it should be... do something about it. Rotting fruit doesn't get better with age.

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October is in full swing and most of you are feeling the cooler weather (Miami... not so much!) Others are feeling the pressure of 4th quarter and wondering how your firm or practice is going to meet your 2011 projections. For me, October is the time I brainstorm and plan what the coming year will hold for my business.

The Time Is Now

So this weekend I brought together friends to do a "Dream Retreat". What do we want in our lives for 2012? 

Most years I have blocked out time on a weekend or evening and closed my office door... put my thinking cap on, my butt in the seat and created a plan.... nice, but not too stimulating!

Collaboration Is Rocket Fuel

This time it was INCREDIBLE... and I do mean INCREDIBLE! How so? First of all it was an entire WEEKEND led by my incredible friend and coach Claudette Bouchard who came in from Vancouver. Second, included was my incredibly talented friend (since college) Laura Ralston-Slejko who came in from Chicago. WHY is this so important? Because I was working on my plan (and they were working on theirs) for the first time as a collaborative effort. And even more importantly I was working on the plan with two people that really know me and want me to fulfill my dreams more than most... including ME!  

Work Life Balance... What IS that?

I say... We only have ONE life... so... make THAT work! And true to my philosophy this plan included all aspects of my life and we were extremely creative in highlighting every aspect that is important to me. And when I retreated to a safe place they challenged me to play BIG. 

Create your plan now... it will allow for "ramp-up" time, if needed.

Find collaborators... and work on your plans together.

Design a plan that makes ALL aspects of your life work in harmony.

 

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Collaboration. When it works... it works! The outcome produced is far better than what could have been produced by either... alone.  Elton John & Bernie Taupin, Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak, Hepburn & Tracy... they all produced better work because they collaborated with the other. Each brought unique talent to the project that complemented the other, without which the outcome would not be the same. The real benefit of working with a collaborator that complements you... it's just plain FUN!

While in Dallas this week I had the good fortune of doing just that not once... but twice. There was "flow"... we finished each others sentences and the movement was like a dance. That may sound like what one does only after you've know someone for years... right? Well this was not the case in either of the meetings. Both meetings were with people that I've only known for a short time that could only be measured in hours. One of the meetings was with a colleague named Cindy Pladziewicz, she writes the blog Professional Development Perspectives. Cindy and I are collaborating on a presentation that we are producing for a client that will include her expertise as a lawyer and a clinical psychologist and mine as a legal brander and business developer. I wish you could have been a "fly on the wall" watching us work. We were having sooo much FUN. We started at 9:30 and before we knew it... it was nearly 5:00 and I had to head for the airport to catch my flight to Miami. The day... I mean entire day flew by like 2 hours. We laughed... we pondered... we had great ideas... and not so great ideas... and above all... we enjoyed it! Every single minute of it. 

I ask you, my friend...when was the last time you truly collaborated?

Are you producing your work in a vacuum or are you reaching out to make it "bigger and better?"

Are you myopic or are you broadening your horizons to include unimaginable possibilities?

I will tell you that these meeting in Dallas were unimaginable a few months ago and they were both with people that I met because I reached out to them having read their blogs. Reading their content let me know how they think... and it was music to my ears!

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Grand gestures or small steps, getting others involved can boost your legal marketing efforts and help keep you on track.

 This week we asked: What are you doing to inspire legal marketing within your firm?

 1. Leading marketing and business development initiatives - 62%

2. Providing training and resources - 23%

3. Holding members accountable for their marketing efforts - 10%

4. Surrounding myself with extroverts who understand marketing and business development - 5%

My Thoughts: As I suspected, most of your efforts (62%) fall into the leadership category. Though being a passionate leader is an important part, providing concrete incentives and training shouldn’t be overlooked. A true marketing culture can't be implemented overnight, like anything else it takes hard work, dedication and focused efforts. Try...

• Training and resources… That can mean anything from seminars or workshops to sharing helpful websites or blogs (like inblackandwhiteblog.com!) Read a great marketing or business development book? Pass it around the office. Exposure to ideas and strategies can spark action.
• Creating a forum for results… Set up a monthly or quarterly marketing meeting, where those interested in business development activities can get together to report on their initiatives, share leads and be held accountable for their efforts. It will keep you on track.
• Hiring extroverts… Make marketing and business development a part of your hiring practices. Bring in lawyers who are extroverted and able to embrace change. The same goes for support staff or anyone else who can contribute to firm marketing efforts.

Enlisting help and support in your journey may not be easy, what with billable hours and everyday excuses, but if you can get just a few outspoken and influential colleagues on board it can reap serious rewards for all of you. Remember, marketing culture doesn't just happen; it's a process that requires time, effort and most of all FOCUS.

As my colleague Sharla Frost of Powers & Frost said:

“You have to set an example by talking the talk and walking the walk.  I’m always giving speeches, writing articles, meeting with clients, sending marketing e-mails, providing in-house training, and even working with people at other law firms to develop relationships where appropriate.”

Black Pearl: For more information on inspiring your firm and colleagues look at my second book “The Little Black Book on Law Firm Marketing and Business Development.” It paints a good picture of the tactics you can employ to initiate firm involvement in legal marketing. And... It's a quick 30 minute read.