Miami Legal Business Development | Branding | Lawyer Coaching | Paula Black

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Success Magazine. What a great name... You Had Me at Hello for sure! Who doesn't want success? That's a silly question... isn't it? Of course, EVERYONE wants success. The real question is... Who is willing to do what you need to do to have success?  Success magazine's online newsletter, Seeds of Success ran a list of the six things you can do right now to be successful this year... from the leadership guru, Steven Covey...

1. Be proactive. It's more than just taking initiative. It means being responsible for your own life. Empower yourself to lead and spread your influence no matter what position you hold.

I know you're thinking... "Sure, I'm proactive!" Yes, but are you... responsible for your own practice, your own book of business, and therefore your own life? I think there are few who could answer with a resounding YES. Where do you stand?

2. Sharpen the saw. Decide what's truly important. Sharpen your saw early in the day by learning to say no to the unimportant and yes to the important.

I think we all struggle with this one. Making progress in this area would certainly turbo charge our productivity... don't you agree?

3. Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. It's human nature to want to be understood, but when both parties are trying to be understood, neither party is listening. By making the investment to understand the other party, you can magically transform the course of your conversations.

I think this could be a game changer if it were to be applied to your referral source strategy. First understand your referral source's practice and how you can help them... THEN and only then should you talk about yours. Remember that few people listen... so, imagine what a gift it would be for you to REALLY pay attention and listen to your referral source and commit to try to help them.

4. Begin with the end in mind. Start today with an image of the end of your life as the frame of reference by which everything else is examined. With a clear idea of where you are going, examine everything in the context of what matters to you most.  

Think about it... what matters most? This is where your Life List comes in. Where are you going? Are you just letting life blow you from here-to-there? From case-to-case? From firm-to-firm?  

5. Develop a vision mission statement. Get a deep sense of your life's mission, purpose and value system, then establish your goals and a system of accountability that keeps you on track.

This is at the core of your personal brand... what do you want people to think when they hear your name?    

6. Think win-win. There is enough success for everyone, so don't view anther person's success as success achieved at your expense or exclusion.  

OK. I can just hear all of you lawyers moan in unison! I admit that this one is a bit hard for you to embrace... let's take it out of the context of the practice of law and think of it in the context of the business of law. Does that seem more appropriate?                                     

Six action steps that if applied throughout the year could ensure success in 2012... build stronger relationships... be more productive... know where you're going!

Black Pearl: Here is a brilliant tidbit from Seth Godin to ponder... "One option is to struggle to be heard whenever you're in the room... another is to be the sort of person who is missed when you're not there. The first involves making noise. The second involves making a difference."

Which do YOU want to be?

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Yes, the question is... Are you happy? I was telling my client Brian Torres that I can honestly say that I am happy 100% of the time. Now that may sound a little over the top... but it's true. I get stressed and frustrated and disappointed just like everyone else. But none of those emotions alter my being happy.

The next time I saw Brian he had a book for me. Wow... what a great gift! First of all that he listened to me the last time we met and that he was so kind as to share this treasure with me. If you only have time to read one book this year, THIS is the one... The Business of Happiness by Ted Leonsis.

Ted is the owner of the Washington Capitals hockey team, and was an executive at AOL in the early days. He shares some behind the scenes details that really make the book an interesting read. He has won an Oscar, yes, an Oscar! Why should you care? Because at the age of 27 he was a millionaire and almost died in an airplane crash, and in those life altering moments came face to face with what we all think about, with or without a reckoning... "Am I living my life the way I wanted to or expected to?" If you are like most lawyers I coach the answer is probably... "Sometimes... but not enough of the time."

So... What answers and inspiration does Ted Leonsis have for us? 

Make what he calls, a LIFE LIST... What do you want to experience before you say goodbye to this world? So many people go through life just taking what gets served up... as opposed to going after dreams that fulfill them. Think about it! Be outrageous... be creative... and have fun! I put, attend the Oscars, on my list. Certainly I must know somebody who knows somebody that has connections. (Anyone out there want to help me with this one?) Ted also recommends adding things to your list that you have already accomplished. I love this bit of advice since most of us tend to forget that we have accomplished some really great things... our dreams. Take credit for them... be proud of them... and don't forget them. 

Have multiple communities of interest... Ted points out that interacting in a variety of different communities enriches our lives... and you do not need to be an extrovert. As Bette Midler says... You've Gotta Have Friends!

Find outlets for self-expression... This can take on many forms. Writing a blog like I am now is very fulfilling and makes me happy. Art, music, giving speeches, writing articles or even a radio program. These are also great ways to crystallize your personal brand.

Show your gratitude... Do your clients know how much you appreciate them? If you work for someone, does he or she know that you value your job? If your answer is "I think so." Maybe you should KNOW SO! Tell them.

Look for ways to give back... Certainly you have heard this many times and many of you have said... "Sure... just as soon as I get some free time!" The time will never just appear... you have to make it a priority. 

Find your higher calling... What's your bigger purpose? 

These are Ted's six tenets for happiness and my two cents. Is any of this new... absolutely not! But let me tell you that Ted writes a compelling argument to DO IT NOW! I think you will love this book as much as I did... Thank you Brian!