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

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Beyond your wildest dreams... First... you have to dare to dream!

Sometimes there is a fine line between pain and pleasure... dreams and nightmares. We have all had that experience of not being sure. I have worked with many clients that I have coaxed out on to thin ice to find that they were quite safe being there... and now very comfortable staying there.  

What are your dreams? I have asked many a lawyer that question and I get answers like... "be a great lawyer." To me, that isn't a dream... that is reality... generally they are already a great lawyer. Could they be better? Of course.

What do you want in your life that is beyond your wildest dreams? Is it that BIG giant case? Is it to grow your practice to an unthinkable level? Is it to turn your sights on politics? Is it to leverage your legal knowledge into a business venture? Is it to use your compassion and knowledge of the law as a Judge? Is it to become the next John Grisham? All of this is possible if you dare to dream.

Sometimes when I'm working with a client I can see that there is something unspoken... lawyers resist.  You are great at presenting all the evidence as to why your dream isn't a good idea. I beg you... let go!

Seth Godin has a great take on this...

"In search of a timid trapeze artist. Good luck with that, there aren't any. 

If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long.

And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and how painful it is to try to maintain the status quo while also participating in a revolution.

Gather up as much speed as you can, find a path and let go. You can't get to the next rope if you're still holding on to this one."

Hesitation is the kiss of death. I'm sure all of you know a lawyer who has lost his or her passion. Don't let that be you. Go for it!  Explore the possibilities beyond your wildest dreams!

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REASSURANCE... Seth Godin, as always, has a way of smacking us in the face with the truth that we are often reluctant to see.

He wrote a post...

The problem with reassurance.

"The taxi's waiting, it's honking its horn, time to go to the airport.

Yes, the passport is in my pocket. I checked five minutes ago.

Of course, the cost of checking again, just one more time, is tiny. Hardly worth discussing with myself. And compared to the cost of being wrong, of missing the flight... go ahead, check again.

And like giving into a toddler every time he whines for ice cream, this is the problem.

The lizard brain seeks constant reassurance. It will wheedle and argue and debate with the rest of your head, pushing for one tiny bit of evidence, some sort of proof that everything will be okay.

Don't do it.

When you indulge the lizard, it gains power. It doesn't walk away ashamed, humiliated at its anxiety. Instead, it merely sidesteps and looks for the next thing to worry about, because, ready for this? It's nice to be reassured.

Developing the reassurance habit is easy to do and hard to kick. The problem is this: there are some ventures where no reassurance is possible. There is important work for you to do where no proof is available.

If you've trained the lizard brain that reassurance is forthcoming, it will scream even louder when those projects that don't come with proof are at hand."

Proof that everything will be okay! It like an addiction... needs more and more. As Seth points out there are initiatives where reassurance isn't possible, and chances are... THAT is where greatness awaits. Greatness... to do your best work, to be the best you can be, to uncover talents deeply buried or to find a new and exciting path.

I work with clients everyday whose "lizard brains", as Seth call it, takes over and counts all the why-nots and begs for proof that they are making the right decision to... run for judge, run for bar president, become a global expert, become a television legal commentator, be a great lawyer AND a great mom or to start their own firm.

The list goes on and on. However... I have never heard anyone say they really want to become a brain surgeon or movie star. Of course not... I work with lawyers. But, I ask you why not? I think it is because the goals are always attainable goals that lawyers aspire to; they are not ever out of the realm of possibility. So why do they hold back needing reassurance that they will succeed? I think Seth has the answer... They have trained their brains to need the reassurance... just like some of us need coffee.

The reality is, all they have to do is TRUST in themselves and look at the success that already exists in their lives... and there are many.

So when REASSURANCE knocks on your door... don't let it in, rather TRUST. Trust in yourself that YOU will figure out HOW to proceed along the path to attain what it is you are going after. And when obstacles arise YOU will find the help you need to handle the obstacles. There is important work that YOU need to get about doing, even if there is no reassurance... have a little faith in YOURSELF! Don't let the need for reassurance kill YOUR greatness!

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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?

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To continue the discussion we started on Tuesday... Do you need an attitude adjustment? Today I want to talk about a post I read by Seth Godin: The warning signs of defending the status quo.

As always Seth calls it out. Here are a few thoughts that get to the heart of the matter for lawyers when it comes to business development. Think about them...

"When confronted with a new idea, do you:

1. Consider the cost of switching before you consider the benefits?

2. Highlight the pain to a few instead of the benefits to many?

3. Exaggerate how good things are now in order to reduce you fear of change?

4. Undercut the credibility, authority or experience of people behind the change?

5. Grab onto the rare thing that could go wrong instead of amplifying the likely thing to go right?

6. Focus on short-term costs instead of long-term benefits, because the short-term is more vivid to you?

7. Slow implementation and decision making down instead of speeding it up?"

 Patrick McKenna a colleague who consults with law firms on strategic planning, has a rule that every one of his groups must commit to: LOVE EVERY IDEA FOR 5 MINUTES. I use it... it works to get the team on a positive path. You will be surprised at its effectiveness.

So, call a spade a spade when you see it. You just may revolutionize how your firm thinks and operates with a true competitive edge... making business development a natural flow of the process.

Black Pearl: If the above list hits too close to home, my pal Cordell Parvin has a great solution to help you out of this rut. Try it... it works!

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The past few days I have been focusing on... how I can be more efficient and accomplish more in less time. I've been reading books, blogs and listening to CDs. And I have picked up lots of tidbits that I think are going to make a difference. The best... I ran across a very interesting observation in David Allen's book, Getting Things Done...

Why Bright People Procrastinate the Most

It's really the smartest people who have the highest number of undecided things in their lives and on their lists. Why is that? Think of how our bodies respond to the images we hold in our minds. It appears that the nervous system can't tell the difference between a well-imagined thought and reality.

If your body responds to pictures you give it, how are you likely to feel physically when you think about, say, doing your taxes? Are you sending yourself "easy", "let's go," completion, success and "I'm a winner!" pictures? Probably not. For just that reason, what kinds of people would be the most resistant to being reminded about a project like that... that is, who would procrastinate the most? Of course, it would be the most creative, sensitive, and intelligent people. Because their sensitivity gives them the capacity of producing in their minds lurid nightmare scenarios about what might be involved in doing a project, and all the negative consequences that might occur if it weren't done perfectly! They just freak out in an instant and quit!

WOW! Does that sound like anyone you know? No wonder, all we have to do is mention BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT and some people start thinking about how it never works and how uncomfortable it is to even try. NOW that we know this... knowledge is power... we don't have to let our minds run away with us. We can recognize when it's happening and push through it.

Black Pearl: "I'm under a lot of pressure..." Seth Godin points out that it is the pressure WE impose on ourselves. Interesting insight take a look.

Great Quote: Mark Twain "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened". 

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Last week I talked about saying "NO" or "NEVER" and making a "STOP DOING LIST". This week I would like for you to ponder the thought of making a GAME CHANGING promise... "I will" or "I will never."

Seth Godin calls it "Delivering on Never". He suggests...

• I will never miss a deadline.
• I will never fail to warn you about a pitfall.
• I will never violate a confidence.
• I will never be late for a meeting.

Imagine the power in these statements. Now, some of you are breaking out in a cold sweat, I am sure. But think about it... YOU are in control of many aspects of your practice, and if you focused on making something happen YOU could do it... couldn't you?

A few years ago I had a client who manufactured kitchen cabinets for big projects and he came to me to help him re-brand his business. He wanted a new name that would sound more Italian.... "Everyone wants an Italian kitchen!" he said. I interviewed architects, developers and builders to find out that their biggest "pain point" was the continual delays they experience with the import of kitchens from Italy... and a disbursement of funds was tied to that stage of the building process. So I suggested he differentiate his business... by delivering "ON TIME EVERY TIME"... he DID break out into a cold sweat and said "I can't do that!" I asked...

"You own the factory, don't you?" "YES."

"You can get your raw goods from many suppliers, right?" "YES."

"You can run 3 shifts, can't you?" "YES."

"You can choose to take the order or not, can't you?" "YES."

"If you could deliver "ON TIME EVERY TIME" that would give you an edge over the Italian kitchens, wouldn't it?" YES."

He was very nervous but was encouraged when his entire organization rallied behind the commitment and came up with great ideas to fulfill on the promise. This commitment was truly a game changer.

What could YOUR commitment be? What do YOU have control over in order to deliver... or NEVER do? What could your entire organization rally behind? What do your clients really want and value? Think long and hard about these questions since the answers could truly be a game changer.

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TIME... where to find it.

I don't know a single attorney that doesn't tell me they don't have time, to one degree or another. Some use it as an excuse as to why they are not developing business, others say it because they feel it... but do what they need to do in spite of it.

The other day I read a blog post by Seth Godin that I have to share with you. It was short and sweet...

Time for a workflow audit

"Go find a geek. Someone who understands gmail, Outlook, Excel and other basic tools. Pay her to sit next to you for an hour and watch you work. Then say 'tell me five ways I could save an hour a day.' Whatever you need to pay for this service, it will pay for itself in a week."

BRILLIANT... isn't it? We all struggle with processes that we are not proficient at and waste time... so spend the hour that Seth suggests and become EFFICIENT. I am!

I have several small firm clients that do their own bookkeeping. They are smart and figured it out... but they are not EXPERTS. Spending time on the books takes them from legal work and business development, which are two very lucrative tasks. Hire a bookkeeper (and make sure they have experience with law firms). It will be more cost effective and they will be able to help you manage your firm by the numbers... and believe me, they will pay for themselves in short order.

Take a look around... there may be other things you could outsource... which would save you time and money.

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Let's look around...  What business are these companies in?

Revlon... Cosmetics?

Nike... Shoes and sports apparel?

Apple... Computers and accessories?

Sure those are their deliverables... but that is not the business they are in!

Revlon is in the "make me feel beautiful" business!

Nike is in the "I can win" business!

Apple is in the "You can't imagine how much you are going to need this and LOVE this... not to mention that you will be COOL if you have it" business!

As lawyers what business do you think YOU are in? The practice of law? Absolutely NOT! There are probably as many answers to this question as there are lawyers... 1,084,504 (according to the ABA a few years ago) in this country.

Think about it.... 

• Are you in the business of putting families back together again?
• Are you in the business of helping business owners sleep at night?
• Are you in the business of people realizing their dreams?
• Are you in the business of making sure the little guy gets justice?

Do any of these resonate with you? Not a single one mentioned the law! Just as Revlon, Nike and Apple produce a deliverable so do you... legal documents, a trial, counsel, etc. But the business you are in is much deeper than your deliverable. 

Why should you think about it? Because if you can get to the core of what business you are in you will have the insight to do it at a whole new level...

• You will be able to find your points of differentiation.
• You will be able to speak more directly to your target market.

And I believe you will be able to get back in-touch with why you actually decided to become a lawyer in the first place. And your life's work will have more meaning and a higher degree of satisfaction. Hence, your business development activities take on a whole new meaning.

If the law is just a job to you... disregard everything you have read. But if it is not... give these questions some deep thought and focus on the business YOU are in! Have fun... and if you would like to comment or have questions I would love to hear from you.

 Black Pearl: Were Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead in the same business as Elton John? Seth Godin has an interesting tidbit.

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Many lawyers have said to me that they don't have a personal brand. But they most certainly do... they just didn't create it consciously. Everything one does adds to their personal brand... positively or negatively. But we don't often see it that way. The question here is can we change it? Sure we can. Should we change it? Absolutely. If you are working on business development it is imperative that you craft the personal brand that will get you where you want to go. 

But... it isn't easy. Seth Godin talked about... "Changing Personas". He defines a marketing persona "as the posture or approach or attitude you bring to the market"... your personal brand positioning.

Change is needed when what we are doing doesn't work any more and we need to move to the next level. He pushes back with:

"Please don't tell me about authenticity. Brands and personas are made, not born, and we use them because they work, not because our DNA ordains us to. When they stop working, it's time to change them." 

CHANGE...

• You first have to make a commitment to do it. Not just put it on a list, I mean the kind of commitment that is uncompromising.
• Make a plan... you need to know where you are headed. What do you want to be known for? What do you want people to think when they hear your name?
• Get into action... do something every single day. Show the world you are who you say you are and do it little step by little step.

No, it isn't easy... but becoming a lawyer wasn't either. Legal business development will be less arduous if you have a strong personal brand... persona... reputation... OR whatever you would like to call it. It is easier for people to send you referrals or hire you when they can clearly understand your values... small and large.

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Last week I read a blog post by Seth Godin that has been on my mind for days. It's sort of like that song you can't get out of your head. Why? Well... first here is what Seth wrote...

"Dancing faster then ever, but why?

I just read a relentlessly snarky profile of the brilliant chef Charlie Trotter. Charlie is one of the pioneers of modern cooking, a gracious host and a perfectionist as well.

The Times is disappointed that he hasn't opened chains of restaurants, made a fool of himself on reality TV or decamped to a more expensive building in Chicago. All he's done, it seems, is mentor an entire generation of chefs, consistently create amazing meals and also donate once-in-a-lifetime, multi-course dinners for rising high school students in Chicago (150 times a year).

There will always be someone telling you that you're not hip enough, famous enough, edgy enough or whatever enough. That's their agenda. What's yours?

Shun the non-believers."

Seth's comments got me thinking. How many times have you minimized your accomplishments because someone made a comment about what they thought you should do... making you question your path? I would guess that it has happened more than once. Having a plan and a vision for where you are headed will insulate you from what Seth calls the "non-believers". 

There are a million and one paths to follow when it comes to marketing and business development... find yours and stick with it.

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You can plan and work and push as hard as you want, but if you don’t have a personal brand that shines through you’ll never get to the top.

On Tuesday I mentioned Seth Godin’s great post from last week, celebrating the life and lessons of fitness guru Jack LaLanne. But what does it have to do with you? Let’s take a look…

“He bootstrapped himself. A scrawny little kid at 15, he decided to change who he was and how he was perceived, and then he did. The deciding was as important as the doing.”

Jack Lalanne saw a direction and moved forward not with what he WAS but with what he WANTED to be. The same applies to clients. Go after the clients you WANT, not the clients you happen to have.

“He went to the edges. He didn't merely open a small gym… he created the entire idea of a health club, including the juice bar. He did this 70 years ago.”

The message? Think big. Don’t limit yourself to being featured in a local Superlawyers edition. Go after national media. Don’t just write one little article and post it online. Figure out how to turn those ideas into a speech, a seminar, and an e-book.

“ …most of what Jack had to offer he offered for free. He understood the value of attention.”

As I tell my clients all the time. Free isn’t a four letter word. Give clients something for nothing once in a while, it will not only build on your relationship but will give them ammunition to refer out your services.

“He was willing to avoid prime time. Jack never had a variety show on CBS. He was able to change the culture from the fringes of TV.”

You don’t always have to play in the big pond. Find your audience and cater to them, wherever they are. Be an expert in your own world and don’t worry about competing with the big guys.

“He stuck with the brand. He didn't worry about it getting stale or having to reinvent it into something fresh. Jack stood for something, which is rare, and he was smart enough to keep standing for it.”

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Commit to your brand (both firm and personal) and own it. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Black Pearl: One final link on this subject. Here’s an Inc. slideshow about LaLanne that I thought was fun and inspiring. Hope you enjoy it…
 

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As most of you who follow my blog know, I’m a big fan of Seth Godin and regularly find inspiration in his thoughts and ideas. Last week I received a great post from his blog (which, as I suggest you all do, I subscribe to) about the life of a unique and similarly inspirational marketer: Jack LaLanne (more about that post later). After reading his post, I did a quick search on the Internet and found many, many references to lessons we can all learn from the life of this legendary public figure. Here are some I thought I would share.

1. Use it or lose it.
2. Make a personal connection.
3. It’s never too late.
4. Do, don’t stew. 

As for Seth’s 8 lessons? Come back on Thursday and we’ll take a closer look.
 

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*Special Friday Post

I subscribe to many thought leader blogs (as I hope all of you are doing). Everyday I scan them... sort, take notes and file... and some days I am stopped in my tracks! I have to admit that it is often Seth Godin who does that to me. This week he hit me up side the head!

He talks about "the wrapper" that your content comes in... for years I have talked about presentation, presentation, presentation... but not like this! Seth points out how impactful we can be if we look at our content from many vantage points. Here's some food for thought...

The wrapper matters

 When you have a big idea, the question is, how to spread it?

You can go through a traditional publisher and have it printed in the tried and true way, like Clay Shirky. I had a chance to read Clay's new book a few months ago. No surprise: it's pure gold, unalloyed insight about the state of media and the world.

If you're looking for big ideas and are prepared to lose a little sleep, there's no better book to buy right now.

You can have someone take a short speech based on your book and have them turn it into a animated video. Dan Pink's video has been seen about 20 times as often as his book has been purchased. Video spreads.

You can turn your idea (like a focus on entrepreneurs) into cool trading cards, like Evan did.

You can skip the printing altogether and start your own video university, like Khan Academy.

Don't forget podcasts or mp3s, which can be very funny or motivational.

Intriguing isn't it? Sure we think of taking our book content into speeches...speeches into blog posts...blog posts into articles... but trading cards? That makes me smile... now I'm thinking about a whole line of products. What could your content become? This summer let's all think beyond the obvious! Thank you Seth Godin.