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

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Live life fully and as the song goes... I Hope You Dance! Finding joy and contentment in what you do for a living is JOB ONE! Erin Schulte, leadership editor of Fast Company put together five articles that I'm sure will inspire you.

"Live Fully
Make small steps toward improvement. Build a strong foundation for 2012 with this simple yet effective list of five things to do every day for success.

Get your workout in--and not just for the sake of the scale. For artists, entrepreneurs, and any other driven creators, exercise is a powerful tool, says author Jonathan Fields. It can transform the persistent uncertainty, fear, and anxiety that accompanies the quest to create from a source of suffering into something less toxic, then potentially even into fuel.

Don't let the Internet kill your productivity. You're probably reading this during your workday as a distraction from whatever it is you’re supposed to be focusing on, which is likely sitting open and untouched in another window. Imagine how much you’d get done and how many fewer hours you'd have to work if the Internet weren't eating up all your time--follow these easy steps and you can make it happen.

Quit that dead-end job. Leaving a career you're not excited about to pursue your passion is the greatest escape there is--but one that's totally possible (even in this economy). Here's a step-by-step guide to making your dreams a reality.

Mean It
And finally, for the lazy or merely goal averse, here's the one resolution you should make for 2012."

If the last one sounds familiar it's because I blogged about it.... The One Thing That Can Change Your Life! Do what you say you are going to do. Mean it... it's a game changer! As that song ends... "Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?"

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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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Who wouldn't want to find ways to work smarter? Fast Company always has great insights we can adapt to the legal profession. And I'm sure you will find these tips no exception. Leadership editor, Erin Schulte writes in her article... Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet... "As our gift to you, we present our very best advice and tips on how to work smarter, manage your career, and lead a more meaningful life."

"Work Smarter
Do sweat the small stuff. The combination of an insane attention to details and neurotic focus on customer experience is what sets the great companies apart from the good, Box CEO Aaron Levie reminds us. Organizations that adopt this level of intensity will always have superior offerings, an instant differentiator from the indistinguishable competition.

Embrace gratitude as a business strategy. Almost everyone suffers from Gratitude Deficit Disorder. We want to know that we matter, that our efforts make the world a better place. And so do your customers, vendors, coworkers, employees, friends, and family. So make an action plan to communicate your appreciation in 2012.

Figure out your social media strategy already. Twitter still give you hives? Not sure how to connect with your customers on Facebook? Accept it: Social media is not a fad. Syncapse CEO Michael Scissons answers the most commonly asked questions about developing a social media strategy.

Brand early, not often. Branding, done right, is a rigorous process, and shortcuts almost always end up costing more in the end, says Emily Heyward, owner and partner of Red Antler. An early investment in branding is no different than taking the time and money to set up a proper operating agreement or purchase efficient machinery that won’t break down.

Don't botch your pitches. We all have something to pitch--your start up to VCs, yourself for a new job, or your product to customers. In any situation, one rule applies: The better the pitch, the better the results. Here are five rookie mistakes that will sink even the best ideas.

Make LinkedIn work for you. If you're not a digital networking ninja, you're missing out on the best way to steer your career. Tips from LinkedIn SVP Deep Nishar.

Give kick-ass presentations. If you've made it this far without getting good at presentations, the time to work on it is yesterday. Take advantage of these seven (somewhat snarky) new rules for public speaking in the social media era."

Make every single day count! There is plenty we can borrow from the business world of Fast Company. Work smarter and your 2012 results will be what you envision. (I have more for you later in the week on: managing your career, and leading a more meaningful life.... stay tuned.)

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OK... Maybe not change your LIFE! But, it could be a game changer.

"The ONE Resolution You Need To Make In 2012." I ran across this headline at Fast Company.com... as usual I was zooming through and just about got whiplash as I screeched to a halt to click on the link. The ONE resolution... What could that possibly be? I thought.  Dayna Steele hit the nail on the head. If you were to resolve to do just one thing, this is IT... 

"Do what you say you are going to do." Could be a game changer... right?

Dayna gives examples...

"If you say you are going to call, call.

Promise to send someone information? Send it.

Finish a job when you promised... or earlier... with quality work.

Let people know as soon as you can when you are running late for a meeting or won't make it at all."

I would like to add to that...

If you commit to being in a meeting... be there... not on your PDA!

If you tell your clients that you are responsive... make sure you are, ALL the time!

If you commit to writing articles or blogging, make a schedule... and just do it!

If you tell your family you will be home... be home and be present!

Focus... The benefit of accountability is increased credibility. Colleagues, friends and family can count on your word. When you make a commitment to yourself... keep that too! So, in 2012... Make BIG promises and keep them. It could be a game changer when it comes to business development... not to mention everywhere else.

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I’m on vacation… and sitting in an airport reading Fast Company... The Invincible Apple: 10 Lessons From the Coolest Company Anywhere. I have to admit that being in the creative field makes me prone to be a bit of a disciple of Steve Jobs. The reporter Farhad Manjoo writes:

Lesson # 6 - Everything Is Marketing... and he goes on to quote Martin Lindstrom…"Apple's brand is so powerful that for some people it's like a true religion.”

Just imagine for a moment that you had the ability to create that kind of loyalty with just 10 of YOUR clients. That would be pretty powerful wouldn't it? It’s not out of the realm of possibility. In fact you may have one or two right now. Clients that love and respect everything you do… from your legal work to your billing as well as your availability and how your staff interacts with them. Yes… even your bills… EVERYTHING is marketing. Everything we say and do. Everything we produce and distribute. Everything!

 The lesson we can take away from Apple’s competitive edge… it’s all the details that make up the total package. From the sound when you turn on the computer to it’s unique capabilities… not to mentions the cool factor. What is YOUR total package?  How are your clients greeted the moment someone picks up the phone? What are your unique capabilities? And maybe you don’t have a cool factor; however you may have a prestige factor… can your clients brag that YOU are their lawyer? They should! Don't you think?