Law Consulting Blog : Cordell Parvin's Law Consulting Blog : Coach & Consultant For Lawyers & Law Firms : Business Development, Career Planning

Just today, I read an interesting Copyblogger  blog post: The Critical Mistake that Keeps Bloggers Broke. I could have easily written it for lawyers. I would have titled it: "The Critical Mistake that Keeps Blogging/Tweeting Lawyers from Connecting with Clients."

I know many law firms that have blogging lawyers. I know many lawyers who are tweeting. Several of those firms and lawyers make one big mistake. Their blogs/tweets are focused on what the lawyer bloggers/tweeters do rather than what their clients do. In that way the blogs and tweets are more about the lawyer than about the client.

The dirty secret is your clients and potential clients do not care about what you do. They only care about how you can help them solve their problems and achieve their business goals.

I recently wrote about this in the context of websites. Your Firm Website: Is It for You or Your Clients? Are your firm’s blog posts for you or your clients? If I was the partner in charge of marketing in my old law firm and could choose the firm’s blogs they would be:

• Financial Services Law Blog
• Construction Law Blog
• Real Estate Development Law Blog
• Healthcare Law Blog
• Hospitality Law Blog
• Energy Law Blog
• Manufacturer’s law blog
• Franchise Law Blog
• Information Technology Law Blog

Those were the main industries for our clients. I would want our litigators, corporate lawyers, environmental lawyers, IP lawyers, and labor and employment law lawyers to stay on top of what was happening in their legal field that was impacting any of our clients’ industries.

What are your clients’ industries? Are your blogs and tweets about what you do or about what your clients do?

 

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 What are you working on:

1. That you are passionate about?
2. That will make you a better lawyer?
3. That will enable you to understand your clients business?
4. That will improve your law firm?
5. That will make a difference in your community?
6. That will make you a better father/mother and husband/wife?
7. That will make you a better friend?
8. That will  make you more healthy?
9. That is for your long term success?
10. That is just for the fun of doing it?

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Since it is still January, I am still thinking about lawyers setting goals.

Are you interested in setting dynamite goals, but don’t know where to start? Here are a list of questions you can ask yourself.

The Who Questions:
Who is important in my life?
Who do I want to benefit from what I am doing?

The What Questions:
What are my strengths?
What are my challenges?
What do I want to accomplish?
What do I want to learn?
What do I want to experience?
What contribution do I want to make?
What do I want to have?
What do I want to earn?
What am I most passionate about?
What do my clients need the most?
What do I need to do to accomplish my goal?

The When Questions:
When do I want to accomplish each goal?

The Where Questions:
Where do I want to live?
Where do I want to visit?

The Why Questions:
Why is each goal important to me?
And why is that important to me?

The How Questions:
How do I want to accomplish my goals?
How do I want to live?
 

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I have the chance to work with outstanding lawyers. They seem to be always focused on learning. Some time ago I read a book by Josh Waitzkin titled: "The Art of Learning." Most of you probably do not recognize his name. He was portrayed in the movie: Searching for Bobby Fisher.

Have you played chess? I actually was a serious player during law school, playing almost every weekend. Like many others, I bought books and memorized every possible opening. Unlike me, when he was first learning chess, Waitzkin's coach focused on endings not openings. Waitzkin says:

Children who begin their chess education by memorizing openings tend to internalize an entity theory of intelligence. Their dialogues with teachers, parents and other children are all about results, not effort. They consider themselves winners because so far they have won. In school they focus on what comes easy to them and ignore the subjects that are harder. On the playground, they use the famous: 'I wasn't trying' after missing a shot or striking out.

These children grow up and go to law school. In law school they learn what is necessary to do well on the exams. Then they learn what is necessary to pass the bar. They are great at left brain thinking, but have not exercised the right side of their brain. As young associates in law firms they do not think beyond the assignment.

In his book "A Whole New Mind" Daniel Pink includes a chapter titled: "Symphony." He describes symphony as "the ability to put together the pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than analyze; to see relationships between seemingly unrelated fields; to detect broad patterns rather than to deliver specific answers; and to invent something new by combining elements nobody else thought to pair." This is the skill I find most young lawyers need to develop.

Daniel Pink suggests that one of the best ways to develop this skill is to learn how to draw. Pink went to a class based on Betty Edwards book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain." It turns out that drawing classes are not about learning to draw but rather about learning to see relationships.

So, what do you want to learn in 2010? What will you do to exercise the right side of your brain? Write down a list and have fun learning new things.
 

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This is the last in my series on how lawyers I coach are planning for 2010. As you will see below, Kevin O'Neill uses David Allen's Getting Things Done approach. 

Through my work with Cordell, I am a big fan of the Getting Things Done (GTD) series of books by David Allen, and they are very helpful in the process of developing my business plan. The GTD principles compare your planning and implementation to an aviation system with different altitudes from “runway” duties (the literal next step tasks needed to move the project forward) to the 50,000 foot-level where you are focused on the mission and vision for your life. I’ve adapted the GTD principles to my own needs in developing long-term goals and objectives of which a business plan is just one element.

So working down from 50,000 feet, begin by understanding who you want to be and what you want to become.  My vision and guiding principles have been in place for 15 years and will remain the focus for who I want to be professionally and personally. If you don’t have the vision and principles in place, planning for the year will be difficult to conceive and implement.

The next level down (40,000 feet) define your roles in daily life. For me, those 2010 roles are Husband, Father, Friend, Self, Citizen, Attorney, Manager, Leader and the nature of each of those roles are evolving over time. That’s true at work where my roles as Attorney, Manager, and Leader in 2010 are fundamentally different than what they were in 2008. It’s true outside of work as well because what my wife, children, and friends need in 2010 is not what I gave them in 2008. You must spend some time thinking about what you would define as success for each of these roles in 2010. You also must consider how you are going to allocate the 8,760 hours you have in a year between these roles because we know the hours spent succeeding as “Attorney” often come out of the time we wish we had for “Father” or “Friend.” My final “business” plan for 2010 will have a page for items related to “personal issues” to go with a page on purely “business issues.” I don’t necessarily share the personal goals/plan with the folks at work but having the personal documented along with the professional makes it easier to make sure work won’t swallow my real life over time. Also, that’s the part where discussion with your significant other is key – you can’t have support for a plan that’s not shared and accepted.

At 30,000 feet are your multi-year goals - these are the mileposts to making your long-term vision a reality. For lawyers, we have lots of multi-year goals we are working towards: make partner, make equity partner, have a book of business worth $x, write a book on my topic of expertise, etc.  Your personal life is full of those goals as well: Get married, have children, send your parents on vacation to Europe, buy a home, retire with $x in the bank, etc. Do you have these goals on paper somewhere? They don’t have to be in your 2010 business plan but they should exist on paper somewhere even if you have to write them as part of this year’s business plan development process. Are there elements of your work/personal plans for 2010 that you can point to and say “this is helping me reach the multi-year goal of [fill in the blank]?”

Lower down, at 20,000 feet, you have the various publics to whom you are responsible: clients, partners and colleagues at work, family, friends, your church, and yourself at home. There’s lots of turbulence at this level because the needs of these people are ever-changing and that alters your obligations to them. Do you know who is being served by each of the goals in your business plan? Professionally, what are your clients expecting you to do in 2010 that they would define as success and is that in your plan? In my 2010 business plan, every client I currently have could read the plan, point to a specific bullet and say “That’s what you are trying to do for me next year” yet only about 25% of the bullets in the business part of the plan are specifically focused on current client goals.

At 10,000 feet, you have projects, defined broadly as anything requiring more than one step to accomplish. Most clients will have lots of projects over the course of a year (Ex: association conference where I will speak, legal memo that needs to be researched and written, etc.) but none of those projects are likely to be something you want in a business plan. The same is true with the “runway” or next-step tasks needed to move forward on various projects. Yes, you are going to have to implement your business plan via projects and tasks but that level of detail is for a project/task list not a business plan. Keep the plan focused on measuring success for the coming year and how that success will help you achieve longer-term personal and professional goals.

In developing my plan, I try to follow a few rules:

1. Be specific, measurable and attainable – Say you want to bring in a specific amount of new business to the firm in 2010 rather than saying “I want more clients.” Virtually every bullet point in my business plan can be reviewed in a year and a “Yes” or “No” answer given for whether or not I achieved the goal.
2. Stretch goals should be evident – Yes, I want my goals to be attainable but many of them should also be currently beyond my grasp. If I set a goal to get $X in new business, which is double my best year, and I only get 80% of $X, I will be pleased with the result and will still have grown from the failure of falling short.
3. Don’t plan to last year – The economic turmoil should be all the evidence you need to know you can’t count on last year being like next year. Much of your plan’s ambitions should be focused on the new and improved, on growing your expertise, on building your reputation for clients and colleagues.
4. Focus on doing what only you must do – In order to free up time to do the new things and grow your practice to meet your plan’s goals, you have to give up much of what you did in the past. Especially as you grow professionally, you have to look for opportunities to say “My responsibility here is to see that the project or task is done but I don’t have to do it myself to fulfill that responsibility.”
5. Helping others will always help you – Just as your plan should include something your clients could point to and say “that’s what you are doing for me this year,” your teammates should be able to read your plan and see the same thing for them. If you are a partner, what does your plan say about supporting the next generation of talent at your firm or your partners as they try to reach their goals? Does your plan support your practice group’s goals or the firm’s goals? You want the best talent at your firm working with you so you can achieve your goals. If you are spending time focused on “only what you can do” you are naturally pushing down work that helps those working with you grow. If you are advising others on how to meet their own professional goals, you will be building the network and culture needed for your own success. Make helping others achieve their goals part of your plan.
6. Don’t be afraid to share – A plan that only you see is one you aren’t committed to achieving. If your department head or managing partner is not aware of your goals and ambitions, how can she evaluate your past efforts fairly and how can she support you in 2010 as you try to grow? Has your significant other reviewed the plan and laughed, groaned, or offered input? Has your mentor or good friend who can push you looked at the plan and offered suggestions?

In the end, what I have is a series of documents: one page that expresses my vision/mission statements, my core values and the adjectives I would hope others would use to describe me in their daily interactions with me. This document is more than a decade old. I have a set of long-term goals (5 years or longer) on a page and for almost 20 years I’ve had what is now commonly called a “bucket list” of about 100 life experiences I am pursuing (Ex: work took me to China last year and allowed me to check off the goal of standing on the Great Wall). My “business plan for 2010” is two pages – one for work goals and one for personal goals - and is below those bigger picture items listed above. The business plan is just the 2010 steps towards a longer-term vision. A paycheck won’t motivate me as well as the knowledge that what I’m doing today is a building block for the future I want.

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During December I am focusing on Planning for 2010 and including ideas from lawyers I coach. 

Tricia DeLeon is a partner in the Dallas Bracewell Giuliani office. I have been working with her the last several months. As you will see below, her planning focuses on her life priorities.

I am preparing my 2010 business plan by listing my big goals and then thinking about what small steps I can do each quarter to achieve my goals. I like Cordell's approach of organizing and dividing my business plan into several categories. My plan will include 7 categories: (1) Spiritual; (2) Family; (3) Mental/Personal Growth; (4) Firm/Professional Development; (5) Physical; (6) Fun; and, (7) Financial. I will have a few big goals listed under each category that I hope to accomplish in 2010. Some of the categories I've selected may not seem relevant to a "business" plan, but for me to succeed in my profession, I also have to achieve balance and growth in other areas of my life.

This year I'm also thinking about who can help me and keep me accountable for achieving my goals. For instance, I want to run at least half of the San Diego marathon on June 6, 2010. To accomplish this, we've organized a group of 9 women from our office who are committed to running the full marathon. We have a training schedule that will begin in January. In addition to our individual training, we plan to run together on Saturday mornings. If I have a friend or group working with me to achieve a goal, the more likely I am to do it. And, similar to the training schedule for the marathon, I hope to take small, consistent steps toward accomplishing my big goals in all 7 categories for 2010.

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During December I have focused on planning for 2010 and shared ideas from lawyers I coach. Staci Riordan is a Fashion Law lawyer I coach with Fox Rothschild's Los Angeles office. In a future blog post I will share with you some of the innovative ways Staci is using social media. Here is Staci's approach to planning for 2010.

I printed out copies of my most recent business plan, which I did in August 2009 when we started working together. I also printed out copies of my first two sets of 90 day goals we did together. I was pleased to see that I have been regularly accomplishing my short-term goals, probably because I kept them small and manageable and am making progress towards my long term goals. The one item on my list I am most proud of accomplishing is launching my fashion law blog. I am spending a great deal of time on this so I realized I needed to revise my business plan to account for this new activity.

While working on my plan at home later that week, my husband came into the room. A light bulb went off in my head. I asked him to sit down with me and review my plan for feedback and suggestions. Because my job is important to help support our family, I thought it was important to share my goals and dreams with him, and my plan for accomplishing them. It was also a great tool in helping him understand how I spend my time when I am not at home with the family. Planning together this way led to a wonderful discussion and has brought us closer. Also, we did his plan next (which is a first for his personal training business - see www.mytrainingtime.com). I proud to say that he is considering launching a blog too! So not only has making a plan helped my professional life, but it is working well for my home-life as well. I am always taking about what Cordell says and I think Chris feels like he knows him by now. We read many of the same books (Chris is reading Crush It! and I am reading Who's Got Your Back) and discuss the parts we like best. It is a nice to be able to share this with your spouse, even when we work in two very different jobs.

As I look towards 2010, I hope to continue to grow my practice through speaking engagements, branding, social media and old fashion networking as well as providing outstanding legal services for my clients. I am not a patient person so I constantly struggle with the rational concept that takes time to build a practice. I also tend to focus on the trees and forget to look up at the forest. At this time of year, it is nice to reflect on what you do, how you do it and who you do it with. I am thankful that I work at a job that I love and able to work with clients that I actually like. I am passionate about the fashion industry and am grateful my firm believed in me enough to encourage me and provide with the support needed to launch this unique practice area.

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I am continuing to post ideas lawyers I coach are using to prepare their 2010 plan. 

Jodi McDougall, a partner with Cozen O'Connor in their Seattle, office recently shared her approach with me:

I'm planning for next year by first reviewing this past year. I'm going through my goals from last year and seeing what I've achieved as well as what I didn't. For those goals I achieved, I give myself a pat on the back, or better yet a few hours at the spa. I also look around me and see those who helped me to achieve my goals. For example, my parents who are always there to step in and love my kids when my husband and I accidentally schedule a deposition the same day. I express my thanks through a note, a kind gesture or a gift. I let them know that I recognize their contributions to my success.

I also look to last year's achievements and determine what I want to do again and how to improve on those goals. For example, with two small children I had stopped taking time for exercise, thinking I didn't have time for such luxuries. Cordell reminded me that successful people take good care of themselves. Last year, I ran a half marathon in June. This year my goal is to run at least two half marathons. I'm already signed up for one!

For those goals I didn't reach, I try to figure out why I fell short and either set the goal again or adjust it to make it more reasonable and achievable. I remind myself of how good it feels to achieve the goals I set and give myself a fresh start and let go of my past shortcoming.

Finally, I will take some time at the end of the year to relax and enjoy my family. I recharge my batteries so that I will be ready to go when January 1, 2010 rolls around.

 

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In my last two blog posts, I have discussed why you should have a plan for 2010 and my thoughts on how to get started. I have asked lawyers I coach to share with you how they are preparing their 2010 business plan.

James J. O'Keeffe, a new partner with Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, recently shared with me how he is preparing his 2010 business plan. 

I’m preparing my 2010 business plan by looking forward and working backward. Based on our coaching sessions and some of the books that you’ve recommended, I’ve got a list long-term goals defining where I’d like to be in five and ten years in each of my roles—father, husband, productive lawyer, client developer, etc. With those in mind, I’ve decided where I’d like to be at the end of 2010 with respect to each role. I used those targets to identify goals that I’d like to accomplish next year. I tried to make sure that those goals are objectively quantifiable, challenging, and more or less within my control.

I know that some people find it very useful to break their yearly plans down by hours, quarters, weeks, and so on. That doesn’t do very much for me. With two small kids, a wife who works, an old house, and a busy job, yearly planning beyond the “big rocks” is just too ambitious right now. If something is important, I will get it done. If not, there’s no sense in planning for it, anyway. As the year progresses, I do plan my activities on a weekly basis and review my goals quarterly. That probably mitigates the lack of precision in my up-front planning. But trying to sit down right now and figure that I have x hours of investment time, to be divided across y activities over z weeks would likely only set me up for failure. It would also drive me nuts.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that I am lucky enough to work at a firm that gives me significant freedom when it comes to annual planning and goals.

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In my last post, I discussed why you should create a 2010 plan. In this post I will share with you ideas on how to do your planning.

I suggest giving thoughts to next year between now and end of year. I especially like this weekend and the time between Christmas and New Years because I can relax and focus.

Here are my ideas on where you might focus:

1. Look back on what you accomplished in 2009: What did you learn? What did you do? What results did get? What could you have done better?
2. What do you want to accomplish next year? What are your goals? Why is achieving them important to you? What do you want to learn? What do you want to do better? What would be a home run for you?
3. What actions do you need to take to achieve your goals? Try to list as many as 25 actions and identify when you will take each action.

I recommend that you write all of the answers to these questions and your list of 25 actions. Why is that an important step? Studies have shown that we are far more likely to do things we have committed to writing. We are also far more likely to do them when we set a date certain.

Give this approach a try. It will make you more focused and will help keep you working toward your goals.

If you want additional ideas on planning download my latest column from The Practical Lawyer. 
 

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As we are approaching 2010, have you begun preparing your 2010 business plan? If not, you are not alone. You may be wondering: Why should I prepare one? The answer is quite simple: Time and energy are your most important assets, and you must use your time and energy wisely. I like a quote attributed to Jim Cathcart and others: “Most people aim at nothing in life and hit it with amazing accuracy.”

Preparing a business plan will help you identify what is most important to you, prioritize how you spend your time, focus your attention on the important things and execute. You will have a far greater sense that you control your destiny. With no plan you can easily waste time and energy doing things that are unimportant.

I am conducting a free 2010 business plan webinar on December 30 at Noon Central Standard Time. I will share with participants why I prepared a plan each year, how I put it together and the ways I held myself accountable to execute my plan. These ideas worked for me and I am confident they will work for you. There are a few telephone lines still available. If you want to participate contact jflo@cordellparvin.com to reserve your spot.

In my next post, I will give you some tips on how to prepare your plan.
 

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I often am asked what my favorite blogs and podcasts are, so I thought I would share them with you.

Seth Godin is the marketing guru and a lot of what he writes about applies to lawyers.

Creating Customer Evangelists has a great book on client service.

Scott Ginsberg is an excellent writer on becoming more valuable to clients. If you go to his regular website there are dozens of good articles on networking etc.

Justin R. Levy has social media materials I like.

More great stuff on social media by Steffan Antonas.

Copyblogger is the number one site on blogging and writing.

Chris Brogan is co-author of Trust Agents a great book every lawyer should read.

Personal Branding Blog has excellent ideas on personal branding.

I like Growth Nation's 51 free marketing tips. Take a look and see which ones apply to what you are trying to do.

You can get all of these by RSS feeds that will come to your iGoogle account or your Google Reader account. This makes it easy to decide which posts to read.

My favorite Podcast that I subscribe to in iTunes is Duct Tape Marketing. John Jantsch interviews all the people above and more. Go back over the last year and you will find some valuable interviews. Take note that earlier this year he moved the podcast to a different location.

I learn something valuable from each of the blogs and podcasts above. You will also.
 

Continue Reading...

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Tuesday, I asked if you had answered "why" client development is important to you. It is the first step to make time for client development. In this post, I will share with you three noted experts' approach to time management.

Noted author Carl Sandburg once said: “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how well it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” He wrote that long before the Internet, email and other current potential distractions.

In a couple of weeks I will be doing a program called “Time Management: Making Time for Client Development.” I plan to include a discussion on time and energy management and share ideas I learned from books by Stephen Covey, David Allen and Jim Loehr. Each author approaches the subject in a slightly different way. I have read their books and listened to their presentations. I have found each approach valuable. Recently I found a report on the effectiveness of coaching programs using each approach. I plan my week around my roles as Stephen Covey suggests. I use David Allen's approach to next actions. i set physical/economic, mental/learning, emotional/relationship, and spiritual/values goals based on Jim Loehr's four sources of energy. Take a look and decide which approach will work best for you.

One final thought: One way to make time for client development is to eliminate wasted time. How much time do you waste each day on things that really do not matter? You might be opening and responding to unimportant emails, doing things that could be delegated, searching for things in your office. If you saved just 30 minutes a day, that would be 182½ hours for a year. Suppose you used that time for client development or your own development, what do you think would happen to your career?
 

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Time management is the most frequent agenda item for lawyers I coach. More specifically, I am asked how to find time for client development when the lawyer is busy with billable work and wants quality family time. Do you also wonder how you can find the time?

You might think this is a time management issue. Way more often than not, it is really a self-motivation issue. Donald Latumahina wrote an interesting post on self-motivation last year. His first suggestion for building self-motivation is to “Have a Cause.” He says: “While other causes could inspire you temporarily, a cause that matters to you can inspire you indefinitely.”

His third suggestion is to “Be Hungry.” He says: “To be truly motivated, you need to have hunger and not just desire. Having mere desire won’t take you through difficult times since you don’t want things badly enough.”

If you are struggling to make time for client development ask yourself the “why” question. Write down why developing a client base and book of business is important to you. It will help get you have a cause. Let me share my answers with you. Developing a client base and book of business would:

• Provide security for my family
• Enable me to help clients achieve their goals
• Make my work more interesting

If you find it challenging to make time for client development, you might want to read Rising Star, which I co-authored with Kristi Sebalj. Here is some of what I said in the introduction:

This is the second book I have written about Tony and Gina Caruso. In "Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering Career Burnout" Christina Bost Seaton and I focused on Tony, who after finishing his first year as an associate in a large Texas law firm is burned out and struggling to find meaning in his career. Rising Star: The Making of a Rainmaker is about Gina, who is now a partner in a mid-sized firm. She is the talk of the firm, having brought in $1 Million of business. Yet, she feels like a one-hit wonder because her success was a result of one big case from one big client…

I have known Tony's and Gina's throughout my 35 years practicing law. Their characters are a composite of lawyers who have worked for me and lawyers I have been blessed to coach and mentor. Many of those lawyers have caused me to study and examine differences between lawyers who are successful and happy and lawyers who are not…

As you read Rising Star, think about what you really want in your career and how you can most effectively and efficiently achieve it. That will be a good starting point to motivate you to achieve your goals.

Order Rising Star now at a reduced rate or purchase a book set for as much as 70% off regular price – or you may find it on Amazon.com.
 

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Use your imagination for a moment. Imagine you and I are sitting at a small conference room table and we are about to begin our third or fourth coaching session. Here are some questions I might ask you:

1. Since we last talked what have you done to become more valuable to your current clients?
2. What have you been doing to become more visible and credible to potential clients and referral sources?
3. What have you done to help your colleagues’ clients?
4. What have you been reading or studying to learn more about your clients?
5. On a scale of 1-10 how are you doing on accomplishing the goals we set in our first session?
6. What would it take for you to get to a 10 rating for yourself?
7. What challenges have you encountered?
8. How have you been able to overcome those challenges?
9. What would you like to get out of this coaching session?
10. What can I do to help you?

Even though we may never have a coaching session, you can get many of the benefits of coaching by answering the questions above.
 

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Are you blogging for business? Plenty of lawyers are doing it. But, how many are doing it well? Here are the top 10 mistakes I see:

1. Failure to identify the targeted reader. It is pretty basic. You need a plan which identifies the type of client/referral source you want to read your blog.
2. Picking topics no one cares about. Potential clients only care about their problems, opportunities and changes. They want to read about solutions to those.
3. Not posting regularly or frequently. If you do not have time to post at least once a week, you should not be blogging.
4. Picking a poor title. Some of the titles I see remind me of headings from legal briefs. Your potential clients and referral sources will decide whether to read your blog based on the title.
5. Writing posts that are too long. Your potential clients and referral sources do not care about the history of Swiss watch making. They simply want to know the time.
6. Writing long paragraphs. You may not realize it, but your readers will look at your blog post visually. If the paragraphs are long, they will be less likely to read it.
7. Writing about you and your law firm. Your potential clients and referral sources do not care about you or your law firm. They care about themselves and their business.
8. Writing that attracts the wrong potential clients. If you are a management side employment lawyer, your blog should be aimed at businesses so you do not receive lots of calls from disgruntled employees.
9. Writing for lawyers and not for potential clients and referral sources. Unless your target audience is lawyers, use words that businessmen use.
10. Talking down to your readers. Potential clients and referral sources like lawyers who are confident. They hate lawyers that are arrogant.

If you are blogging you should be reading Copyblogger. It is the top blog for learning blogging skills. I wrote a regular monthly column for Roads and Bridges Magazine for 24 years. I can assure you that my writing improved over time. Your blogging will improve over time also.

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On September 16, 2009 I posted a blog titled: “The Strength of Weak Ties.” In the post I told the story of how a large contractor found me based on a recommendation by a lawyer co-presenter on a panel presentation.

When I look back at other significant new clients who hired me to help them, almost all of them first considered me based on a recommendation from a “weak tie.” So, as a practical matter, what do you need to do? The answer is client development in a nutshell. As shown below there are four main stages:

1. Become visible and credible to your target market and weak ties in that target market. I wrote articles and gave presentations to industry groups to become visible and credible, but there are a wide variety of other ways to do it.
2. Build relationships and be in the mind of weak ties.
3. Keep your website up to date with representative matters and downloadable articles and presentations. After you are recommended, your potential client will go to your website bio to see if you have the expertise and experience to handle their matter.
4. Build trust and rapport by asking good questions and listening. When you get the meeting with your potential client representative, she will be weighing whether she can trust you to handle the matter effectively in a manner that will make her management compliment her for choosing you. She also is weighing what it will be like to work with you. In this stage too many lawyers mistakenly try to sell themselves and their firm, instead of asking good questions and selling by doing.

Want to be more successful next year? Develop a game plan to become more visible and credible, to build relationships with potential referral sources and to develop trust and rapport with potential new clients when you get the opportunity.

We will be covering the four stages as well as other client development topics in a live webcast titled "Securing, Retaining, and Expanding Relationships with Your Clients" on November 10, 11 and 12 at 12:00 pm (CST) each day.  For detailed information download the brochure and registration form or register on-line. Register by October 30 and receive a free book!

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Recently I had a coaching session with an outstanding lawyer I coach. He lamented that he was making all kinds of client development efforts, but not achieving results. In other words, he was getting noticed, but not hired.

Seth Godin recently posted a blog titled: "Notice Me."

If you are getting noticed but not hired, read the bullet point list in Seth's blog and develop an action you can do for each item on the list.

 

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In early September I spoke to first year lawyers going through orientation at their firm. Right before the conclusion of my presentation, I asked for questions. A very astute first year lawyer who had listened intently asked: “What is the difference between lawyers who are stars and lawyers who are superstars?”

Later in September I posted a blog on how the best lawyers keep getting better.

The young lawyer’s question caused me to remember that David Maister wrote a chapter about dynamos, cruisers and losers in his book True Professionalism. After I collected my ideas and wrote this post, I went back to the chapter and read what he said about cruisers. First he indicated that we all cruise at sometime in our career. Then, he said: “Cruising means working at what you are already good at, and in consequence usually means a low-stress comfortable work live.” Finally he wrote: “The difference between Dynamos and Cruisers is rarely one of ability. Rather, it is one of attitude.” If you have a copy of the book or can get a copy of the book, I urge you to read this chapter.

Here is what I have seen when successful lawyers are not getting better. They do some or all of the following:

1. Become content with their achievement
2. Focus on what they already know rather than what they don’t know
3. Quit doing the things that got them to $1 Million
4. Do not pay attention to their health
5. Do not pay attention to their families
6. Take clients for granted
7. Quit trying to attract new clients
8. Become cautious, like a sports team with a lead playing not to lose
9. Refuse to share credit with their colleagues
10. Do not look for opportunities to add value for their clients with work the firm does outside their practice area.
11. Hoard associates instead of helping those associates become successful in their own right
12. Make it difficult for associates and young partners to work with them
13. Let any disappointment or setback cripple them
14. Fail to keep up with changes in the legal profession
15. Simply begin their retirement on the job

Superstar lawyers I know view a great year to be an event not an achievement. The achievement comes from continuing to strive to get better.
 

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Recently I was eating dinner with a group of lawyers I am just starting to coach. One asked me what I thought was the most important thing I had done to become a rainmaker. For me the answer was easy. I narrowed my focus and developed a niche for which I could become a “go to lawyer.” After that I asked each person in the group to identify what they believe is the most important thing to do. No one was permitted to use something that had already been stated. Here is the list my coaching group identified.

• Develop a plan and execute
• Build relationships with your clients and business referral sources
• Do the highest quality work
• Be more responsive than the client expects
• Be Persistent, client development takes time
• Be Passionate and enthusiastic about your work and clients
• Put in the time to do client development
• Focus on client development activities that work best for you
• Become a better listener and better at asking questions to enable you to learn more about the client
• Make raving fans of existing clients and then focus on staying in touch with old clients

What would you add to this list?
 

 

 

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A few years ago I met with Jonathan, a lawyer I was coaching. He said: “Cordell, whatever you do, please don’t tell me I have to write or speak at industry meetings for client development.” I told Jonathan: “You can be really successful and never write one article or give one industry presentation.”

What is the point of sharing that short story with you? Each lawyer I coach is unique. They each have unique talents, goals and challenges. So do you. The point of individual coaching is one size does not fit all and my job is to help the lawyers I coach uncover their unique talents.

You may have a senior lawyer who is advising you. He may think what worked for him is exactly what will work for you. It may, but just as likely it may not.

While each lawyer I meet is unique, I believe rainmakers have certain attributes and do certain things. I wrote about it in my August column in The Practical Lawyer.

How you can best spend your time will be determined by a variety of things, including:

• The kind of work you do
• Your experience
• The amount of non-billable time you have
• Your interests and talents
• Your personality type
• What you want to accomplish

Some lawyers like Jonathan should be out in the community networking and/or active in the Bar. Other lawyers do not have the time or desire and would rather go home and be with their family. Some lawyers should spend time developing a social media presence and relationships. Others should spend time meeting with clients and referral sources in person. Some lawyers should spend time developing new clients. Other lawyers should spend time focusing on their existing clients. Some lawyers should market externally. Other lawyers should market internally. Some lawyers should focus on being a subject matter expert. Other lawyers should focus on being a “trusted advisor.”

If you want to build your practice, you should focus on the attributes in my article and figure out your unique talents, goals and challenges and spend your time most appropriately. Here is a practical suggestion. Take each bullet point above and write an answer. Then look at the paragraph above and use it as a starting point to think about how you can best use your time.
 

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Over the weekend I read a sports psychology book by Gary Mack titled: Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence. I found it could have been a lawyer’s guide to inner excellence because the points he made reminded me of what I see in the most outstanding lawyers I coach.

Let’s review the ten qualities of inner excellence Mack listed and you will see what I mean.

The person who is a winner within has a dream. The most outstanding lawyers I coach are pursuing a dream about their career and life. They set goals to convert their dream into actions.

Commitment. The most outstanding lawyers I coach know what they want to achieve and why they want to achieve it. Because they know the “what” and the “why” they stay committed when others give up.

Responsibility. The most outstanding lawyers I coach long ago took responsibility for their own career.

Openness to learning and growing. The most outstanding lawyers I coach need coaching the least, but get the most out of it because they put the most into it. They are always striving to learn and grow.

Optimism. I have referred to this quote in a previous blog post: “Superachievers think optimistically and plan purposely.”

Self-confidence. Mack writes: “No one can outperform his or her self-image. The most outstanding lawyers I coach believe in themselves and their abilities to attract clients and be a valuable resource for those clients.

Emotional control. The most outstanding lawyers I coach do not lose their temper; do not get down on themselves or the people who work for them.

The adversity quotient. I posted a blog about this attribute after Padraig Harrington struggled on the 8th hole and lost the PGA tournament as a result. The most outstanding lawyers I coach get themselves up and try again when they run into roadblocks.

Backbone and character. The most outstanding lawyers I coach focus on their integrity. I have always appreciated this John Wooden quote: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

Persistent and patient. The most outstanding lawyers I coach know that there is no such thing as overnight sensations. They work tirelessly building their visibility and credibility and do not give up or complain when they do not see immediate results from their efforts.
 

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It was 1971, I was in my last year in law school when Nancy and I and two other couples sat in the second row to watch The Ike and Tina Turner Revue. First, Ike and the band came out, then the Ikettes came out and sang. Then the announcer, in a very deep voice said: “Let’s welcome the star of the show, the hardest working girl in show biz…Ladies and Gentlemen: Tina Turner.”

Tina was unbelievable. She had the entire audience clapping and singing along to “I Want to Take You Higher.” I don’t remember many of the songs in the middle of the concert, but as it was reaching the end, she sang: “Proud Mary.” When she finished the crowd was standing and asking to hear more from Tina. Here is a video clip from the 1971 concert tour with Tina Singing “Proud Mary.” 

 

Fast forward to 2000. Tina Turner is live at Wembley Stadium in London. Her opening song: “I Want to Take You Higher.”

 

Like the concert in 1971, Tina came to the end of the Wembley Stadium concert and sang “Proud Mary.” Once again the audience clamored for more.

 

Other than my enjoyment of Tina Turner in concert, what is the point for you? I suggest you take a lesson from Tina Turner when you are giving a presentation. Start strong and end strong. You have about 90 seconds for the audience to answer the question: “What’s in this for me?” Do not end your presentation with: “Are there any questions?” Instead as you are approaching the end, say: “Before I conclude are there any questions?” Then, conclude powerfully with a call to action. In an interview author and expert Nick Morgan said: “The last thing you do with an audience is the most important and what they will remember the best. Q&A is open-ended and not in your control. A great speech can be undermined by a hostile or stupid question at the end. So save the last three minutes for a knock-them-dead wrap up that sends the audience on its way with jaws agape.”

Clearly when Tina Turner ends a concert with “Proud Mary” she knocks-them-dead and has the audience wanting to hear more. If you open strong and close strong your audience will want to hear more, and maybe they will even want to hire you.
 

 

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In my career I have been blessed to work with some really outstanding lawyers and I have also worked hard to be outstanding myself. So, I have ideas you can implement to keep getting better and take it to the next level. Here is a list of what outstanding lawyers do to keep getting better:

1. They are never content with their achievements and are always striving to get better.
2. They focus on what they do not know and are willing to reinvent themselves if the situation requires it.
3. They regularly do things that others do not enjoy doing.
4. They are focused on the long term.
5. They persist until they succeed.
6. They are intrinsically motivated and do not get caught up in comparing themselves to others.
7. They strive to become comfortable outside their comfort zone.
8. They are comfortable under pressure.
9. They have set and achieved hundreds of goals and have confidence they will achieve more.
10. They focus on the process that produce the end results rather than the end results themselves.
11. They know their health is essential to their success and make time to stay healthy.
12. They are focused on their priorities and do the most important things each and every day without getting distracted.
13. They genuinely enjoy their clients and their work.
14. They anticipate their clients’ and potential clients’ legal problems, create a solution and call them.
15. They work at becoming both an outstanding lawyer and trusted advisor.
16. They think optimistically and plan their non-billable time purposely.
17. They have healthy paranoia, which causes them to focus more intently on adding value for their clients.
18. They view everyone they meet as a potential client.
19. They are always playing to win.
20. They share credit and build their team as a result.
21. They look for other work the firm can do that their clients will value.
22. They help their associates succeed in their own right and are constantly rebuilding their team.
23. They are willing to fail and they rebound from disappointments or setbacks.
24. They are on the cutting edge of change, including technology changes.
25. They are always seeking new ideas and feedback from coaches and mentors.

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The attorneys I coach have probably heard me say it many times: “You want to be remarkable in the eyes of potential clients so that they will seek you out.”

I read an article written by Dr. Ivan Misner, a New York Times bestselling author, who wrote “The 29% Solution: 52 Weekly Networking Success Strategies.” The point of the book is that 29 percent of us are connected. I understand that the book has a 52-week program to help readers become part of the 29 percent. You might be surprised to learn that Dr. Misner believes introverts are better at networking than extroverts.

In Misner’s article I found the following interesting:

1. In business, being a magnet means being recognized as a “go to” person and that includes knowing people who can solve other people’s problems.
2. We tend to attract people like ourselves. Busy people attract busy people, making it more difficult to get together, but the rewards are great when a group of busy people get together.

The second part of the article focuses on approachability and includes suggestions from Scott Ginsberg, “the name tag guy.” He gives some really good ideas for being approachable at an event. I urge you to study each of his eight ideas before going to your next event.
 

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Yesterday, I wrote about "the strength of weak ties." I heard from several readers that my discussion gave them ideas they had not considered.

The story I told yesterday demonstrates four points:

1. More often than not, clients hire lawyers rather than law firms.
2. Client development is about relationship building.
3. You will be considered by a new client based on recommendations or based on something you have written or presented.
4. The recommendations more often than not will come from weak ties.

I want to keep your creative juices flowing. In this post I want to focus on how to be considered based on something you write or present. One important tip is to find ways to reuse your content. In marketing that is called repurposing.

Have you handled a complex matter recently? If so, how can you reuse materials you created to educate other potential clients, referral sources and weak ties?

I have always urged lawyers to create content (books, guides, articles and presentations) and find ways to reuse the content. I have always done that. Let me share an example.

In the early 90s, the Federal Highway Administration received permission from Congress to "experiment" with Design-Build construction of complex bridges and highways. I knew the experiment would lead to states wanting to construct more and more projects by design-build contracts. I also knew contractors were unprepared for this change. I decided to do workshops across the country to educate contractors. About 100 contractors attended. I had taken many hours to prepare the detailed handout materials. I offered those materials to 100s of other contractors. When it became possible, I had my marketing department put the materials on my website where they could be easily downloaded. Next, I broke out sections of the handout materials and created several articles that were published. The net effect was I reached a much wider audience by repackaging the materials I had worked so hard to create. In some cases I put materials in front of perspective clients three times.

Later I was hired by a state in New England to help draft their first design-build contact. A couple of years after that, I was hired by the contractor to help put together a proposal to install a very complex electronic toll collection system in the Northeast. Because of the writing and presentations I did on design-build, I was hired by several contractors to handle disputes arising from design-build contracts. All of these opportunities and engagements came as a result of creating content and reusing it.

Think about how you can reuse materials you create.

By the way, have you begun planning for 2009? If you would like some ideas on the planning process let me know.

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Yesterday I wrote how social media is an efficient and effective way to strengthen weak ties and stay on their radar screen. The strength of weak ties concept was first discussed by Mark Granovetter.

I recently looked back at my own career and recalled just how powerful weak ties can be. I have shared this story before but it is worth sharing again. In early 1983, President Reagan signed into law the Surface Transportation Act of 1982. It included a provision that for the first time by statute required that 10% of the federal highway funds be expended with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. That created new and complicated legal issues for highway contractors. I wrote a guide and spoke on the subject all over the country. One presentation was a panel in Washington, DC. A lawyer from the Federal Highway Administration was on the panel with me. I had never met him before we spoke that day.

About six months later I received a call from the general counsel of one of the country’s largest contractors. They had a $30 million issue with the City of Atlanta. The general counsel told me he heard I was the one to call for help. Later in the conversation I asked how he had heard of me. He said he had called the Federal Highway Administration about the problem and a lawyer there told him that Cordell Parvin was the lawyer who could help them. Fortunately, I was able to help the client solve the problem and that led to a long lawyer-client relationship.

I look back now and almost every major matter or every new client came to me as a result of recommendations from weak ties. Who are your weak ties? What are you doing to stay on their radar screen?
 

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I like the ebook by Chris Guillebeau called “279 Days to Overnight Success.”

While it is focused on writers, there is a great deal in it for lawyers. Chris describes his “World Domination Strategy” and lists six components in his strategy. The five listed below apply to lawyers.

1. Create a Compelling Story and Be Remarkable
2. Clearly Answer the “Reason Why”
3. Prioritize Writing and Marketing Over Everything Else
4. Be Bigger than I Really Am
5. Build Long-Lasting Relationships

As lawyers your compelling story should focus on your clients. Think about what you are doing to help your clients achieve their goals or get over the hurdles that confront them.

If a potential client doesn’t know you, why should the client care about what you have to say? When you are writing or speaking always ask yourself, what is in this for the reader or audience.  Clearly you cannot prioritize writing and marketing over doing work for clients. But you can have a plan for your non-billable time and make time for writing and marketing. You can also find ways to hold yourself accountable.

I have always liked the phrase: “Think Big and Act Small.” For me thinking big means you can become more successful than you ever dreamed. Set goals that stretch you. Acting small means you are not on a crash diet. Make client development a lifestyle change.

Client development for lawyers is about relationships. Focus on the clients for whom you are working and making sure you are building long lasting relationships with them.

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Mitch Ackal is a Houston based lawyer I am coaching. He played baseball on the 1999 College World Series Rice team.

This week I am begin coaching a group of eight associates. I asked Mitch to share his thoughts on how to get the most from the coaching program. I am passing Mitch’s thoughts on to you because you can use his ideas, especially the importance of developing a business plan that will work for you.

My advice on getting the most out of Cordell’s program is to be patient and persistent. I am a 5th year litigation associate. When I first started the program,         I had an unrealistic expectation Cordell was going to give me a bag of pixy dust to sprinkle around town, and the next day I would be generating a million in business and praised by the partners as the second coming of Clarence Darrow. Unfortunately, it does not work that way.

My take on Cordell’s program is he wants us to develop the right habits that will eventually turn us into productive rainmakers. Those habits might not yield an immediate result, but they will lay the groundwork for the future.

I think the key to developing the correct habits is to prepare a good business plan that suits your strengths and weaknesses. The individual coaching sessions with Cordell; group meetings; quarterly meetings; and working as a team are some of the tools you will use to develop your plan of attack. And of course, once you develop your business plan, follow through with it.

I am currently in the 7th month of the program, and my challenge so far has been developing a comprehensive business plan that suits my personality, strengths, and weaknesses. Remember, there is more than one way to skin a cat. It may be your thing to write and speak. Some may love to blog. For others, developing relationships may be your strength. Or all of the above may work for you. The point is . . . find something you love doing and exploit it.

As a young lawyer, figuring out my plan has been the point of the program. In fact, during my last coaching call, I enthusiastically told Cordell I was almost done with my business plan. Getting to that point has been a fun struggle. For example, I had never given a speech before I started the program. I have since found two speaking opportunities and have determined it is something I really like to do. Therefore, writing and speaking a few times a year is now part of my plan.

Along the way, you will learn a lot from Cordell, but you will also learn a lot and get great ideas from your peers. One of the young lawyers in my firm’s program was born in Iran and immigrated to the United States when she was 9. She is keenly interested in the recent news coming out of Iran. She has contacted our firm’s public relations consultants, and the next time a big story breaks out of Iran, she is going give some interviews to local and national media outlets. The PR consultants told her the news media has been clamoring to find someone to give a few sound bites or quotes. She clearly fits the bill. A great idea and a great way to get her name out in Houston’s growing Iranian community.

Sorry for the long email. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the program as much as our group has.
 

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Seth Godin recently posted a blog titled: “The Law of the Little Shovel.” It is short and well worth reading. He begins by saying: “If you want to dig a big hole, you need to stay in one place,” meaning it is important to focus on one group, or one event to earn trust.

What are the main points for lawyers?

1. If you are marketing to everyone, you are marketing to no one. Identify your target market and become visible and credible to that market.
2. Focus attention on existing clients before going after new ones.

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Have you ever persuaded someone by asking a favor? I am not suggesting asking for business, but there are other favors you can ask that will be very helpful.

In a fall issue of Selling Power magazine, there was an article “The Persuasion Principle: How to Use Robert Cialdini’s Scientific Research to Close More Sales.” The article was based in part on the findings in Cialdini’s book: Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive.”

There was a short sidebar section with the following: “Want to improve your relationship with anybody, anywhere? The key is simple-ask a favor.” Cialdini says it may seem counterintuitive, but research shows that the fastest way to get clients to like you is not to help them…but rather to ask them to help you. I have actually used this approach several times. Here are a few examples:

• Asking clients and potential clients for their thoughts on what should be in our client service policy.
• Asking clients to come to a quarterly all associate lunch to discuss what clients are looking for in their lawyers.
• Asking clients to come to our practice group retreat (we paid travel expenses) to share with our group their ideas on how we could better serve them.
• Asking clients and potential clients for their ideas on topics for articles and presentations.
• What favors are you asking your clients, potential clients and friends?

What favors are you asking your clients, potential clients and friends?

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What have you learned from reading my blog posts? More importantly, what are you doing differently and how is it working for you?

I frequently receive emails from lawyers I coach sharing what they are doing differently and how it is working for them. If you want to contribute, drop me a note.

Here is an email from Jonathan Hyman sharing what he is doing differently:

In the year before I began the coaching program I originated a decent book of business for a lawyer my age. During the year I was involved in the program that number increased almost three fold. There is no way to quantify how much of that increase came from the coaching program. The only thing I can say is that I am doing things differently than before and good things are happening.

While I learned a great deal from the program, the following three philosophies stick out the most:

(1)  How to view the world from the client's perspective, or as Cordell might say, to listen and hear the "voice of the client." I learned to listen before speaking, and learned to direct my thoughts and comments to what I had heard. Once I bought into this fundamental notion, I approached client development from a new perspective.

(2)  The importance of personal relationships. My favorite Cordell Maxim is to "make your friends your clients and your clients your friends." I enjoy building relationships. Cordell helped me become aware that that if I develop trust and rapport without "selling,” I will have a greater chance to be successful.

(3)  Provide value to the client or perspective client in ways that don't involve billing your time. Send articles, share resources and demonstrate a genuine concern for your clients and their business.

I hope you have also learned these three main points and that you are implementing them successfully.

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For those of you who do not like golf, I hope you will bear with me as I write about another golfer. I choose golf because to use a famous quote: “Golf does not build character, it reveals character.” Practicing law reveals the character of lawyers, so we all can learn from those whose character is revealed internationally in front of millions.

When this is posted, Nancy and I will be on our way home from a week in Ireland. On Sunday, we played golf and spent time talking to two Irish couples who finished after us. Our discussion focused on Padraig Harrington. I could tell he is a national hero.

After golf, we went to a busy pub at our hotel. We watched a semi-final match in the Ireland Hurling championship. A few hours later, we returned to the pub to dine and watch the PGA tournament. During the first seven holes, the attention of every patron was focused on Padraig Harrington. I could tell his countrymen love him. Needless to say the patrons were silent and then gasped when they watched Padraig go in the water twice on the 8th hole. I could sense their extreme disappointment after he posted an 8 on the par 3 hole.

The American golfers frequently say they feel more pressure playing in the Ryder Cup because they are representing their country, not just themselves. Padraig Harrington must feel that added pressure every tournament.

There is no way I can capture the feelings the Irish have for Padraig as well as Irish Times writer Roddy L’estrange. In his column, a character at a pub named Vinny Fitzpatrick defends Padraig to his friends who lost money betting on him, telling them:

Put yourself in Harrington’s position. He knows he’s blown his chance of winning, but there are no tantrums…no loss of self-esteem. He comes across the same way when he’s on top of his game, as a gent. He acknowledges the crowd, doffs his cap, and smiles. Now, that’s easy when you’ve made eagle or birdie, not so easy when you’ve just had a snowman at a par three.

What can you learn from all of this? I doubt you will ever suffer public humiliation before a worldwide TV audience of millions, but in your long career as a lawyer you will make mistakes, and the lawyers and staff who work for you will also make mistakes. How you rebound from your mistakes and how you treat those who work for you when they make mistakes will reveal your character.

In those really tough times, think about Padraig and bear your setbacks with fortitude and dignity and focus on how the experience will ultimately make you a better lawyer.
 

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I think that many young lawyers find client development daunting. In January I gave a presentation to new partners at a firm who at the end were likely overwhelmed. Their firm had given me two hours to give an overview. By the end I am sure many in the audience wondered where to start.

Are you in that same position? If so, do what star athletes do - train by learning one thing at a time and begin by taking small steps so you feel you have accomplished something. One thing I suggest to lawyers I am coaching after our first session is to go back and look at their plan and look at their goals. Is there anything we discussed that has changed their thinking? Then I suggest that they do something, no matter how small to get started. It might be as simple as calling someone and asking them to lunch, sending an article with a handwritten note, or setting up Google Alerts for their clients.

Don’t feel like client development is climbing Mt. Everest. Take just one small step and get started.

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Earlier this week I received an email from Jodi McDougall, a Seattle lawyer I coach. She said: “Just wanted to let you know I'm seriously in the zone today. Almost as good as Tiger was this weekend!”

I love getting emails from lawyers who are really enjoying what they are doing. What did Jodi mean when she said she was “seriously in the zone?” It is a term more often used to describe athletes, musicians and artists. I describe being in the zone in a 2006 blog post and in my e-book “Strategy for Your Career and Your Life.”

As you will see from the blog post and e-book, being in the zone is when you are so involved in what you are doing and the experience is so enjoyable that nothing else seems to matter. You love doing it for the sheer joy of doing it.

Think back when you were a child. When you were playing, you were likely in the zone because you were absorbed in what you were doing at the time. You were intrinsically motivated. As you grew up you likely began to focus on extrinsic motivation, including rewards from doing something and the approval of parents, teachers and others. As a young lawyer, you may still be driven by extrinsic motivations, salary, bonus, promotion and approval of senior lawyers.

Think about how you can get back in the zone. Set some goals that challenge you and keep track of how you are doing. Focus on what you are working on and try to eliminate distractions. Identify 1-3 things you can do to gain control of your career, your life and your future. If you do those three things, you will feel like Jodi.
 

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Recently I blogged about guides I created and how they helped me get business. There is a big debate going on about Chris Anderson’s new book, “Free: The Future of a Radical Price.” I haven’t read the book yet, but I found his book “The Long Tail” interesting and I blogged about one of his main points.

After Anderson wrote “Free,” Malcolm Gladwell wrote a review in the New Yorker criticizing the book. Then, Seth Godin blogged: “Malcolm is Wrong.” Godin suggests that "free" is a way to get attention in a crowded market at the beginning and that in a digital economy with many players and low barriers of entry, cost will go down. Godin also distinguishes between commodities and what people are willing to pay for. “People will pay for content if it is so unique they can't get it anywhere else, so fast they benefit from getting it before anyone else, or so related to their tribe that paying for it brings them closer to other people. We'll always be willing to pay for souvenirs of news, as well, things to go on a shelf or badges of honor to share.”

What does all this mean for lawyers? As I pointed out in my Blog post, even before the digital economy, I got new clients by identifying their problems, offering a solution and giving it away. I did a monthly column for a trade publication, I spoke at industry meetings and I created guides and gave them away. My approach was to give things away to demonstrate I was the "go to" lawyer for my narrow market of transportation construction contractors. It worked for me and I believe it still works for lawyers.

Another blogger noted that two major law firms had put forms on their website that could be downloaded by clients or anyone else for free. So law firns are catching on.  

I hope you take the opportunity to read Malcolm Gladwell’s book review and Seth Godin’s reply. After reading the debate over free, think about if and how the concept of free applies to your own practice.

Is any of the legal work you are doing commodity work that any lawyer can do, or a client can do with a form from Legal Zoom? If so, you will continually face increased hourly rate pressure. On the other hand, you can give away solutions to problems to demonstrate your knowledge is unique and your clients benefit from your knowledge before their competitors.

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You have probably been told you need to be networking and you need to go to networking events. Likely you have not been told what to do when you get there and you may not be comfortable introducing yourself and striking up a conversation with people you do not know. If you feel that way, you are not alone.

Apple is an Atlantic City Family Law lawyer I coached. She is vibrant and expressive and she lights up the room when she enters. Yet, when I first met Apple she was uncomfortable going to networking events and meeting new people.

During our coaching that changed. Apple shared with me what had happened. Here is what she said.

During my legal career, I have frequently attended bar functions, “marketing” or “networking” events. I went to these events because I needed to go, not because I wanted to go. Even though I attended many events, I never seemed to develop business contacts, clients or referral sources and for a long time I wondered why.

I finally figured out the problem during our coaching. Even though I attended many bar and community events, I only mingled with the handful of people that I already knew. I stayed mostly within my comfort zone. Even when I met someone new, there was only a brief introduction followed by brief interaction.

During our coaching sessions, I realized I was missing the opportunity to meet new people, develop new relationships and develop deeper relationships with new contacts. I realized that I had to work on meeting and developing relationships with people I did not know. That meant I needed get comfortable outside my comfort zone.

Working up my courage, I tried a new approach when I attended social events. Instead of looking for people I knew, I approached people I had not met before. As important, I also made a conscious effort to avoid “business talk” or have the “hello interaction”. I stayed away from “business talk” because it is much easier to have a conversation with someone and to get to know that person by finding something we had in common - - travel, children, sports, news, etc. I realized that the “hello interaction” is the easy thing to do, because all you do is say “hello,” make small talk, say “nice to meet you” and then move away.

At first, I felt awkward not being in my comfort zone, but it has gotten easier for me. More importantly, I no longer dread going to these events. I actually look forward to going because it is now enjoyable. The icing on the cake is that I am promoting my business while having fun!

I have read that the world’s greatest athletes, artists, musicians and others get better by practicing and focusing on what they don’t do well rather than what they do well already. That is what Apple is doing and I know it will enable her to become more successful. What can you work on to get better?

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Are you a young lawyer looking for a mentor? If you go on my website you will see that I have written a great deal about mentoring. In my book “Prepare to Win” I wrote a chapter titled: “The Importance of Role Models and Mentoring.” I have written extensively on mentoring because I feel I owe a great deal to the mentors I had in my career beginning with my father. I also enjoy helping young lawyers

I frequently receive email questions about mentoring from lawyers and professional development professionals. Here is an example of an email with questions about mentoring:

"Cordell, I recently thought about your article where a partner mentored you early in your career and how this partner met with you early in the morning to teach you about the practice of law. What advice do you offer to today's young attorneys about forging similar relationships? How can a young attorney turn a grumpy old partner, who is only concerned about his billable hours, into a mentor?"

Those are great questions. My first thought was: "Gosh, I hope none of the associates who worked for me thought of me as a grumpy old partner." My second thought was that the older the partner, the more likely he or she will be to take the time to listen and provide advice. The greater challenge is getting a grumpy young partner to take time away from billable hours.

I am not sure a young attorney can ever turn a partner who is only concerned about billable hours, into a mentor. Here are my suggestions for young lawyers:

• Find the right partner. Lawyers in your firm who are good mentors are likely well known throughout the firm.
• Find the right time to spend time with the mentor. As explained above, I met with my first mentor (we never used that term) the first thing in the morning over coffee. I learned early on that he spent some time early getting ready for his day and he was open to meeting with me then.
• Convey that you want to learn and become the best attorney you can be. Experienced lawyers admire young lawyers striving to learn and be the best they can be.
• Ask good questions. Experienced lawyers generally like to tell younger lawyers about their experiences. When I met with the young partner who took me under his wing, I frequently began the discussion with: "Have you ever…?"
• Actively listen to your mentor.
• After the mentor offers his or her ideas, don’t say: “Yes, but…” or “My problem is…” Any time a lawyer said that to me, I decided he really wasn’t seeking my help. Instead he just wanted to complain.
• Come up with your own action plans after a mentoring session.
• Pass it on. Find a new lawyer in your firm and offer to be his or her mentor.

Speaking of mentoring, I have a new e-book “Strategy for Your Career and Your Life” downloadable from my webpage. In it I discuss my own strategy and strategies used by other lawyers. I also include a workbook for you to use to develop your own strategy. If you think the book is helpful pass the link on to your friends and colleagues.

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Stewart Cink will always be known as the golfer who defeated Watson. He has a life lesson for us also. 

 

Dave Walton, a lawyer I coach, sent me this email that I thought explained many things I have been trying to teach. So, I wanted to share it with you and offer a way to implement the thought.

I read something last night I thought you would like and appreciate. Before Stewart Cink's victory last week, his golf coach told him: "Don't confuse your goals with the reward." It means that the goal is not victory that is the reward. Goals are based on a one shot at a time approach: take the right approach on each shot; make each shot count; visualize each shot; be consistent on each shot; use the right swing thoughts, etc. Applied to what we do, this means that the goal is not to have a $2M book or to have financial security. Those are the rewards. Our goals are the small steps we need to accomplish everyday in order to get the consistent $2M book. It's akin to a saying: Think big, but focus small.

I hope you are well. And thanks for all your help.

I have used this idea in my own planning and goal setting. Each year I set a goal for the amount of business I wanted to bring in. That was the reward. But, I did not stop there. After setting the goal, I made a list of all the activities I wanted to do that I hoped would lead me to my reward.

I hope this approach will enable you to achieve the reward you find meaningful and valuable
 

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Golf in so many ways teaches us lessons we can use in our life. For the next two days I want to share with you lessons you can learn from Tom Watson and Stewart Cink. Today, I will share my thoughts about Watson and tomorrow I will share my thoughts about Cink.

Even if you are not a golfer or golf fan, and even if you do not like sports, you have to admire 59-year-old Tom Watson and his incredible effort to win The Open last weekend in Scotland. They do not write fiction as good as this story. As Tom Watson said: "It would have been a heck of a story.

"

This morning I read William McKenzie’s piece in the Dallas Morning News: “Tom Watson Teaches Us About Life.”

McKenzie notes that Tom Watson taught us “Don’t give up. Ever. Watson showed: “If you keep after it, perfect your trade and follow your call, you can still have an impact.”

Mckenzie’s second point is “Life disappoints. Get used to it.” Watson was one putt away from history and then life intervened-he missed the putt. McKenzie says: “Try as we might, we can’t always get what we want, yet we figure out how to go on. It may take time, but we persevere, which is one of life’s grandest triumphs.” Wow, what a lesson for us.

Mckenzie’s third point is “Golf is about more than the ball and clubs.” He says: “More than most sports golf is about an individual battling himself and his surroundings.” He also states: “Nature teaches you humility in a personal way. There are no teammates to blame, no coaches to curse, no referees to hound. There's just you against your mind and the elements. It takes a lot to beat both."

So, what can you learn from Tom Watson? First, you are responsible for your career success and life fulfillment. You can’t blame your firm, your boss, the economy or colleagues. It’s really up to you. Second, along the way to success, you are going to stumble. I have stumbled many times in my career. You will stumble also. You will also be disappointed by events or by other lawyers or friends. The real measure of your success is not what you do when things are going well, but rather what you do when you are most disappointed. Will you persevere and look forward or be stuck in your disappointment? What you do in those moments will have the greatest impact on your career and life.
 

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Joice Bass is a Las Vegas lawyer I coached. One of her niche markets is the wine industry. She shared with me a relationship building activity she did that was challenging, rewarding and fun.

In follow up to our recent coaching call, I wanted to share with you a few "relationship development" things that I've done recently that were a lot of fun.

One of my larger clients is a national wine/spirits distributor. In the course of working on a case for this client, I've gotten to know some management level employees pretty well, including the head Master Sommelier.

Recently, my client held an in-house introductory course for the Master Sommelier program for its employees, free of charge. Normally, these 2-day classes cost in excess of $500 and getting in is usually quite difficult. By expressing my interest in learning more about my client’s business, my general interest in wines, and my particular interest in the course, I was able to "swing" an invitation to attend the client's class.

It was an impressive two days! Several heads of the Court of Master Sommeliers taught portions of the class in conjunction with the client's three in-house Master Sommes. We tasted wines from all over the world, learning how to appreciate the differences among each variety, and we covered more geography than I've been exposed to since high school! At the end of the program, there was an exam (which I passed, thank goodness), and I received a certificate and a pin designating my membership into the Court. 

It was an awesome and worthwhile experience, albeit hard work. I definitely believe that the client was impressed with the level of my interest; they understood that it was non-billable time, that I was taking timeout of my own schedule and that I really was doing all the related "homework." I feel like my relationship with this client has reached another level now. 

To thank the Master Somme who invited me to the class, I picked up a gift certificate for him to Aureole, a Las Vegas restaurant with one of the best wine cellars in town. I have no doubt that he appreciated that. And while I was at the client's facility during those two days, I also picked up a baby girl t-shirt from the Mama Mia show to give to another executive who recently had a baby girl named Mia, which is also my daughter's name. I also dropped off a CD version of "meditations for busy people" for another manager, who had recently been in the hospital for stress-induced high blood pressure. We chatted about different ways to reduce stress after he got out.

I received very nice feedback for all three gifts. Most importantly, participating in the course and doing these small things made me feel really good about my relationship with this client (which is a hard feeling to come by when you're a litigator and litigation isn't really considered a value-added business activity!).

I think Joice has made a deeper connection with her client. Just consider the value of spending two days learning about wine from your client who is a national distributor. Is there something like this you can do with your client?

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Each month more lawyers are blogging. Just last month social media expert, Kevin O’Keefe posted: “State of the AmLaw 200 Blogosphere, June 2009.” The list of the firms and the number of Blogs was impressive. As of June 2009 41% of the AmLaw 200 firms are blogging.

Several Bloggers included in Kevin’s list are lawyers I am coaching. I encourage lawyers I coach to blog so they can learn about what is important to their clients and raise their visibility and credibility. I posted a blog in April on why lawyers should be blogging and included a short video clip of Seth Godin and Tom Peters.

Yet, blogging is not for every lawyer. I believe there are reasons a lawyer should not be blogging. Here is my Top 10:

1. Your firm is in the dark ages and does not approve of blogging.
2. Your practice is not focused.
3. You do not want to build relationships and do not need to raise your visibility and credibility within your target market.
4. You can’t think of anyone who would be interested in what you have to say.
5. You do not want to take the time to listen before writing and keep up with what is going on in your clients’ world, so you will have something relevant to say.
6. You hate technology and do not want to learn.
7. You are incapable of writing concisely.
8. You cannot identify what you want the readers to take away from your blog.
9. Your competitors are already providing outstanding content and you can’t do any better.
10. You cannot make the commitment to post at least once, and better twice, a week.
     

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Do you want to be more successful with client development? If so, find a way to hold yourself accountable. Here are some suggestions. One lawyer I coach created a scoring system for his 90 days goals. For example, he gives himself 2 points for each meeting with a client outside the office and gives himself 20 points for an article he gets published. Another lawyer I coach keeps a handwritten journal of her activities by date. Several lawyers I coach report monthly to their coaching group, their firm leadership and me.

Several other lawyers share with me their weekly plan and a report of what they did the previous week. Rob and Suzanne, a husband and wife team I coach here in Dallas recently began sharing their weekly plan/report with me. Yesterday Suzanne sent me this email:

Cordell, really like the weekly list idea, it helps keep me on track! Just called my one client for the day and got a new case!

I can’t assure you that holding yourself accountable on a weekly basis will result in a new matter, but I can assure you it will increase your chances because you will be more purposeful and focused.

Recently I asked a group of lawyers: If you were me what would you do to help more lawyers become successful. The majority suggested I create an affordable Internet coaching program.
I have given it thought, but before I do anything I would like your feedback. Here is how I envision an Internet coaching program would work:

• At the beginning I will send the same coaching questions I send to lawyers I coach in firms. I will use your answers to better understand your practice.
• I will ask you to tell me about yourself and what you enjoy outside of your law practice.
• I will help you prepare a business plan.
• Each month I will send you questions to answer about how you are doing.
• Each month you will share with me what you have done the previous month, what you plan to do the next month, and 1-3 questions you have for me.
• You will have access to weekly 5-7 minute video training/coaching sessions.

Please take time to let Joyce know your thoughts on this approach.
 

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There is a basic disconnect between young lawyers and senior lawyers on the concept of "work-life balance." When young lawyers say they want "work-life balance" senior lawyers consider that to be code for working less. Young lawyers who want to work in the big firms paying high salaries must accept that they will be expected to spend a minimum of 2500 hours a year on their career of which at least 2000 hours will need to be billable work.

Are you striving for work-life balance? Put simply, you will never find it and even if you could it would be incredibly boring. I have never sought balance instead I have sought to live my life based on my priorities.

If you want to strive to spend quality time on your priorities, I suggest you read "First Things First" by Stephen Covey, A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca Merrill. It is filled with many suggestions I know will help you, including planning your life around your roles. I particularly enjoy Dr. Covey's story about the "big rocks."

Dr. Covey describes that when he was teaching he pulled out a wide-mouth gallon jar and placed it next to a pile of fist-sized rocks. After filling the jar to the top with rocks, he asked, "Is the jar full?" The students replied, "Yes." He then got some gravel from under the table and added it to the jar. He jiggled the jar until the gravel filled the spaces between the rocks. Again, he asked, "Is the jar full?" This time, the students replied, "Probably not." Dr. Covey then added sand and asked, "Is the jar full?" By then the students had figured it out and replied "No!"

Finally, Dr. Covey filled the jar to the brim with water and asked his students the point of what he had done. One student replied: "you can always fit more things into your life if you really work at it. "No," countered Dr. Covey. "The point is, you have to put the big rocks in first."

Billable work for clients is clearly a big rock. But, there are many other big rocks that must be put in the jar. Your big rocks likely include being a father/mother, husband/wife, son/daughter, being fit, being active in church/community. Your big rocks also include developing your skills and developing relationships with clients. Those are all big rocks and if you plan each week around those priorities, you will find the career success and life fulfillment you are seeking.
 

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Dave Walton is a successful Pennsylvania lawyer I have coached for a couple of years. He is successful in part because he is self-motivated.

Dave shared his ideas with other lawyers I coach in a webinar that I know you will find valuable. During the webinar, Dave included a slide that said; “Think Big and Act Small.” I like that approach.

I know many lawyers do not know where to start on developing business. It seems daunting and mysterious to them.

Are you in that same position? If so do what elite star athletes do. They train by learning one thing at a time. So, begin by taking small steps so you feel you have accomplished something.

When I first meet with lawyers I am coaching, I suggest that they review and revise their plan and their goals after our coaching session. I ask them to consider whether there is anything we discussed that has changed their thinking? Then I suggest that they do something, no matter how small to get started. It might be as simple as updating their firm website bio, inviting a client or potential client to lunch, sending an article with a handwritten note, or setting up Google Alerts for their clients.

Don’t feel like client development is climbing Mt. Everest. Take just one small step and get started.
 

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This morning I read an interesting piece in my ABA daily newsletter. The title was: “In-House Counsel Vote ‘No Confidence’ in Firms, Shrug Off Talk of New Legal Model.” The writer referenced an Altman Weil study that found: “About 75 percent of CLOs gave law firms low marks when asked how serious law firms are about changing their legal service model to deliver greater value to clients.”

I am not surprised with the survey results. In this economy, clients want more and want to pay less. At the same time, they perceive their law firms are focused on what’s in it for the law firm rather than focused on what’s in it for the client. Many lawyers and law firms are too focused on what they do and not focused enough on what their clients want and need. I laugh about the vision of a law firm web page with the branding slogan: “We Are No Worse Than Other Law Firms.”

So what can you do about this? Begin by focusing on your clients. Ask them to share with you ways you can deliver greater value. Listen to what they say and ask further questions. When you are finished, gather a group of lawyers in your firm and brainstorm ideas on how to deliver greater value to clients. When you come up with a plan, figure out a way to make sure you are delivering greater value and continually ask for feedback from your clients.

One of the most valuable things I did as a practice group leader was to interview our clients for ideas on how we could improve our service. After collecting their ideas, I created our Client Service Goals. If you would like a copy contact Joyce Flo. When we started a new project, or met with a new potential client we gave them the Client Service Goals and asked for their feedback both during and after the project.
 

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I owe a great deal of the opportunities I had to work with clients to the guides I created when I identified potential client problems. Here are just a few examples of problems I discovered and guides I created and gave away:

1. In 1982 Congress required for the first time that 10% of the federal highway construction funds be spent with “Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.”
2. I found contractors were losing claims for additional compensation because they did not comply with contract requirements.
3. In the early 90s, Alternative Dispute Resolution became popular for handling construction contract disputes.
4. Later in the 90s, design build and innovative contracting techniques became popular.
5. Over the last several years, rising costs for oil and lack of availability of cement and steel increased contractor risks.

If I was still practicing law I would have the guides downloadable from my website bio. I may even make them into ebooks. David Meerman Scott is an author I like. He recently posted a blog with 30 tips on how to create an ebook.

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When you are young it is sometimes challenging to think about your future. Although I know that Nancy and I were married when this photo was taken, I doubt seriously we were giving a lot of thought to our future.

Many years ago, but after the photo was taken, I read Steven Covey’s book: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Habit 2 is to begin with the end in mind. I liked that habit because it encouraged me to quit thinking about just what I was doing today and to start thinking about what I wanted to become.

Using Habit 2, I ask you to think about your future. What do you want your life to look like in five years? How old are your kids? Are you still living in the same house? What does your law practice look like? What kind of work are you doing? Who are your clients? Who is on your team and how are you working together? When you answer those questions, you are able to better envision what you want to do in the last half of 2009 that will help lead you toward the end you have in mind for five years from now.

One of my favorite websites is www.hellomynameisscott.com. Scott is the name tag guy and has many, many articles that are valuable for lawyers. Recently I received an email link to Scott's Blog post which has great questions to ask about your future.

The questions he asks will challenge you to think creatively about your future. Take a look at the list and pick out the ones that you think would be helpful.
 

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I am convinced that our two most important resources as lawyers are our time and our energy. How well are you using your time and what are you doing to have a high level of energy?

Carl Sandburg, a noted author, once said: “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how well it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”

I want you to use your imagination with me. I bet you waste at least 30 minutes a day on things that really do not matter. I know I open and sometimes respond to unimportant emails at least 30 minutes during the day. I also do things I could delegate to others. Finding materials on my desk or in my office causes me to lose time. If you saved 30 minutes a day, that would be 182 ½ hours for a year. Suppose you used that time for client development or your own development, what do you think would happen to your career?

I learned about the importance of energy management by reading The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. I urge you to read the book or listen to the CDs. The authors point out the importance of the energy we bring to any task. Interestingly, we have two problems. First we do not have enough energy to meet the demands we are placing on our energy, and second, we do not renew our energy very well. What can we do to change? First, we need to focus on the four aspects our life: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Next, we need to change our thinking from the idea that we are running a marathon to the idea that we are running a series of sprints. Balancing stress and recovery is critical to managing our energy.

After reading The Power of Full Engagement and other books that mentioned the four aspects of our lives, I put my life goals into those categories. I am working on the oscillation concept of expending energy in each of these categories and then renewing my energy. You should try the same. If you would like a copy of my lifetime goals so you can think about your own, contact me and I will send you a copy.
 

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1. You had a record year last year.
2. You have more work than your lawyers can do.
3. You are attracting new business from potential clients you are seeking.
4. You are expanding relationships with your existing clients and cross-selling additional services.
5. Your lawyers are happy with their book of business.
6. Each lawyer in your firm has a business plan and is using his/her time wisely.
7. Your firm is more focused on reducing overhead costs than increasing revenue.
8. Each lawyer in your firm has an updated website bio that provides valuable information for potential clients.
9. Your lawyers anticipate client needs and offer solutions before your competitors and even before your clients know about the need.
10. Your firm and its lawyers are at the top of the list when a potential client does a Google search for a type of legal work.
11. Your firm and your lawyers are using the Social Media tools effectively and it is attracting high quality new clients.
12. Your lawyers are visible and credible to the potential clients the firm is seeking.
13. Your lawyers are focused on their contacts and know how to make friends firm clients.
14. Your senior lawyers regularly spend time passing down ideas on client development to more junior lawyers.
15. Your firm is one of the few whose clients are ecstatic about the level of client service and are telling other potential clients and referral sources.
     

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I find that some lawyers I coach really put a lot into the coaching program and they get a lot out of it. Over time, I have developed coachability factors. Take the test and see if you are coachable on client development. 

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Nancy and I played golf yesterday morning. In the afternoon we watched the McDonald’s LPGA Championship. For those of you who are not fans or did not see the final round, Anna Nordqvist, a rookie playing in only her fifth tournament was the unlikely winner. You might enjoy reading The Washington Post report of her victory.

Nordqvist started the final round with a two stroke lead. She built it to as much as a five stroke lead, and then her playing partner Lindsey Wright birdied 8, 9 and 12. Nordqvist bogeyed 13 and the lead was cut to one. The TV announcers said: “Game On.” The remarkable thing was that the young rookie did not wilt under the pressure and she won by four strokes. Wright, who shot a 70, said of Nordqvist: "It was amazing. Under that amount of pressure, not being in that position before and in a major and being a rookie? You can't get any better than that."

If you go on Anna Nordqvist’s website you get a sense of why she is success. Here is the quote on the home page.

"Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard for it"

What does it mean to wake up and work hard for it as a lawyer? It means waking up and working each and every day to improve your skills. It means waking up and working hard each and every day to figure out what is going on in the world that may impact your clients. It means waking up and working hard each and every day to add value and exceed your client’s expectations.

Thank you Anna Nordqvist for reminding us all that you are never too young, never too inexperienced to wake up and work hard to be successful.
 

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When I was a young lawyer I subscribed to two publications I found very valuable. The first was “Success” magazine and the second was “The Practical Lawyer.” I subscribed to “Success” because I wanted to gain insights from successful people and I subscribed to “The Practical Lawyer” because I wanted practical ideas I could implement to become more successful.

Fast forward to 2009. I am now writing a Practical Success column for “The Practical Lawyer” and I am back subscribing to “Success.” If you want ideas you can actually implement, I urge you to consider subscribing to both publications.

This morning I was reading “Each Success is the Beginning of the Next One,” an article in “Success” by Donald Trump. The subheading of the article is “Confront your fears and achieve more.” I like the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote in the article: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Donald Trump ends the article with these questions I believe you would find valuable answering:

• What lies behind you? (What is your life experience and legal career experience up to this point?)
• What lies before you? (What are your career and life goals, plans and aspirations?)
• What lies within you? (Do you have the burning desire to achieve what is important to you?)

 

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We live in a rapidly changing world and businesses, including law firms, must regularly scan the environment (SWOT) to determine how we remain effective in meeting our client's needs. Those that don’t effectively respond to the changing environment find themselves weakened or out of business.

I was thinking about this a while back. My thinking on the subject started when I was reading The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More, an article and later a book by Chris Anderson. The “Long Tail” is about the shift from hits to niches. In the book, Anderson discusses an entirely new economic model for media and entertainment industries, and its application to other businesses. Anderson points out that online retailing done by Amazon, iTunes and Netflix have changed forever the economics of selling books, music and rental movies because of the wider selection they can offer and the lower cost structure.

While I was reading the book, I thought about my old law firm. We had around 15,000 clients, which for a firm our size was a long tail. Consultants told us we needed to get rid of many of the less profitable clients and focus our attention on the top 1000 clients that were very profitable. That was before Amazon, iTunes and Netflix became successful. That was also before many of the largest potential clients in the United States failed, were bailed out or went out of business.

So, my thoughts centered on whether the Amazon, iTunes and Netflix model applies to law firms in 2009, and if so, how does it apply? There are still blue chip clients, but I believe the new economic model is already changing how law will be practiced in the future. In the last couple of years, there have been two emerging trends.

The Wall Street Journal Law Blog reports that outsourcing legal work to India is a booming business because experienced Indian lawyers bill between $75 and $100 an hour. The Washington Post reports that the boom in outsourcing legal work to India started because of the “E” discovery rules. Neither article mentions that another economic advantage is no office space is necessary for those lawyers.

The second trend, which also seems based on the Amazon, ITunes and Netflix economic model, is the virtual law firm. Law.com reported that last year 15 lawyers started a virtual law firm called Virtual Law Partners. In May of this year, Law.com reported that virtual law firms are benefiting from the current economy.

Do you see a trend developing for our profession? In the future, relatively large law firms might have offices in major cities with only a receptionist and conference rooms. The vast majority of its lawyers may either work from their homes or in very inexpensive space elsewhere. The firm will outsource commodity work to India. This economic approach will enable the firm to be competitive and profitable doing more work for smaller clients. Is your firm ready for this change?

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Are you on Twitter yet? If so you can follow me at http://twitter.com/cordellparvin.

Twitter is described as a “Micro Blog.” That is because Twitter requires that you post no more than 140 characters. I think most lawyers and most law firms on Twitter are using it to drive potential clients and referral sources to their Blogs, Alerts and other written material.

I have been on it a few months with the hope I could share with lawyers the value of being on it, if any. So far it is challenging for me to see much value. I have used it with the hope that followers will read my Blog posts or listen to my podcasts. But, most people who are following me on Twitter are not the specific lawyers or law firms that I would hope to find value from my posts and podcasts. While I have become aware of some young lawyers because of Twitter, my guess is their target clients are not following them on Twitter.

If you want to get an idea of how businesses are using twitter and how you might use it, listen to the April 24 and April 28 podcasts at DuctTapeMarketing.

If you want to read an argument on why lawyers using Twitter for marketing is ineffective read what Larry Bodine recently wrote about it.  To get a pros and cons view, read and consider listening to the podcast.

For me, the most interesting part of Twitter has been creating content anyone would care about in 140 characters. I typically take something I have written before and paste it only to find I am over the character limit. Then, I have to shorten it and still say something readers would find valuable. Learning to say things more concisely has been a valuable exercise for me.

Here are some examples of my “Tweets.”

• How can some people be both very successful and very family oriented? The answer: They focus on their priorities and use their time wisely.
• I believe law firms should organize their marketing efforts around what their clients do rather than what their lawyers do.
• Develop business by creating content that demonstrates you know the legal issues your clients face and how the issues impact their business.
• I like this Donald Trump quote: "Your higher self is in direct opposition to your comfort zone.
• Super Lawyers think optimistically http://bit.ly/yLKpG
• My latest column in The Practical Lawyer:Rainmaking: Talent is Overrated http://bit.ly/1ckqG
• What a senior associate should do about client development http://bit.ly/36Mesu
   

 

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I saw a fascinating quote in Success Magazine recently: “Superachievers think optimistically and plan purposely.”

Are you optimistic? I hope so because studies show optimists are more likely to succeed. Based on my years of working with lawyers, I think I know one of the reasons why. In your career you will have setbacks, disappointments and dips. Being optimistic will allow you to learn from failures and get through challenging times.

I am reminded of a famous Winston Churchill quote. "The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." Are you seeing opportunities?

A couple of years ago, Nancy gave me "Live What You Love: Notes from an Unusual Life" by Bob and Melinda Blanchard. The Blanchard’s describe themselves as serial entrepreneurs, having owned eight businesses. They talk about skeptics and pessimists and suggest that the next time you start to say: "yes, but...” stop yourself and say instead:
"sure, how."

Several lawyers I am coaching have told me that the change from "yes, but" to "sure how" has made a difference for them. It will for you also.

Give it a try.
 

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I have shared with you that I like Seth Godin’s quote: “Being the best in the world is seriously under rated.” The world in this case is being seen by your target market as being the best at something they need.

My first target market was commercial businesses, then I narrowed it to the construction industry. A few years later I further narrowed my target market to highway, heavy civil construction contractors. At the time, that was a fast growing industry due to Interstate construction throughout the United States. Narrowing my focus was one of the most important things I ever did.

You might be thinking that focusing on an industry may not work for you. If you are, I urge you to reconsider, because the more narrow your focus, the more likely you can be “best in that world.”

Fortune recently published a list of Fastest Growing Industries.

Which industries are growing fast, but are not over crowded with lawyers seeking to serve those businesses? If you find one with those characteristics and one you would be passionate about representing, you can become the “go to lawyer.”
 

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In a couple of weeks I will be speaking to lawyers on an ABA Recession Recovery Teleconference Series. My subject will be how to effectively plan for your success.

Client development activities start with a Business Plan. Why should you prepare one? Time is a lawyer’s most important asset and you must use your time wisely. Preparing a business plan will help you prioritize how you spend your time, focus your attention on the important things and execute. With no plan you will find it easy not to do any client development efforts.

I frequently say that many lawyers I know spend more time planning a vacation than they spend planning their careers. What can we learn from My 30th Anniversary Trip to Ireland in 2000?

My wife, Nancy, spent at least 20 hours planning this trip for us. She decided she wanted us to go to Ireland and she knew why. Her family came to the United States from Ireland and she also knew she would enjoy the people, the scenery, the golf courses, the Irish beef cooked by French Chefs and the Irish Pubs serving Irish beer. So, she knew what and why. Then she planned where we would stay, where we would play golf and the itinerary for each day.

I like to say she did a top-down and bottom-up plan. Her top down plan was looking at what she wanted us to do and where she wanted us to go. Her bottom up plan looked at how many days we would spend and what we could do in that number of days. Then she had a plan for each day we were there.

I prepare my business plan the same way and you should also. I start with one major goal. My goal long ago was to become the “go to” lawyer for transportation construction contractors. Why was that important to me? I wanted the recognition of being the “go to” lawyer for contractors. While I always had financial goals and wanted to earn a good living, the money really didn’t drive me. It was simply a way of keeping score. My plan for each year had many, many action items. If did not reach my yearly financial goal, I knew I had come closer than I would have with no goal or if I had set a lower goal.

My bottom up planning began with an estimate of how many non-billable hours I felt I could spend on client development. I usually planned to spend between 240-300 (20-25 a month). Then I outlined what would be the best use of those hours.

I have a short attention span. Knowing that caused me to break my action items down into smaller pieces. Each month I outlined the actions I wanted to accomplish that month and at the end of the month I could track how I had done.

So, what do you want to achieve? Why is achieving it important to you? What is your plan to achieve it?
 

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On Monday, I gave a presentation at a partners’ retreat. The focus on my talk was on how client development has changed and is changing in the 21st Century. While the principles of client development have not changed: you have to become visible and credible to your target market, build rapport and trust, get hired, get results and provide extraordinary service, the means of accomplishing the principles are changing every day.

At the beginning of this decade:

• Getting email was kind of a novel thing and you did not get emails on a portable device
• None of the articles you had written were downloadable from your website bio
• You and your target market clients had not done a Google search of you
• You did not have Google Alerts to keep you up-to-date on what was in the news about your clients and their industry issues
• You were not looking at news from various sources on an iGoogle page
• You were not blogging
• You were not doing podcasts
• You were not downloading podcasts to your iPod
• You were not doing internet radio shows
• You were not doing webinars
• You were not posting presentations to YouTube
• You were not on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter and you were not a member or leading a group on any of those pages

The Internet levels the playing field in many ways and gives young lawyers opportunities to become visible and credible to their target market like never before. Why? Clients are very busy. They want lawyers to tell them things they did not know and they want it to be timely.

How can you take advantage? By seeing the potential legal minefields or opportunities before other lawyers, and even better before your target market, and then write or speak about it at just the very time your client needs to know about it using the Web opportunities above to distribute it.

Just imagine if you blogged or did a podcast or webinar about something your clients did not know, but needed to know. All of a sudden you can become the “go to” lawyer to that group. And then just suppose that group found what you had written or spoken about so helpful that they sent the link to their friends in their industry. What an opportunity. Are you taking advantage of the Internet?
 

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In July of 2000, Seth Godin wrote an article in “Fast Company” titled: “Unleash Your Ideavirus.” In the article Godin says: “Ideas are driving the economy, ideas are making people rich, and most importantly, ideas are changing the world.” He suggests that to win we need to unleash an ideavirus, which I interpret as a high-powered word of mouth marketing. I doubt any of you quarrel with the importance of ideas in the 21st Century and I doubt any of you question the value of having clients and referral sources telling others that you are a great lawyer. But, many of you likely wonder how you can create great ideas and a high-powered ideavirus, word of mouth campaign.

Seth Godin gives some suggested techniques that you can use to identify, launch, and profit from ideas that can be turned into viruses. First, he suggests that you concentrate the message. “You can only win when you dominate and amaze the group you have targeted.”

That means as lawyers you cannot create an ideavirus by marketing to everyone. Depending on your field, you will want to narrow your market either geographically or by industry. The more narrow your market, the more likely you can develop an idea that will resonate with that market and the more likely the idea will spread.

How do you figure out the right idea? Quit thinking about selling yourself or your firm or what you do as a lawyer. Instead, focus on understanding what your clients are thinking and what will potentially impact their business. Think of your most important client. Then think about what is impacting that client. What does that client need to achieve its goals? What are the obstacles that client is trying to overcome? How can you help?

Someone has to be the “go to” lawyer in your field. If you are willing to work hard to become a valuable resource for your clients, potential clients and referral sources, it might as well be you.

Keep in mind. Seth Godin wrote this piece in 2000. It would be an understatement to say the landscape has changed since then. To learn how the changes give more opportunities for young lawyers, read my post on Thursday.
 

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Nothing is more critical to any law firm’s success than having clients who perceive they are receiving valuable services. Those clients come back, find ways to give other work to the firm and speak highly of the firm when asked by others.

How can that relationship be developed? First, there must be a clear understanding of the client’s needs. Second, the lawyers must ask the right questions, listen beyond the responses, offer effective solutions, and deliver exceptional results. Third, the firm must focus on providing extraordinary service. To do so requires every person in the firm to be focused on service because everyone who comes in contact with the client affects the client’s perception of the firm and their relationship with the firm.

Based on my experiences and what I have read, here is a list of things I believe clients value:

1. Putting the client’s interest first
2. Responsiveness
3. Team players
4. Lawyers who listen
5. Innovative thinking and solutions
6. Anticipation of problems
7. Stability of representation team
8. Responding to feedback
9. Technology proficiency and resulting efficiency
10. Comprehension of the client’s business goals and challenges, its industry, its reputation within the industry, its products and services, its market share, and its competitors
11. Availability of mutually beneficial alternative fee arrangements when appropriate
12. Billing with clarity and accuracy

How well are you doing on each of the items above? Are there others that should be considered?
 

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Helen Oscislawski is a health care lawyer I coached from New Jersey. She has a great Blog focusing on privacy in the health care industry. She shared with me how blogging has increased her visibility and credibility in the health care industry. Here is what she said:

One thing I have learned is to share some of my knowledge with the health care sector - for free. Before our firm’s coaching program, I was very reluctant to spend any time writing articles or "giving away" information without billing for it. My rational was that spending time on such efforts would only hurt by bottom-line-billable-hour and, therefore, was a waste. The rainmaking program has encouraged me to think differently about the benefits of building my profile and network of contacts through writing and sharing information with the "public."

One of the steps I took to begin sharing some of my knowledge was to begin a legal Blog, which has allowed me to post information regarding developments, my views, and tips regarding legal issues in connection with the exchange of health information. The Blog has resulted in many tangible benefits. First off, my current contacts, clients and colleagues have given me very positive feedback about the Blog, The Blog has also generated a lot of buzz on the web. As a result of the high volume of hits to my Blog, I receive several inquiries a week by phone or e-mail from random potential clients and other individuals working in the health care sector. Just the other day, I received a call from a consultant who ran across my Blog and called me to see if we could get together for lunch to discuss the possibility of our working together to assist health care clients in the state with their compliance efforts.

These are just a few examples of the invaluable networking opportunities made possible by my taking just a few hours each month to put some of the information I know out there.

Helen has been able to demonstrate her knowledge and expertise through her Blog. In addition she has discovered other ways to add value to her healthcare clients including: HIPAA assessment tools, checklists, policies and procedures, and other compliance documents. Helen is also recognized for creating the New Jersey "State Public Sector Law Review of HIPAA Privacy" and its related "Privacy Crosswalk," which is utilized by providers across the state.

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I am a member of a LinkedIn Group on Sales. Many of the discussions on the group page have little value to lawyers. Some are very valuable.

Yesterday I saw a discussion that began with this question: What are the core competencies for a sales person trying to sell a "concept" like training? We could edit the question: “What are the core competencies for a lawyer selling legal services?”

Several of the comments intrigued me because they apply to selling legal services. Here are a couple of them:

This is semantics but all sales involve selling an idea or a "concept" whether the item is intangible or not… So, one core competency is the ability to understand the buyer's need/desire. Maybe this is empathy but certainly the ability to listen and to probe for meaningful insight. Another is the ability to identify how your service can fulfill that need. Competency here is ability to see connections that are not always obvious. Finally the ability to synthesize need and ability to fulfill need into a cohesive and attractive plan that demonstrates to the buyer that his or her objectives will be met and that these objective will have a meaningful impact on the business or enterprise.

People who sell "training" or widgets eventually fail. Only people that sell value succeed. So the question is, "What competencies does a seller need to possess in order to articulate the value that is derived from the training?" And better yet, "Can the seller link that value to the prospect's context, business or problem and communicate it effectively enough to close the sale?"

The two comments above really apply to selling legal services. You are not selling litigation or transactions. You are providing a solution to a potential client’s problem, facilitating the client taking advantage of an opportunity or helping a client deal with a change they are facing. As expressed above, the core competency is the ability to ask questions and listen, see things your client may be missing, empathize and finally articulate a solution the client finds valuable.
 

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Some time ago I read an article titled: “The Big Secret to Success in Anything You Do.” The secret: the ability to concentrate. In other words, the ability to focus all of your mental powers on one important task until that task is completed, and completed well.

When I was a younger lawyer it was really easy to stay focused on the work I as doing for a client. That was before I had a computer at my desk, received 200 plus emails a day and had a Blackberry to make sure I could stay connected 24/7.

After computers and Blackberries, I remember working at my desk and hearing a buzz from my docked Blackberry signaling the arrival of a new email. I frequently turned my head to the computer screen, read the summary and then frequently read the entire email and responded. Does that sound familiar?

Each of us likely experiences being in the zone occasionally. I certainly experienced it when in court trying a case. The most successful lawyers experience it every day and you should strive to achieve it every day.

How can you experience the lawyer equivalent of being in the zone? I love a quote from Peter Drucker: "What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter."

How to be focused is relatively simple. First, get your mind focused on your clients. When you put yourself in their world, you will be better able to anticipate your clients’ needs before they have expressed them. You can really differentiate yourself from other lawyers when you are looking ahead in that way.

Second, stay focused on the work you are doing for the client. To be focused on your work, you have to stop doing several things at the same time, like opening emails and responding, or chatting with someone who interrupts you.

If staying focused is a challenge for you, come up with a system that will work for you. It might be only looking at email at certain times during the day. Configuring your computer so that no noise is made when an email comes in. To get more ideas, read the US News and World Report article about David Allen’s book “Getting Things Done” and if you haven’t read the book do so. If you want to learn more about becoming more productive, consider attending our webinar on May 20,2009 at 12 Noon Central Time. Space is limited so contact Joyce right away if you want to participate. 
 

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A couple of years ago I gave a presentation to the Texas State Bar Young Lawyers Association (TYLA). The title of the program was “Crossroads, Mapping out the Rest of Your Career.” I liked the title because for me “crossroads” meant a defining moment and “mapping” meant the young lawyers would focus on a destination and the road to get there. I also wrote an article on the same subject for the Texas State Bar Journal.

I began by asking how many in the audience were completely satisfied with where they were in their career. Very few raised their hand. Then I talked about the future and what would be the appropriate map.

For too many of us, the road and the destination would be clear if we would simply take the time to consider our future. So take some time today and figure out if you’re working towards a goal, or being called to it. You might be happily surprised with your answer.
 

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Several times I have heard Donald Trump say: “The most important thing in life is to love what you’re doing, because that’s the only way you’ll ever be really good at it.” As I was planning to write about it, I did a search and found a Blog post titled: “Donald Trump’s 10 Secrets To Being The Best.” I agree with all 10 of his points.

I find many lawyers have not found their passion. Some know what they don’t like. Others haven’t thought about it. To find your passion you must be able to find what intrinsically motivates you. Over the years I have come up with 10 questions you can ask yourself to better understand your intrinsic motivation.

1. Your Law Firm is holding your retirement party. Picture yourself there. The speakers will include a client, a lawyer in town with another firm who has been opposite you in some matters, a young lawyer in your firm, your spouse and one of your children. What would each person say about you?
2. Imagine you are older and your grandchild asks: “What are you most proud of in your life?” What would you say?
3. What lawyer do you admire the most and why?
4. What lawyer is living the life you would most want to live and why?
5. What lawyer is doing the kind of work you would most like to do and what is that work?
6. You want people in your firm, or clients to believe you are the “go to person” to_________________.
7. What is the work you enjoy most as a lawyer? Why?
8. What client(s) do you enjoy the most and why?
9. Imagine it is five years from now. Describe your day.
10. Over the next five years, what do you want to do? What do you want to become? What do you want to earn? What do you want to learn?

 

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When I was a young lawyer, I made time on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 6:00 to 9:00 to write articles for client development. I also worked on client development while I was on airplanes. I did very little client development, or other non-billable activities when I was in the office during the week and when I went home to be with my family.

Jason Cornell is a lawyer I am coaching who has a family and a substantial workload in bankruptcy. In our first coaching session Jason asked me what I thought would give him the greatest return for his investment. I told him Blogging and creating guides for his potential clients. He did both and has gotten great results. Check out Jason’s Blog. His first guide is titled: “Ten Things EveryCommercial Landlord Should Know About a Tenant in Bankruptcy. ” Commercial landlord clients have found the guide very helpful.

When I spoke with him recently he told me that when the coaching program started he was concerned that the program and his client development efforts would interfere with his family life. To his surprise it has not worked out that way, but it has made it necessary to make choices. I asked Jason to share with me how he is doing it. He did and gave me permission to share his thoughts with you.

“Below are some thoughts on balancing out work, personal life and business development.

"In order to make my "hours bonus" this year, the majority of my time in the office is pre-occupied with billable hours. However, about twice a week, I cut my billable hour time short so that I can focus on writing an article or researching topics for an article. Later in the week, I make-up the lost time by working on billable work from home on Sunday evening.

"About three to four nights per week, once the kids are asleep, I research and write on my laptop. Sometimes I do this in the family room while the TV is on. Jen does not seem to mind ... when I am on the laptop, she gets free rein over the remote control. It is actually a win-win. She gets to watch what she wants and control the remote and I write instead of watching television. Other nights, when Jen wants to read, I convince her to read on the sofa in my study while I work on the computer at my desk. This has turned out to be good quality time.

"I have had to give up a lot of my pleasure reading. However, finding an article that relates to a subject I am writing on can be just as interesting. My exercising is limited to running with my kids while they ride their bikes and jumping on the trampoline with the kids when I get home from work. Both wear me out, however, they provide me with more than enough exercise."

Figuring out the best time to work on client development is important. It will be different for each of you. I like how Jason has included his wife in his efforts. I have always felt a great connection when Nancy and I are sitting in a room, each working on something and talking every so often.

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I saw a short Blog post by Seth Godin a few weeks ago. He said: “The only thing worse than starting something and failing... is not starting something.” Have you ever not started a client development activity because you were afraid of failing? Don’t let fear of failing stop you. I have had many client development failures. Let me share one with you.

Lawyer Marketing Ideas

When professional video first gained acceptance, I decided to create a video for contractors. I spent days creating the script and two days in front of the camera with Dr. Michael Vorster at Virginia Tech. I was confident I had created a masterpiece and I decided to market the tape along with a book on linear scheduling at a price of $495. I believe I sold at most 20 sets of the tape and most of those were to my mother and her friends. (I still have boxes of tapes in my garage.)

When I realized that my attempt to become a paid movie star was not working effectively, I came up with Plan B. I went back to the editor, paid him more money and created a one-hour summary of the eight-hour tape. I decided strategically to give the one-hour tape away and offer a special price for the full eight hours to those contractors who were intrigued enough to see more.

There came a point when I just wanted to give the tapes away. By then, I laughed at myself, picked myself up off the stage and pressed on with other ideas. Later I mentioned using linear scheduling in one of my Roads & Bridges monthly columns and found it was a better way to reach out to my target market.

Just to show I am willing to take another chance, I am in the process of shooting 50 short 5-10 minute client development coaching and teaching videos. I got the idea from reading studies that people do not learn a subject and change from one long session. The scientists have concluded that learning occurs when there are short, concise points that can actually be implemented. I am reminded of the Chinese proverb: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.” I am hopeful these interactive video clips will provide opportunities for you to learn by doing.

So, what is something you haven’t started because you fear you might fail? If you try something that doesn’t work. Don’t fret about it. Instead, think of it as successfully learning what didn’t work.  If you need more support, watch the famous Michael Jordan Nike Commercial video.

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." ~Robert F. Kennedy
 

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Believe it or not, selling legal services is not rocket science. It is mostly hard work and applying common sense approaches to become more visible to your target market and to build relationships. I want you to use your creative juices and help me develop the definitive list of Do’s and Don’ts we could follow and pass on to young lawyers. I will help you get started and then I will publish the Do’s and Don’ts I get from you.

Do’s

• Take responsibility for your own success.
• Develop a yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly plan to use your non-billable time most effectively and efficiently. Then find a way to hold yourself accountable.
• Decide your target market (who is it you want to hire you) and what you want the target market to hire you to do.
• Work harder and more creatively at client development than your competitors
• Understand your clients’ industry, company and your individual client representatives’ needs and wants.
• Stay on top of current events to anticipate how they will create future legal issues for your clients.
• Find the marketing opportunity in the billable legal work you are doing.
• Put your clients’ needs ahead of your own.
• Exceed your clients’ service expectations. Give more value than they expect.
• Do something, no matter how small, each and every day.

Don’ts

• Don’t ever give up.
• Don’t make excuses for not having time for client development.
• Don’t ever appear to be selling. Clients may want to buy, but they hate feeling like they are being sold.
• Don’t ever appear to be needy or greedy.
• Don’t talk down to clients.
• Don’t take on clients you will later regret. If it doesn’t “feel” right, it probably isn’t.
• Don’t become complacent or satisfied. Stay hungry to learn and get better.
• Don’t say “no problem” or “honestly”
• Don’t talk so much, especially about you and your firm. Ask questions and then listen, listen, listen.
• Don’t forget your team. Client development is a team sport.
   

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Suppose you were sent to six weeks of training on selling techniques and then came back to begin selling clients. You might have some success, but I doubt it would come from learning how to deal with objections or the myriad of closing techniques.

I hate to be sold anything and resist salesmen who try to sell me. I know clients also hate being sold. I learned this early in my career (thankfully), when an in-house counsel said: “Cordell, quit trying to sell us the next project and just focus on doing a good job on the one we gave you.”

Our clients are like us. They do not want us to sell them anything and they will immediately resent us if we do try to sell them. An assistant general counsel told me of a lawyer who called to set up a meeting, stating he would be in Omaha in a couple of weeks while he was on his way to San Francisco. Well, unless he was traveling by covered wagon, it was highly unlikely he would just happen to be in Omaha on his way to San Francisco. The assistant general counsel knew he was dealing with a salesman and he did not like it.

Selling clients is very difficult for lawyers, but getting clients to buy from us is something we can successfully accomplish. We can interact with a potential client without an invitation by giving away something they would find valuable. It could be a book, article or memo you have written on a topic the potential client would find interesting.

I remember a few years ago the federal regulations on a topic of particular interest to the construction industry changed. Before the ink was dry on the revised regulations, I had written a summary in simple non-legal language with bullet points on what to do and what not to do. I sent my summary to as many potential clients I personally knew as possible. More importantly, I sent it to contractor association executives who published my summary and suggestions in their newsletters. That was even more effective because they, in essence, were making the contact with the potential clients.

So, instead of ever trying to sell clients, give them the opportunity to evaluate you by providing them something valuable they can use. Stay on top of what is going on and then be first to market, giving away something they will value. When you are able to do this you actually are identifying a problem or opportunity and creating a solution before the potential client has identified the problem or opportunity.

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When I was in college and law school, I hated UCLA's basketball team because they were wining the NCAA every year. I remember being at a college party in 1968 and everyone cheered when Houston upset UCLA in the Astrodome. Later that year UCLA routed Houston in the NCAA tournament.

As fate would have it, my first assignment in the Air Force after law school was at a base in Southern California. Each night, I watched John Wooden being interviewed by the media. Within a very short time, I came to realize why he was not only a great coach, but also a great leader and mentor for his players.

John Wooden’s character and principles always showed through whether his team won, or when it infrequently lost. Since I lived in Southern California, I have bought books about him and bought tapes of him speaking. I am always inspired by his approach to life and building a team. I have written about him and you can find some of what I have written on my website.

Lawyers and law firms can learn a great deal from "The Wizard of Westwood." Take a look at his website and his “Pyramid of Success.”

On his website home page you will find one of my favorite Coach Wooden quotes: "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming."

He talks about the real joy in life and his definition of success in this short interview.

 

The reason that this quote was so important to me, and hopefully to you, was my realization that measuring my success based on what others achieved would either cause me to give up, thinking I could never achieve what some of them had achieved, or alternatively cause me to not reach as high as I might, thinking I had achieved more than some of them had achieved.
 

Work each day to serve your clients and to become the best lawyer for your clients you are capable of becoming. That will bring you the peace of mind and satisfaction Coach Wooden speaks about.
 

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On Tuesday, I wrote about the work the Beatles did to become THE BEATLES and I asked what are you doing to become THE RAINMAKER. Knowing you might benefit from reading about what other lawyers are doing, here is a good example.

Last year I had the opportunity to coach Lizzette Zubey, an IP associate with Lewis and Roca in Phoenix. At the time, Lizzette was the President of Los Abogados, Arizona’s Hispanic Bar Association. Lizzette first got involved with the organization as a law student, after receiving its Honorable Valdemar Cordova Scholarship. She was drawn to the group because of its efforts on civil rights for Hispanics. During her first year in practice, she ran for a seat on its Board of Directors. In her fifth year she was named its President.

In our first coaching session, Lizzette and I talked about narrowing her market and striving to become a “go to” IP lawyer for Hispanic owned businesses. She loved the idea and worked during our entire coaching year on raising her visibility. Here are a few examples:

• She was interviewed on IP issues on Inside Arizona Business, a television program in Tucson.

• She organized a luncheon where the two Democratic candidates running for Maricopa County Attorney's Office spoke, which was covered by local Spanish and English news media.
• She was selected by the Business Journal as a member of the 2008 Hispanic Leaders Under 40.
• She is Regional President of the Hispanic National Bar Association and her firm hosted events during the HNBA Board Meeting in Phoenix
• She was featured in the January/February 2009 issue of Iguana, a children's Spanish language magazine with international circulation. The title of the article was: “Young Lawyer Persevered Before Difficulties.”

Like the Beatles, Lizzette is working hard to become more visible and she knows it doesn’t happen overnight. She is patient and persistent. I know her efforts are slowly raising her profile in the Hispanic business community. What can you do the rest of this year to begin the process of becoming THE RAINMAKER.

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I wrote recently about practicing law by Blogging. It reminded me of the Beatles. Many Americans have this notion that the Beatles arrived in America from Liverpool and were an instant sensation. Few know how much work the Beatles did before they took the trip across the Atlantic. Your efforts to become a rainmaker require that same kind of work.

A while back, Seth Godin wrote a Blog titled: “When did the Beatles Become THE Beatles?”

Malcolm Gladwell discussed how the Beatles became successful in his book “Outliers” and talked about the Beatles in a short video that will help you grasp the point.

 

Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell describe that at the beginning, the Beatles were playing two or three long sets a day in a Hamburg club, making a few pounds if they were lucky. The Beatles worked on their music in these clubs for years. What are you working on now to make yourself more valuable lawyer to your clients?

Godin says that as the Beatles got more traction they were marketing in every direction. After you have done your homework, then you will work at becoming visible by writing for industry publications and speaking to as many industry groups as possible. Before you get there, consider writing for and speaking to Bar groups. Even though you are not likely to be hired by competing lawyers, this stage will provide opportunities to become a more effective writer and presenter.

Seth Godin says the transition stage was brief but essential. When people started noticing them, the Beatles didn’t stop marketing. Instead they poured it on. At this point they shifted from being the chasers into being the chased. During the transition stage, organizations notice you and ask you to write for their publications or speak at their meetings. That is the time for you to “pour it on” to gain momentum.

After all the years playing in clubs and developing their skills, the Beatles came to America. Seth Godin says that many reach this stage and stop. When you feel you have “arrived,” have some healthy paranoia. That means continuing to learn, continuing to figure out what impacts your clients and writing and speaking on those subjects. It also means continuing to focus on building relationships with each of your clients and becoming their trusted advisor.

At this stage, the Beatles became THE Beatles and you will become THE Rainmaker.

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It is more difficult than ever to stand out in the crowd. But, many lawyers I coach have found ways to identify a challenge faced by clients, offer a solution and give it away.

Jennifer is a Labor and Employment lawyer I coached a couple of years ago. Her firm gives an annual Labor and Employment workshop, which typically draws over 100 people.

In 2006 just before the workshop, Jennifer called me and said:

Cordell, you always suggest I give something away, what should I give the human resources professionals who attend our workshop?

I told her to think creatively and come up with something HR professionals would value.

Jennifer called me a couple of weeks later and she was very excited. She had gotten an idea from a fast food restaurant that had a laminated book on a ring for young children to read. Jennifer created an Easy Guide to Labor and Employment Laws in a laminated book, put it on a ring with a hook and handed it out to those who attended the workshop.

Shortly after the workshop I received an email from Jennifer. Here is what she told me.

Just wanted to let you know that I took some of those Easy Guides I had told you about out to some of my clients last Thursday afternoon. I ended up with three new matters as a result of those meetings. Sounds strange, but going to them with something in hand really worked!!

Almost two years later, I heard from Jennifer again. Here was her update:

The Easy Guides continue to get me/us out there in new ways. We got a request a few weeks ago from a consultant who speaks to over 1000 people a year. He wanted to buy some Easy Guides to give out at his talks. We're working out a deal with him that includes mention of the firm (and me hopefully), etc.

I bet your clients would value an easy guide. Give them one and you might be remarkable in their eyes.

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Have you ever wondered why we say we “practice law?” I wonder because I see less and less “practicing” and I think that is scary, especially because in study after study, experts conclude that it takes hours and hours of practice to become a world class expert in your field. As lawyers, we need to be able to anticipate issues and present solutions coherently.

Look to the left and you will see a Blogroll of lawyers I have coached. Are you blogging? Are you creating podcasts for clients and potential clients? If not, you should be.

“Why,” you ask? Scott Ginsberg wrote this week that blogging is the single most effective tool at eradicating anonymity.

For further support, here is what Seth Godin and Tom Peters have to say about the importance of blogging.

Put simply blogging and creating podcasts will force you to stay on top of what is going on that will impact your clients and will enable you to go from being invisible to both visible and credible to your target market.

To effectively blog or create a podcast the first step is to choose topics on which to write or speak that impact your clients. Once you decide on the topic, create content and present it in a way that your clients will find valuable. Each time you pick a topic, and each time you post a Blog or create a podcast you are “practicing” becoming a more valuable resource for your clients.
 

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I am frequently asked how to make your friends, your clients. There are only a few ways to do it. As explained in the true story below, one way is to learn as much as you can about their needs and provide something the other lawyer/law firm is not providing without any expectation of getting anything in return. You have to give to get.

Scott is a lawyer from Houston. His coaching group, Looper Rain, created a list of Philosophies based on what they learned in the coaching program. Prior to the credit crunch, Scott successfully applied two principles.

KNOW YOUR CLIENT
           - Listen; don't talk
           - Learn client industry and business needs, as well as personal information

DON'T "SELL"
           - Find value and provide it now, and never appear greedy or hungry

Here is his story:

One of my long time friends owns an oilfield equipment and service company that primarily operates and sells in the U.S., and has operations in India and China. Based on our conversations, I knew my friend was "not unhappy" with his existing corporate attorney. But I could also tell my friend was looking for something more. Before Looper Rain coaching, I would have tried to "sell" him on hiring LRM and why we were the right firm for him, and probably tried to convince him to use LRM instead of his existing attorney.

Based on what I learned in the coaching program, I first set out to find out more about my friend and his company. I learned more about his background, and more about his company operations and opportunities in China and India. He let me know he wanted to expand his company by acquiring a Canadian company. When he said he was hiring a New York firm to help obtain financing for a $1,000,000 fee, I asked him to give me 30 days to help him find financing at a lower cost.

In the next 30 days I introduced my friend to consultants, several bankers, an investment banker, and a private equity firm. He let me know he was extremely thankful and impressed. While he said that he liked his attorney, he was impressed that we went far beyond just focusing on the legal work.

After he got the financing for the acquisition, our firm became his law firm.

I don't think I would have obtained this client before Looper Rain because I would have tried to talk instead of listening, and I would have tried to sell our firm rather than demonstrating how we can add value.

So, what is the point of Scott’s story? It is really pretty simple. When you go from thinking about how you can get hired to thinking about how you can add value without expecting anything in return, good things happen. Scott asked questions, listened and uncovered a need where his firm could add value.
 

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I wrote last week about taking responsibility for your career. It is part of the first habit in Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” The truth is that all seven habits apply to lawyers, which is no surprise since they apply to any profession or business. I believe I made significant changes in my life as a result of reading the book and you will also. To get you started read a very short summary.

Here is how YOU might use the 7 Habits:

Habit 1: Be Proactive: Take responsibility for your own success and fulfillment and focused on things within your control rather than things outside your control.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind: What is your definition of long-term success? Ask: Where would you like to be in your career five years from now? 20 years from now?

Habit 3: Put First Things First: Don’t focus on balance. Instead focus on your priorities. You might get off track, but if you have identified your priorities, you know when you are off track and will be better able to get back on track.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win: Be generous sharing credit and generous with your time teaching younger lawyers.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Learn to ask better questions and listen before speaking. Learn to probe deeper than what the client or what the associate is telling you.

Habit 6: Synergize: Build your team within your firm and with your client contacts.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: The day you finished the Bar Exam you might have thought your learning was complete. In truth, it had just begun. Do something each and every day that enables you to be a better lawyer and learn how to better serve your clients.

Every lawyer should read “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and I hope you will. When you do, it will only be valuable if you actually implement each habit in your own life.

I want to make you aware of a couple of things. I am back podcasting. I am doing short podcasts myself and interviewing lawyers. I want to give you ideas of things you can do. You can download the podcasts from iTunes or find them at this website.

Over the next few weeks, on Thursdays I will post stories of what young, or not so young, lawyers are doing about client development. This will provide you with additional ideas of things you can do. If you have a success story you would like for me to tell in a Thursday post, drop me a note.
 

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As many of you know, when I talk to young lawyers I stress taking responsibility for your own career and success. That is easily said, but what does it mean? Put simply, you need to understand clearly what you want out of your career and your life. Then, you actually have to develop long and short-term plans and take the actions that will get you there. It means making choices on how you will spend your time.

Stephen Covey’s first habit of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is to be proactive. You get to choose how you respond to things that happen to you. Stephen Covey gives a short summary.

 

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A couple of years ago I met with the managing partner of a 500-lawyer firm for which I was about to begin coaching 15 junior partners. He was my age and, in addition to being the managing partner, he was a leading rainmaker.

During our conversation, he expressed skepticism about the value of coaching. He said: “Rainmaking, you either have it or you don’t. Some lawyers are meant to be finders, others minders and others grinders.”

I respectively disagreed and several months into our coaching program, he acknowledged that based on what lawyers in the firm were doing differently, lawyers can learn to develop business.

Deliberate Practice

Every recent study has concluded that inborn talent does not explain high achievement. According to researchers, “deliberate practice” is the answer. Deliberate practice is not just any kind of “practice makes perfect.” It is designed to: continually stretch an individual beyond his or her current abilities; be repeatable; get feedback; and be mentally demanding.  To learn more about it in a general context, read the article or book by Geoff Colvin "Why Talent is Overrated."

In a future post I will share with you my ideas of what “deliberate practice” lawyers can do to become rainmakers. I am convinced you can develop your skills over time. In the meantime let me leave you with a quote I like:

"The truth is that our finest moments, more often than not, occur precisely when we are uncomfortable, when we’re not feeling happy or fulfilled, when we’re struggling and searching."

M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled and Beyond

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I am starting a new coaching group this week and I was asked for my suggested reading for 2009. Here is my list. Many of these books have been on my list in previous years.

January: Prepare to Win by Cordell Parvin
February: Getting Things Done by David Allen
March: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi; The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
April: The Dip by Seth Godin
May: A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
June: The Speed of Trust by Stephen R. Covey with Rebecca Merrill
July: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
August: Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
September: Trust Based Selling by Charles H. Green
October: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators by Carmine Gallo
November: Making Rain by Andrew Sobel
December: Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galfard

Bonus Books:
Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
How to Be That Guy by Scott Ginsberg
Give Your Speech, Change the World by Nick Morgan
Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port

Suggestions for Reading:

1. Skim the book first time through. There may be as much as whole chapters that do not apply to lawyers.
2. Read with a highlighter and highlight important parts
3. At the end of each chapter or each part of the book, write down how you can apply the points made my the author. It does no good to spend the time reading a book, if you are not going to use the materials.
4. Look for the same or similar points explained in different ways by the authors.
5. Consider downloading books to your iPod. I listen to books when I am working out, when I am on an airplane, and when I am driving a long distance.I use Audible. Also if you want to hear them read faster, there is a setting on your iPod to listen to audible books at a faster speed.
6. Do a search on YouTube for the author and see if you can find a short video he or she has done.

You may visit my website to view All Recommended Books, including those listed above.

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Years ago, a senior associate in our firm who I will call Linda shared with me that she was burning out. She described working all day, including eating at her desk, and then getting home, fixing dinner, putting her kids to sleep and then feeling totally exhausted. I know that Linda is not the only lawyer who has felt that way. Most of us instinctively know things we should do; yet we don't do them because we can't find time. Sometimes we make New Years resolutions and quickly revert back to our old habits the first time we feel challenged.

As I told Linda, we will never find the time. We have to make time. I also told her that she should not make crash diet changes, but rather she should make permanent lifestyle changes. Here are lifestyle change suggestions I gave Linda:

1. Take responsibility for your career and life.

2. Determine the priorities in your life and plan each week around those priorities (e.g. family, health, spiritual, work).

3. Exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.

4. Eat dinner at home with your family at least 4 nights a week.

5. Get up from your computer once an hour and, if nothing else, just walk down the hall and back.

6. Take time during the lunch hour to get outside. Do not eat at your computer.

7. Focus on things you can control rather than worrying about things you cannot control.

8. Be a "glass half full" person rather than a "glass half empty" person.

9. Begin building your career based on your major definite purpose (the intersection of your talent, passion and client needs).

10. To better understand the lifestyle changes outlined above read these three books and after each chapter write down how you will apply what you read:





"The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz - this book will teach you to manage your energy.

"First Things First" by Stephen Covey, A. Roger Merrill, and Rebecca R. Merrill - this book will teach you to manage time based on your priorities.

"Getting Things Done" by David Allen - this book will help you reduce stress by getting better organized.
Tags: Career Development, Having a Life
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Frequently lawyers tell me they feel they may be too young, too inexperienced or too something else to be successful at client development. I often respond by suggesting they focus on the advantages they have being younger than the lawyers with whom they compete. I believe the Presidential primaries and election this year proved that experience is not the only factor the electorate considered when voting. Likewise, clients and potential clients consider more than just age and experience when picking a lawyer.

For a couple of years I have read a great deal written by The Name Tag Guy, Scott Ginsberg, known for wearing a nametag every day. Among other things I admire what he has accomplished in a relatively short time. I also like many of his ideas. Here is a link to a recent Blog post titled: "15 Things You Are Not Doing Enough Of." I believe this is a great list for young lawyers. You might find it valuable to create your own list first and then compare your list with Scott's list.

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2008/12/15-things-youre-not-doing-enough-of.html

What does all this mean to you? Well, there are plenty of older and more experienced lawyers who may be complacent about their client development. They may be content with where they are in their career. If you are hungry to become more valuable to your potential clients and if you are willing to do what older lawyers are not doing, you have a real opportunity. The name of the game is to become known by as many potential clients in your target market as possible. Frankly, the more people who know you and like you, the more likely you will get hired.

It is never too early to start building relationships. You are never too young, too inexperienced, too...to become visible, build relationships and begin your journey to success. What are you not doing now that you can begin doing in 2009?

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I remember meeting with Lisa, a young partner in my old law firm, She wanted career planning advice from me. I learned Lisa had some ideas about what she wanted to do, but had not written any goals or a plan to achieve what she wanted. When Lisa described what she wanted, her description was fuzzy and ambiguous. I wanted to suggest she would never achieve her career dreams without clearly defining what they are, and developing written goals and a plan. I bit my tongue and decided I would get to know her better.

I learned she had recently returned from a long planned bicycling vacation in China. She described in detail what she had done each day and the places she visited. She provided vivid details of the she had seen and photographed and the culture she had experienced. I learned she was passionate about cycling and loved to do it in foreign lands.

After listening for several minutes I began asking questions. I learned Lisa had begun planning her trip almost two years earlier. When she began planning Lisa could describe in detail why she wanted to visit China and bicycle, but other than wanting to see the Great Wall and Beijing, she had no specific ideas. She did extensive on -ine research, bought a couple of books and spoke with travel agents. Based on her research, she found the "Bike China" tour that included Beijing and the Geat Wall as well as many other places she wanted to visit and the tour that appeared to best meet her needs. She decided when she wanted to go and planned her airline itinerary. She described in detail her thoughts before the trip and I learned she had actually visualized many of the places she would visit and things she wanted to do on the trip.

I then asked Lisa how much time she thought she had spent planning her China vacation. She told me she thought she had spent at lest 40 hours researching and planning her trip. I thought I had an opening. I simply asked if she would be willing to spend the same amount of time planning her career. I also asked if she would be willing to try and establish goals that were as specific as the ones she had for her China trip and she would approach accomplishing them with the same energy and passion she had for her vacation.

Isn't it ironic that many lawyers spend more time and energy planning their vacation than they do planning their career? Isn't it also ironic that when asked, they can clearly explain why they want to go to a particular vacation spot, what they plan to do while there and what they need to do to get ready for the trip?

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I got up early this morning and picked up my Dallas Morning News. I found two headlines that we as lawyers should be thinking about. The front page headline was: "Change Has Come to America." The Business page headline was: "Dallas Fed chief: U.S. economy faces 'epic challenge'"

Then, I got my cup of coffee and went to my computer and opened my news page on iGoogle. There I found a Wall Street Journal headline: "Business Braces for Cooler Climate: Some Industries Look for Silver Lining in Stimulus Package, Health and Energy Shifts." The opening paragraph was: "Rising Democratic power in Washington is likely to usher in a drive for tighter financial regulation, increased social spending and more labor-friendly policies amid a more challenging climate for business." I did not read this article for the news. Instead I read it and started making a list of the future legal issues.

These two headlines, and even more importantly, the Wall Street Journal article will have more to do with your law practice and client development over the next few years than almost anything else. The lawyers who will thrive in the next few years are those who are best able to see the legal issues that will arise from a new democratic administration and greater majority in the house and senate and an economy that is facing an "epic challenge." Some lawyers have probably already positioned themselves for change. If you haven't, then you better start now.

In his book "A Whole New Mind," Daniel Pink includes a chapter on symphony, which he calls: "...the ability to put together the pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than analyze; to see relationships, between seemingly unrelated fields; to detect broad patterns rather than deliver specific answers; and to invent something new by combining elements nobody else thought to pair." Good lawyers are able to analyze situations. Great lawyers are also able to analyze. What sets them apart is their ability to synthesize what is going on in the world and how it will create legal issues their clients will face. At no time in my career has it been more important to synthesize.

Whenever I talk about this with lawyers I coach I am asked how to do it. I use iGoogle and Google Alerts to capture what is going on in Dallas, Texas, the United States and the world. Each morning over my first cup of coffee I look at my news page on iGoogle and my Google alerts. I also read business and trade magazines. In construction Engineering News Record is the most widely read magazine. When I was practicing law I would have young associates read the business articles and identify the legal issues.
So, let's make a list of what is going on that will likely create legal issues:

• We are in a recession. • There will likely be greater regulation of all industries, especially the financial industries. • Workers are being laid off. They will need to be retrained to be productive. • The new administration and Congress will be more labor friendly and there will likely be moves to unionize workers. • Retailers will likely face the worst holiday season in recent history. • American auto manufacturers are in trouble. • At least for the moment, the government is pumping capital into banks and other businesses. • Many state and local governments need more money to operate. • Our infrastructure needs repair and replacement and the new Congress is likely to try and stimulate the economy by pumping money into infrastructure projects. • We must become more energy efficient and find more energy in the US. • The world remains dangerous. • Federal Government spending is increasing and so is the deficit. • People earning over $250,000 are likely to pay more taxes. • Our corporate taxes are second highest in the world and they may be raised. • The new administration and Congress will be more sensitive to the environment. • The public is fed up with corruption on Wall Street and there will likely be more Enron/Worldcom type criminal investigations. • Baby boomers are retiring from the workforce in record numbers and many are finding they need to return to work. • More health care will be needed as the baby boomers age. We may well have a shortage of physicians. • The talent pool is shrinking and those in it are more diverse. • Estate taxes are likely to stay in place. • States are increasingly passing laws requiring business to protect their customers' data. • Investors will eventually be investing in distressed properties. • United States ranking in education, particularly math and science continues to fall.

You will likely be able to see other news that will create legal issues for your clients. How well you synthesize these issues and what you do to be "first to market" with your synthesis will have a great impact on your future.

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I feel I was very fortunate to have built a construction law practice that enabled me to work with some of the finest construction companies in the United States. I remember when I was an associate, one of the partners in my firm said to me: "Cordell, any firm can hire smart lawyers. They graduate from law school every year. Firms are looking for smart lawyers who have a confidence inspiring personality. Those lawyers will over time develop and expand relationships with clients." That conversation taught me that if I was just a smart lawyer I was expendable. On the other hand, if over time I was able to develop and expand relationships with clients, I would have the greatest asset a lawyer can have. I almost immediately began focusing on how to become more valuable to clients.

I have spent many years trying to better understand what distinguishes the most successful lawyers. Successful lawyers I know have many characteristics, but virtually no one has all of those characteristics. Successful lawyers are:

1. Big picture thinkers. They are better able to see the big picture of how the legal work fits into their clients' business.
2. Client focused. They are more interested in helping their clients than they are getting legal work.
3. Internally driven to succeed and develop.
4. Patient and resilient. They know building a book of business takes time and they are not afraid to fail or be told "no."
5. Not content. They are always learning and becoming better lawyers.
6. Likeable. They make clients out of friends and friends out of clients.
7. Authentic and trustworthy. They are comfortable in their own skin.
8. Thoughtful about how to let people know they care and doing things for people that will help them.
9. Team builders. They know how to delegate, supervise and build teams.
10. Active. They are frequently "out there" doing stuff in the community or for the Bar.
11. High energy. They are able to go the extra mile when others are not.
12. Risk takers. They are willing to get outside their comfort zone.
13. Optimistic. They believe in themselves and their ability to take care of their clients' needs.
14. Quick reads. They figure out quickly what clients want or need.
15. Confidence inspiring. They convey to their clients that they truly understand and can take care of the client's problems.
16. Unique. They have a "UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION".

Which of these attributes do you have? What will you do in 2009 to develop the other attributes?

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Lawyers have never made more money and never been so unhappy. A couple of months ago a young lawyer I am coaching sent me a link to an American Lawyer article titled: "Midlevel Survey Shows Associates Eyeing the Door" http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202423427012. One of the main points in the article is that young lawyers are less interested in making partner than they used to be. They see partners in their firms who are doing well, but are miserable at the same time. They also see partners in their firms lose their equity partner status.

Some time ago, an article written by Jonathan Clements appeared in the Wall Street Journal titled: "Rich, Successful-and Miserable: Research Probes Midlife Angst". The article mentions that "numerous studies have found our happiness level through our lives follows a U-Shape with folks becoming increasingly dissatisfied as they approach their 40s and then bouncing back from there." Many experts believe that in middle age when people are at the peak of their career and have kids, time is a scarce resource. While an increase in salary gives an initial boost, soon after there is a feeling of dissatisfaction again. Clements states that the article indicates that experts sometimes refer to this as the "hedonic treadmill" or "hedonic adaptation," meaning we rapidly adapt to improvements and thus feel no better off.

What can be done? The author points to research suggesting that we can boost happiness by "counting our blessings." Second, we need to think about how we spend our spare time. Studies suggest that the activities be enriching and challenging. That is clearly consistent with "flow" activities. Third, research indicates we need to cultivate friends. My own research indicates we need to focus on inner fulfillment more than outward rewards.

In 1999 Professor Mihalyi Czikszentmihalyi (pronounced `Me-hi Chicksent-me-hiee') wrote an article in the "American Psychologist titled "If We Are So Rich, Why Aren't We Happy." He points out that material rewards, which people value so highly, do not necessarily provide the happiness expected from them because of the well-documented escalation of expectations. If people strive for a certain level of affluence thinking it will make them happy, when they reach it they will already be hankering for the next level. Second, people evaluate their possessions, not in terms of what they need to live comfortably, but in comparison with those who have the most. Third, material rewards alone are not sufficient to make us happy. Czikszentmihalyi points out those other conditions like family, friends and having time to reflect and pursue diverse interests are related to happiness. Given the scarcity of time, there is an inherent conflict in going after more material rewards and spending time with family and friends.

In addition to the American Lawyer article, plenty has been written in recent years about the growing dissatisfaction of lawyers with their careers. In an article appearing in the Vanderbilt Law Review, "On Being a Happy, Healthy, and Ethical Member of an Unhappy, Unhealthy, and Unethical Profession," Patrick J. Schiltz paints a fairly bleak picture of big firm life in our profession. He points to studies showing lawyers are increasingly depressed, suffering from anxiety, alcoholism and drug abuse. He notes that while the empirical data is sparse, there is also some indication that the divorce rate among lawyers is higher than the rate of other professionals including doctors. Although he noted there is limited information available it appears the physical health of lawyers is not much better than their mental health.

After discussing the health issues, Professor Schlitz then discusses studies showing the unhappiness of lawyers. A RAND study of California lawyers shows that only half would become lawyers if they had it to do again. A study of North Carolina lawyers reveals that one quarter would not become lawyers if they had it to do again. With the exception of a Chicago study, all of the surveys reveal a substantial decline in lawyer satisfaction. The lawyers who are the most dissatisfied are the ones working for large law firms.

Why are lawyers so dissatisfied and why are lawyers in large firms more dissatisfied than lawyers in smaller firms? Professor Schlitz states: "In every study of career satisfaction of lawyers of which I am aware, in every book or article about the woes of the legal profession that I have read, and in every conversation about life as a practicing lawyer that I have heard, lawyers complain about the long hours they have to work." There is no doubt that billable hours have increased over the time I have practiced law. Surveys show it and I have experienced it.

These long hours are thought to take away from family life and personal life. Professor Schlitz believes lawyers bill two hours for every three hours they spend at work. In other words, to bill 2000 hours, a lawyer would expect to work 3000 hours. I believe there is no real set formula like that. I can't remember ever billing two hours for every three hours I worked. If a lawyer is working on a few large matters, he or she is likely to have a higher percentage of billable hours to total hours than a lawyer who has two-three pages of time entries a day.

Professor Schlitz argues that money is the driver that causes lawyers to work long hours and to ultimately be unhappy. Yet, as the American Lawyer article points out, pay is a retention tool for associates. In addition, law firms seem to focus on increasing profits per partner and continue to increase associate compensation. If the firm is compensated mostly by the hour, the only way to continue increasing profits per partner is to increase hours, increase rates or decrease the number of partners. Most large law firms do at least the first two and an increasing number of firms do the third. As a result, I often hear associates say: "I have to get my hours," because that is how their performance is primarily measured. If they do not get their hours they will be let go. Later they speak of having no life other than at the office.

Lawyers who are focused on "getting hours" or increasing "profits per partner" are hardly "in the zone." Lawyers who are focused on building a career, becoming a better lawyer and finding innovative ways to better serve their clients are far more likely to be in the zone and far more likely to enjoy what they are doing. To quote Winston Churchill: "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."

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Last week I met with a new coaching group for the first time. During our group meeting, Judy and Allison who were part of the first coaching group for the firm came and offered advice to the group. I believe each member of the new group will remember Judy telling them to focus on the three Ps-Persistence, Perseverance and Patience and to get outside their comfort zone. I know from experience that lawyers who focus on the three Ps are more concerned with learning client development than they are with getting early results.

As many of you know, my wife, Nancy, started playing golf when she was about 40. She has worked at getting better at it ever since. Last week Nancy won our club championship. I believe it was for the sixth time in a row. I was out of town and talked to Nancy each night. She reported she did not play well in the first two rounds, but she toughed it out to win. In the final round she found her game and put her opponent away early.

Why does Nancy win this tournament so consistently? Certainly part of the reason is she is an athlete. But, more importantly Nancy follows Judy's thought on Patience, Perseverance and Patience and gets outside her comfort zone. Instead of only playing in events she can win, Nancy plays against better golfers. This summer Nancy played in two tournaments against some of the best young college-aged, future LPGA golfers in the country. In one tournament she was paired with college golfers from the University of Washington and Indiana University. In the second tournament, Nancy played against a star college golfer from the University of Arkansas. In each case, it turned out that Nancy was older than her opponents' parents who were there to watch them. Nancy did not win, but came away from each of the tournaments mentally tougher and learned more about her game and how to compete.

A second reason Nancy does well is that she practices shots that others do not practice. Many golfers rarely practice. When they practice, they are simply standing on the practice tee and hitting their drivers as far as they can. Nancy practices frequently and has a plan for each practice session. Instead of just hitting her driver, she practices bunker shots, chipping, putting, and flop shots. When she has those shots in a tournament, she confidently stands over the ball and is able to execute the shot.

So what does Nancy's golf have to do with client development by lawyers? The principles are the same. I know many lawyers who are focused on results rather than focused on striving to get better. They fear failure to such a degree that they are unwilling to get outside their comfort zone. They are not learning about how to become better at client development. Instead they are focused on techniques that may help them get business from the low hanging fruit. When their efforts do not produce results, they give up.

What should you do instead? Work on getting better at things that are outside your comfort zone. If you want to learn how to network, go to events where you can practice. In fact, go to a networking event and approach strangers and introduce yourself. If you want to become a better public speaker, speak in public. Consider joining a Toastmasters International club, or starting your own speaking club. If you want to become a better writer, write and have someone review it and offer a critique. There are plenty of retired editors and senior lawyers, who would gladly critique your writing.

Beyond getting outside your comfort zone, think about what Judy told her partners in the new coaching group: Persistence, Perseverance and Patience.

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Client development activities start with a Business Plan. Why should you prepare one? Time is a lawyer's most important asset and you must use your time wisely. Preparing a business plan will help you prioritize how you spend your time, focus your attention on the important things and execute. With no plan you will find it easy not to do any client development efforts.

I frequently say that many lawyers I know spend more time planning a vacation than they spend planning their careers. What can we learn from My 30th Anniversary Trip to Ireland? My wife, Nancy, spent at least 20 hours planning this trip for us. She decided she wanted us to go to Ireland and she knew why. She wanted to go to Ireland because her family came to the United States from Ireland. She also knew she would enjoy the people, the scenery, the golf courses, the Irish beef cooked by French Chefs and the Irish Pubs serving Irish beer. So, she knew what and why. Then she planned where we would stay, where we would play golf and the itinerary for each day. I like to say she did a top-down and bottom-up plan. Her top down plan was looking at what she wanted us to do and where she wanted us to go. Her bottom up plan looked at how many days we would spend and what we could do in that number of days. Then she had a plan for each day we were there.

I prepare my business plan the same way and you should also. I start with one major goal. That is what I want. It will seem funny to some of you but many years ago in the mid 1980s, I think I was making about $75,000 or so. There were 5-6 lawyers in my firm at the time. I remember announcing to my partners that I wanted to make $150,000. I remember one of them being shocked that I would think I could possibly accomplish that. I really wasn't motivated by the money as much as I was motivated by what the money would represent. It was a way of keeping score. I recently looked at my Business Plan for 1999. At the very top of it was my big goal for that year. I wanted to generate $3 Million in fees. That was a big hairy audacious goal (BHAG). I am not sure whether I shared that goal with anyone in my practice group. If I did, I likely received the same look of disbelief. My plan for that year had many, many action items to do that I believed would help me achieve my goal. I did not reach my goal that year, but I came close and I know I came closer than I would have if I had no goal or if it was lower. I did not do every one of my action items but I did do most of them. Two years later I brought in $3.3 Million in business and I know I was able to do that as a result of the efforts I made in 1999.

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In January, 2005 I left my law firm to focus on helping lawyers with career development and client development. Needless to say, I knew that if I could put together a program that would generate CLE credit, the program would be more valuable to those who attend. Last week we received word from the Texas State Bar that our program titled: "Securing, Retaining and Expanding Relationships with Your Clients" will be eligible for 3.00 hour participatory CLE credit and .50 hours Ethics CLE credit. The three sessions cover:

1. "The Core of Your Practice, Build Your Plan" 2. "Skills to Develop Quality Services, Build Your Profile" 3. "Build Client Relationships"

We plan to do the program by Webinars at noon Central time on October 8th, 15th and 22nd. Cost is $195. If you are a Texas lawyer and want to attend, contact Joyce (jflo@cordellparvin.com) as we will be limiting participation to 50 lawyers.

I know that this type program will not be eligible for CLE credit in all states. I know from my own personal experience that it would not be eligible for CLE credit in Virginia and I understand the same is true in Pennsylvania. If learning how to secure, retain and expand relationships with clients interests you, and you think it might be eligible for CLE credit in your state, contact Joyce and we would be happy to submit the materials to your state Bar.

Many young lawyers I know either do not see the importance of this topic or they feel client development is too difficult. If you think about it, your very security and the security of your family depends on your ability to build and expand your client base. My first mentor made that point to me when he said: "Law firms can hire smart lawyers easily. They graduate from law school every year. It is more challenging to find a smart lawyer who clients gravitate to when they need help. That lawyer is far more valuable."

A couple of years ago I met a managing partner in a firm where I had begun coaching. He shared with me his belief that lawyers either "get it" or "don't get it" when it comes to client development. I told him I respectively disagreed. I know from working with lawyers that many have the potential, but don't have a clue where to start. If you feel like you have the potential and you have a desire to learn, then I believe you will find this program valuable.

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In June, Nancy and I celebrated our 38th anniversary. Next month, I will have been practicing law for 37 years. I can't even remember life without Nancy's love and support, or life when I was not thinking about the law.

Plenty has changed in the law practice over my 37 years, but I know one thing that has not. I have never met a lawyer who is inspired and excited about getting her hours. Getting billable hours is a requirement the firm puts on a lawyer, and while it is something we all need to do, it does not motivate us.

What does motivate many of us is getting, retaining and expanding relationships with clients. Many of us became lawyers, less because "the law" and more because we could use our knowledge and skills to help our clients achieve their goals.
If getting, retaining and expanding relationships with clients motivates lawyers, why aren't more lawyers doing what it takes to have that opportunity. As you know, I wrote a book titled: "Prepare to Win." I picked the title based on a quote I had seen many times attributed to various famous coaches. The essence of the quote is: "Many have the will to win, but only a few have the will to prepare to win." Many lawyers have the will to get, retain and expand relationships with clients, but only a few have the will to do the hard work that makes getting, retaining and building relationships with clients easy.

As I write this, I am willing to bet that at least 80% of lawyers have no written plan for their career, no written goals, no method of holding themselves accountable, and make no concerted effort to build their profile or build relationships. I am further willing to bet that 80% of those lawyers are questioning why they became a lawyer in the first place. I sincerely hope you are not one of those lawyers.

Regardless of your law school, your class rank, your family situation, your age, your firm, your boss, your firm's clients, you and only you are responsible for your success and only you can define what success is for you. Over time you will also have to inspire yourself, motivate yourself, hold yourself accountable, stick with it when it is challenging and pick yourself up when things do not go as you had hoped.

Dave Walton is an outstanding young partner with Cozen O'Connor. I have coached him for the last 18 months. While I am sure I have helped Dave, he has been successful because he motivates himself and creates systems that enable him to hold himself accountable. He is continually striving to get better. This week Dave presented a Webinar for all the lawyers I coach. If you want to find out how Dave has had the will to prepare to win, here is the link to the Webinar.

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I write and speak frequently about the importance of persistence when you are working hard at client development and not seeing immediate results. Over the last week I have posted two Blogs about persistence. Today, I want to share with you true stories of persistence.

Last year I had the chance to see Terry Fator, who was performing at a resort in Hilton Head. He had just won the America's Got Talent television show. Fator, a ventriloquist, had labored for many years here in Dallas. According to one report, in May 2007, before appearing on America's Got Talent, Fator was performing at a fair near Houston, Texas and only one 12 year-old boy was in the audience. Discouraged, Fator contemplated pursuing another career, but his family encouraged him to hang in there. Fator says that he never dreamed he would actually win. After winning, opportunities arose. As you may be aware from the news, this year Terry Fator signed a five year $100 million deal to perform nightly at The Mirage Casino and Resort in Las Vegas.

Barney Adams has written a book titled: "The Wow Factor. " Golfers probably recognize his name from Adams "Tight Lies" one of the best selling golf clubs in history. As the Dallas Morning News review of the book points out, Barney Adams took many mulligans before he became successful. He created and patented many golf clubs, but very few golfers ever heard of him. His success came in part from the realization that he was not designing and selling golf clubs. Instead he was helping golfers with better ball flight. After creating Tight Lies, Adams Golf went from being virtually unknown to the Inc. "500 Fastest-Growing Small Companies" list. It also led to the largest IPO in the history of the golf industry.

Last Saturday I went to see the movie "Bottle Shock." It is based on a true story of Jim Barrett, a real estate lawyer who left his firm to start the Chateau Montelena Winery in Napa Valley. In the movie, he is overextended and just about ready to give up on what seems to be a failing life dream. In 1976, an English wine merchant named Steven Spurrier, operating out of a small shop in Paris sets out to prove that offerings from other countries, which he unsuccessfully stocks, can equal those of the previously unchallenged French vintages. He decides to have a blind tasting in France. While traveling through Napa Valley, he finds, among other good wines, a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. At the end of the movie it is revealed that Stags Leap won the red wine tasting and the Montelena Chardonnay won the Chardonnay wine tasting.

Ok, these are great comeback stories, but what is the lesson in them for you? I think there are a couple of lessons. First, Terry Fator, Barney Adams and Jim Barrett were following their dream-their passion. They were passionate about ventriloquism, golf clubs and grapes. Second, because of their passion and intense desire, they did not quit when they did not achieve their dream right away. Third, there was a little luck in becoming successful. A summer television show gave Terry Fator an opportunity. Barney Adams went to work creating custom clubs at Hank Haney's (Tiger's coach) golf facility. It was at that facility that he got the idea for Tight Lies. Jim Barrett and Montelena Winery became world renown because Steven Spurrier decided to have a blind wine tasting in Paris.

Yesterday I wrote about my own challenge to overcome being discouraged. I look back and realize I was also blessed with a great deal of luck. After working two years without bringing in much business, I got the opportunity to do a presentation to Virginia Road and Transportation Builders' Association (VRTBA) at their annual meeting. Harry Lindberg, from the American Road and Transportation Builders' Association (ARTBA) heard me speak and asked me to speak at the next ARTBA annual meeting. That gave me the opportunity to present to contractors from virtually every state. A few years later after I gave a presentation to a national construction association, a young man came up to me and said he was the editor of "Roads and Bridges" magazine and he wanted to interview me. I told him that instead of an interview he should have me write a monthly legal column for the magazine. He agreed and I wrote the column for 25 years. Those two events, luckily attended by people who gave me the chance to become better known by my target market were the two most important things that happened to me. So, luck is a factor for each of us, but I firmly believe that luck happens to those who persist in following their dream.

When you are focused on the bottom line and getting numbers it is easy to quit before you achieve your dreams. When you are focused on doing things that you love you are far more likely to be lucky.

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Have you ever thought of giving up on client development because you were not getting the results you wanted? I know many young lawyers who enthusiastically start a client development program and then get frustrated because they do not see instant results.

I experienced that frustration. I had put my heart and soul into my business development by writing articles and speaking at industry meetings and had not gotten the first client. Many times I wondered whether it was worth all the time I was putting in. A couple of senior lawyers in my firm also kept putting me down for taking time they wanted me to spend helping them. I kept on because I wanted to control my own destiny and not be totally dependent on senior lawyers. So, whenever I got discouraged I would picture myself five years later with $500,000 in business. I also made client development a habit and tried to do something no matter how small each and every day. There came a time about two years after I started, when it started raining with new clients and business.

Recently I read that two very important virtues are persistence and flexibility. The writer said: "Persistence beckons you with eternal hope, while flexibility enables you to get through the obstacles that stand between you and your dreams."

I love a quote from Calvin Coolidge:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not;
Genius will not;
Education will not;
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

Woody Allen once said: "80% of success is just showing up." That means taking actions. Many lawyers have no plan for client development. Others have a plan, but do not take the actions necessary to be successful.

Flexibility means thinking about a variety of options to achieve a goal. It means being resourceful and changing tactics when appropriate while maintaining the values that are important to us.

Have you ever heard of the book: "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson? Cheese is the metaphor for what we want in life. The maze in the story represents how we spend our time looking for what we want. You will learn a great deal about persistence and flexibility in the book. Check the short summary of the book at: http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/fc/2001-07-27-who-moved-my-cheese.htm

Tomorrow I will share with you a couple of real life examples of persistence.

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I want to do three posts this week on persistence. I think it is such an important attribute that it is worth discussing three different ways.

When I was a teenager I first read Napoleon Hill's book. "Think and Grow Rich." The book is really about what it takes to be successful. The title comes from the fact it was published during the depression, so the focus is on making money as a measure of success. In the book, Napoleon Hill lists symptoms of a lack of persistence. Have you ever experienced any of these?

1. Failure to recognize and to clearly define exactly what one wants.

2. Procrastination, with or without cause. (Usually backed up with a formidable array of alibis and excuses).

3. Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.

4. Indecision, the habit of "passing the buck" on all occasions, instead of facing issues squarely. (Also backed by alibis).

5. The habit of relying upon alibis instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems.

6. Self-satisfaction. There is little remedy for this affliction, and no hope for those who suffer from it.

7. Indifference, usually reflected in one's readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meet opposition and fight it.

8. The habit of blaming others for one's mistakes, and accepting unfavorable circumstances as being unavoidable.

9. WEAKNESS OF DESIRE, due to neglect in the choice of MOTIVES that impel action.

10. Willingness, even eagerness, to quit at the first sign of defeat. (Based upon one or more of the 6 basic fears).

11. Lack of ORGANIZED PLANS, placed in writing where they may be analyzed.

12. The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or to grasp opportunity when it presents itself.

13. WISHING instead of WILLING.

14. The habit of compromising with POVERTY instead of aiming at riches. General absence of ambition to be, to do, and to own.

15. Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to GET without GIVING a fair equivalent, usually reflected in the habit of gambling, endeavoring to drive "sharp" bargains.

16. FEAR OF CRITICISM, failure to create plans and to put them into action, because of what other people will think, do, or say. This enemy belongs at the head of the list, because it generally exists in one's subconscious mind, where its presence is not recognized.

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I received an email from Al, a lawyer in New Orleans who told me he had read my book: "Prepare to Win." After reading the book he came across the following web site via Kevin O'Keefe's blog: http://www.alisonrowe.com/. He told me that he immediately recognized Alison from my book and that he thought what Alison is doing is a great testament to my influence. Actually what Alison is doing is a great testament to Alison's passion and persistence.

For those of you who have not read "Prepare to Win," let me share with you Alison's story. Alison grew up in Ellis County, south of Dallas, where her family has raised cattle and cotton for five generations. She went to Cornell University law school and while there she was a summer associate at my old firm. Nancy and I met Alison when she attended a summer associate in-home dinner at our house. I knew right then that Alison would become a very successful lawyer over time.

Fast forward to five years later. Alison had joined our firm as a corporate lawyer. When that work slowed down she transferred to our litigation practice group where she handled securities arbitrations. I am sure she viewed her role as more of a cut and paste from the 100 previous securities arbitration pleadings.

One day Alison invited me to lunch to talk about her future. She began by saying that if she had to do securities arbitrations the rest of her life she would quit practicing law. I told her I admired that she had figured out what she did not want to do and asked if she knew what she would love to do the rest of her career. She told me she had not thought of that. We spent the next 45 minutes exploring that and I never saw a gleam in her eyes when she brought up various possibilities. As we were paying the check she looked at me and said: "I have an idea and you have to promise not to laugh." I told her I would not laugh. Then she said: "I want to be an equine lawyer and represent race horse owners. I grew up with horses, I own a horse and I love 'horse people.'" I finally saw the gleam in her eyes.

The next day we began putting together a plan. I told her to build her library and join the Texas Thoroughbred Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the American Quarter Horse Association and other industry groups. I told her to not only join, but to also go to Austin and Louisville and actually meet the executive directors of those groups. I had a client from California who raced horses and I contacted him for advice. I had a friend in Dallas who raced horses and Alison and I met with him for breakfast that very week. He gave her periodicals that she should read and for which she should ultimately write articles. He told her the problems, opportunities and changes thoroughbred racehorse owners were facing.

To coin a phrase: "Alison was off to the races." Within months she had become insatiable reading and studying issues affecting the industry with her non-billable time, while continuing to get her hours doing the securities arbitrations. She got her first speaking engagement to a group of new thoroughbred racehorse owners and she created her own marketing brochure.

In 2007 Alison got married to Rick, a Vet student at Texas A&M. As a result, she left a big law firm and opened her own practice in Bryan, Texas. Needless to say this was a huge and challenging step. I hear from Alison occasionally and she tells me she is on her way to a record year in 2008. I am confident that over time Alison will become one of the "go-to" equine lawyers in the US. Check out her website above and her Blog.

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Suppose for a moment I asked for your reaction to the following: "Client Development has never been more difficult than it is today." I would likely be able to tell from your reaction whether you would be a good candidate for Client Development Coaching or the 50 Webinar Series I am doing. You might wonder why. Put simply, it might tell me if you have a fixed mindset: "Lawyers either have the ability to get business or do not have the ability to get business," or a learning mindset: "I can learn to get better at client development." Lawyers with a fixed mindset believe that effort is for those who are not talented. Their greatest fear is really trying hard to develop business and failing at it. As result, they will not make the effort to learn how to do client development and will give up if they do not have immediate success. Lawyers with a learning mindset will keep striving to learn more and get better even if they were fairly successful when they started the coaching program. When I told one of the lawyers I coach that client development has never been more difficult, her response was: "That's fantastic because very few lawyers will be willing to pay the price to really get good at it. I plan to be one of those lawyers who will pay the price."

Last fall I met with a law firm management committee about my client development coaching program. Near the end of the meeting, a senior partner asked me to describe the ideal candidate for my coaching program. I quickly replied: "Tiger Woods." He said: "Tiger Woods doesn't need a coach." I told the group: "Leave aside that Tiger Woods actually has a coach, I am referring to his desire to get better rather than his great talent." Tiger Woods takes charge of his career and constantly works at developing his skills. He also does not give up when things are not going well and he does not offer excuses when he does not win. The lawyers I have coached who have done the best take responsibility for their own success and have a burning desire to learn and get better at client development. Some of those lawyers are instinctively good at client development. Most of them find it challenging and work at it until they become more instinctively good at it. The lawyers who have not done as well are those who have a fixed mindset meaning they already believe they know all they need to know or they feel they can never learn to be as good at client development as others. Many of those lawyers are satisfied and content with their senior lawyer bringing in the business.

The importance of striving to get better was brought home to me a couple of years ago and again last week. First, a couple of years ago, Tiger Woods was interviewed by Ed Bradley on 60 Minutes. During the interview Bradley asked why when Tiger was the number one golfer in the world, he changed his swing. Tiger responded: "To get better." Bradley reminded Tiger that he was doing pretty well with the old swing. Tiger once again said he knew he could get better. Bradley then pointed out that Tiger changed his swing a second time and asked why. By now anyone could guess that Tiger answered once again "to get better." That segment of the interview ended with the dramatic shot on the 16th hole at the Masters. That is the shot Nike loves because the "swoosh" on the golf ball was visible for a full two seconds before the ball rolled in and CBS announcer Verne Lundquist exclaimed: "In your life have you ever seen anything like that."
On July 6, 2008 the New York Times published an article titled:" If You're Open to Growth, You Tend to Grow." The writer describes three decades of research done by Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck on why some people reach their creative potential in business while equally talented others do not. Dweck believes it is how people think about intelligence and talent. Those who believe their own abilities can expand (get better) over time. They "really push, stretch, confront their own mistakes and learn from them." The writer concludes that, while talent is important, people with the growth mind-set tend to demonstrate the kind of perseverance and resilience required to convert life's setbacks into future successes.

I am reading Carol Dweck's book: "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success." Her studies are amazing. In the first chapter she refers to a study she did early in her career. She brought grade school children in one at a time and gave them a series of puzzles to solve, each one getting increasingly more difficult. She watched the reactions of the students and saw something she never expected. One ten year old boy when confronted with hard puzzles, rubbed his hands together, smacked his lips, and cried out: "I love a challenge." Others with growth mindsets had similar reactions. They did not see themselves as failing. They believed they were learning and getting smarter. Those young children with fixed mindsets believed they could not learn to do the tough puzzles and didn't try to do them.

So, give me lawyers to coach who like the idea that client development has never been more challenging and who have Tiger Woods' burning desire to get better. You may not think some of those lawyers need coaching, but I can assure you they will get the most out of it, because they will put the most into it. Even lawyers for whom client development is anything but natural get a lot out of the coaching if they have the learning mindset. After all, there is great energy around trying to get better.

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A couple of weeks ago I spoke to a group of lawyers attending the Arkansas State Bar meeting. The title of my program was: "Securing, Retaining and Expanding Relationships with Clients." Because my main focus was on professionalism and becoming more valuable to clients, the lawyers attending the program received CLE ethics credit.

To secure, retain and expand relationships with clients, you should begin with a short attitude check. What do I mean by attitude? Listen to how you talk to yourself.

Do you say: "Yes, but," or do you say: "Sure how"

Do you say: "My problem is," or do you say: My opportunity is"

Do you frequently say: "I need to" or do you say: "I want to"

Do you say: "I am too busy to..." or do you say: "I can..."

Do you think planning means less free time or do you think planning means less stress?

Are you focused on just pleasing others or are you focused on what is important to you?

Do you associate working too hard with success or do you think about what your success will bring you?

These are all attitude checks. To be both successful in your career and fulfilled in your life, it really helps to start with having a great attitude about your future.

If you would like to receive a copy of the handout materials from my presentation, contact Joyce at jflo@cordellparvin.com

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Dave is a Pennsylvania lawyer I have been coaching for about 15 months. He is great for me to coach because he has a burning desire to always get better. He frequently forwards to me his thoughts and ideas for my comments. He recently sent me this email that I thought explained many things I have been trying to teach. So, I wanted to share it with you and offer a way to implement the thought.

I read something last night I thought you would like and appreciate. Before Stewart Cink's victory last week, his golf coach told him: "Don't confuse your goals with the reward." It means that the goal is not victory, that is the reward. The goals are based on a one shot at a time approach: take the right approach on each shot; make each shot count; visualize each shot; be consistent on each shot; use the right swing thoughts, etc. Applied to what we do, this means that the goal is not to have a $2M book or to have financial security. Those are the rewards. Our goals are the small steps we need to accomplish everyday in order to get the consistent $2M book. It's akin to a saying: Think big, but focus small.

I hope you are well. And thanks for all your help.

Even though I have not thought about it quite this way, I have used this idea in my own planning and goal setting. Each year I set a goal for the amount of business I wanted to bring in. That is the reward that Stewart Cink's coach mentioned to him. It has always been important for me to have some kind of target like this. David Rock, who is an expert on goal setting says it is similar to an Olympic athlete wanting to win a gold medal. He says: "Imagine if the Olympics didn't have any medals involved, or worse if there was no way of measuring who had won any of the events. I expect the world record times would be a little lower than they are now."

So it is important to have a goal that would be the equivalent of an Olympic gold medal in your career. But, I did not stop there. After setting the goal, I made a list of all the activities I wanted to do that I hoped would lead me to my reward. I used my imagination and creativity to develop the list. Next, I set shorter-term goals (60-90 Days) based on the list. Finally, each week I write down what I want to accomplish that week and if I can I actually schedule my activities.

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Lately I have been asked to review and comment on drafts of website bios. Since a great number of lawyers I am coaching are wondering about website bios, I thought I would share my thoughts. Keep in mind, I am not a website designer or a branding expert, but I have prepared many drafts of my own website bio when I was practicing law, I have read articles about the topic and I have looked at hundreds of lawyer website bios, so I will share with you my thoughts and how I see website bios changing in the future.

First, I have to offer a confession. Back in the old days, I hated the once a year ritual of updating my Martindale-Hubbell bio. I am not exactly sure, but I think I thought it was a waste of time. I was AV rated and I thought that was all clients cared about when they did research on a lawyer. Additionally, the potential clients in my target market knew me. When law firms first created websites in the 90s, many of us merely cut our Martindale-Hubbell bio and pasted it in the new law firm bio. I again looked at it as a waste of time.

I think website bios are now more important than ever. Clients are no longer local or loyal. They still tend to hire lawyers over law firms and they screen lawyers by their profile. I also think website bios are more important than ever for younger lawyers. In a 2001 survey of how buyers of legal services view websites, Greenfield Belser Ltd. learned that nearly two-thirds of those surveyed go online to locate outside counsel. They go directly to the firm websites and rely on search engines also. I bet the percentages are far greater in 2008 than they were seven years ago.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

Photos: I think they should be in color and not just mug shots. I also believe it is important to dress for success when your photo is taken. It is not a good idea to have the website photos taken after the cocktail party at the firm retreat. It is also not a good idea to use the photographer who does 1000 photos for the church directory or school.

Industry Expertise: In the 2001 survey, Greenfield Belser learned that two-thirds of the searches by buyers of legal services target specific industry expertise. So, if your practice lends itself to one or two industries it is important to identify those on your website bio.

Experience: Experience handling a particular type of matter is important. I believe that buyers of most legal services want to know whether the lawyer they are hiring has experience handling the particular type of matter for which they need help.

Articles/Presentations: I believe this is a particularly important area for young lawyers. I was once asked to do a presentation to a group of lawyers, many of whom handle insurance coverage cases. Like a potential client I went on line and did a search for insurance coverage and lawyers. None of the names of the lawyers attending the workshop came up in my search. I did find a lawyer who had three pages of articles and presentations on every aspect of insurance coverage. I have no idea if she is a great lawyer, but I know she must know this area of law very well to get published and asked to speak so often.

Downloads: If you have written articles or given presentations, make sure a potential client can download them. That way instead of "selling" you are "showing" your expertise. I recommend you consider having your presentation materials downloadable and even recommend you include video clips from a presentation, but only if a professional did the video.

What Makes You Unique: I believe the website bio is a place to identify what makes you unique and special. One of the best young lawyers who worked for me had grown up in his family's construction business and had actually run a part of the business. Another associate in our firm had worked as an engineer for the state department of transportation. Those two lawyers had construction experience that our construction clients would value. An associate in my old firm spoke German fluently, having lived in Germany for two years. That might be something a German based company would value. A lawyer I am coaching was a manager of a McDonald's restaurant before going to law school. Another lawyer I am coaching grew up in Japan and speaks Japanese fluently.

Future Website Bio Features: I am not sure whether any firm is doing it yet, but I predict that some day soon a potential client will be able to click on the website photo of the lawyer and watch a short video. Why is this an important change? To paraphrase a Seth Godin quote: "Our clients have way less time and way more choices." They need ways to determine whether you are the kind of lawyer and person who they want to hire. The video is a way to get to know you. Check out http://www.mvsp.biz/ to get an idea of what I am talking about. Or, if you remember Sean Yazbeck who won "The Apprentice" during the fifth season, you might enjoy seeing some of the innovative use of video on his webpage. http://seanyazbeck.com.

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Yesterday we did a Webinar for the lawyers I am coaching titled: "Voice of the Client." The presenters were Charlie Miller, a transactional lawyer and deputy managing partner with Patton Boggs and Ronna Cross, a former practicing lawyer who is the Business Development Director with Patton Boggs. Charlie and Ronna are great friends of mine and I always feel like I learn something new from them when we are together. Yesterday was no exception. Here is a short summary of what they covered yesterday.

How to talk to existing or prospective clients?

1. Listening is much more effective than talking! Mouth Closed and Ears Open. The rule of thumb should be that you do 20% of the talking (and only when prompted) and 80% of the listening.

2. Your experience and expertise are not sustainable topics of conversation (or for that matter interesting).

3. The best topics for discussion are based on the strategic, operational and economic issues that your client's or prospect's team regularly discuss. This is where research and reading business publications pays off.

4. Here are the most common topics:

- Capital: funding for on-going operations, acquisitions & growth (this is particularly relevant given the current "credit crisis").
- Products/Services: the what, when, where and how of commerce (customers, vendors, markets, distributors, intermediaries, etc.).
- Competition: differentiation, positioning and good ol' gossip about them.
- Distribution: go-to-market-strategies and -schemes (direct, independent distributors, franchising, licensing, retail, wholesale and internet strategies).
- Talent: Recruitment, Training and Retention.
- External Relationships: "The intersection of business and government."

5. Current Business, Political and Sports Topics for filler or as a warm-up. But these are not sustainable subjects either. And Political topics can be dangerous. Keep your comments in the middle of the aisle.

6. Don't talk about specific transactions or adversary matters involving other clients. Clients and prospective clients will perceive that you are not a trusted confidante. In other words, if you are telling them inside or confidential information about other clients, they will assume you will tell other clients inside or confidential information about them.

Charlie told those on the webinar that he has a periodical reading list. It is specifically aimed at transactional lawyers but I think litigators would find it valuable also. If you are interested in getting a copy send Joyce an email jflo@cordellparvin.com

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Have you ever thought about why your lawyers are not transitioning from being associates whose main function is to get the work done to partners whose main function is to bring in business, build and expand relationships with clients and supervise the junior lawyers? When I was the partner in charge of attorney development at my old firm, I spoke at our new partner orientation each year. I began my presentation by asking: "How many of you have written goals and a written plan to achieve them?" The first year I asked this question, I was astonished when no hands were raised. Here I was addressing our very best young lawyers and not one of them had written goals and a plan.

I decided to try and better understand why. In the process of learning, I discovered I had greatly underestimated the challenge of getting lawyers to change and become more focused about client development. I bet your law firm leaders who are near my age have underestimated it as well. I also learned that the carrot and stick approach did not work and waiting until they are partners to begin client development training made it even more difficult. Recently scientists have done considerable research on the brain's role in both learning and performance. They have found that we have both a "hard wired" part of our brain and a "working memory" part of our brain. For the learning and training we offer lawyers to be effective, we must seek to move it from the working memory part of the brain to the hard wired part of the brain.

In a nutshell, what does this scientific information mean? Your young lawyers are "hard wired" to get their hours. But, they are not hard wired on developing their profile as a "go-to" lawyer and building relationships with contacts and clients. Most firms wait until their lawyers become partners to begin their client development training. By then, it is more difficult than ever to get them to change. So, I encourage you to begin training your lawyers to develop client development habits as soon as they arrive at your law firm.

Second, the training you do for associates should be in bite sized pieces, not half day or full day workshops. Get them to focus on client development ideas and solutions, not on the problems they have to overcome to do client development. Let them come to their own answers. Studies have shown that when people experience an "ah ha" moment on their own there is a sudden adrenaline energy rush that is conducive to making changes. Finally, training by itself will not likely be successful. However, training with follow-up mentoring or coaching will way more likely be successful.

Here are my ideas on what each level of lawyer should be learning.

Junior Associates:

1. Dress for Success
2. Business Etiquette
3. How to Network
4. How to Remember Names
5. Active Listening Skills
6. Systematic Ways to Keep in Contact
7. What Clients Want and Expect
8. Taking Control of Your Career
9. How to Set Goals and Prepare a Development Plan
10. Using Non-Billable Time Wisely

1. Client Development Principles and Practical Tips
2. Building Profile: (a) Your Website Bio; (b) Writing Articles that Will Generate Business: (c) Presentations the Will Generate Business; (d) Joining Organizations and Associations; (e) How to Follow Up After an Event
3. Building Relationships with Clients: (a) How Clients Select; (b) What Clients Want; (c) Learning the Voice of the Client; (d) Thinking Like a Client; (e) How to ask questions; (f) Client Service; (g) Building Trust; (h) Building Rapport; (i) Personality Traits; (j) Following Up After Completing Project
4. RFPs and Client Pitches
5. Client Interviews

New Partners:

1. Coaching Program-Group and Individual: (a) Setting a Group Goal; (b) Developing Action Items to Achieve the Group Goal; (c) Accountability
2. How to Prepare a Business Development Plan: (a) Setting Business Development Goals; (b) Developing Action Items to Achieve the Goals; (c) Making Client Development Part of Habits
3. Connectors, Mavens or Salesmen and How Each Can Best Use Time
4. Riches in Niches-Becoming the "Go to" Lawyer
5. Building the Team
6. Cross Serving
7. Client Visits
8. Selling Skills
9. Becoming a Trusted Advisor
10. Client Development Mistakes to Avoid
11. Dealing with Difficult Clients

I am writing an article outlining my thoughts on this subject in more detail. If you are interested in reading the article when it is published, or if you would like links to articles on the scientific research I have read, drop me a note.

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This time last year I spoke at an all lawyer retreat. I began by asking the 500 lawyers how many had a plan with written goals. I was surprised that only about 20-25 raised their hands. I then asked how many belonged to Sam's Club or Costco. After most raised their hands, I asked what happens when they go without a list. When I do it, I take more time, spend more money, buy things I don't need and forget to buy things I do need. Since time and energy are two important resources, we can best use both when we have written down what is important to us and have a plan on how to achieve it.

Now that I am coaching and working with lawyers, I am better able to look and see what has made a difference in my life. I was still in high school when I began setting goals to become a lawyer, inspired by the writings of such great thinkers as Viktor Frankl, who said, "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." It was his contention that it is not what happens to you in life that determines the kind of person you are but how you respond to those events. "Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answers to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Try changing "life" to "business" and "individual" to "lawyer" and you can begin to see how his philosophy shaped my career and how it can change yours.

Setting goals at a very young age has helped me enormously, and I enjoy showing lawyers I coach the wisdom of goal setting to achieve their career and life success. Setting goals, however, does not prevent making mistakes. I made many. It's what I learned from those mistakes and how I responded to them that helped me quickly advance my career and to teach others how to advance theirs. Before I heard Stephen Covey say: "begin with the end in mind," I was thinking about what I wanted to achieve. And that's where you, too, must begin. Where do you want your life and career to be one year, three years, and twenty years from now? If you want to move forward, you must be able to see the finish line. Many authors suggest you visualize your retirement from the firm and think about speeches by your spouse, a child, a partner, a client and an adversary. What would you want each to say about you?

To accomplish great things we must first dream,
then visualize, then plan . . . believe . . . act!

Alfred A. Montapert

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In December, 2006, I posted my ideas on making 2007 your best year ever. I received a lot of feedback from lawyers who found that post helpful. Many of my thoughts have not changed. I want to share those and some new ones as we start the second month of 2008. Are you willing to go on a journey with me and see if it makes 2008 your best year ever?

Some lawyers I know have not given a lot of thought to what they want. Instead they focus on what they don't want and typically see those things in more detail. Some lawyers know what they want, and even have a fair idea of what to do to get it, but they do not have the commitment or the discipline to actually go after it. It reminds me of people who start diets and join workout facilities in January, and, even though they know better, they are back to their old eating habits and skipping exercise by March 1. Like last year, I have some questions and my Top 10 Tips. If you are interested, I want you to answer the following questions about yourself. You can email your answers to me if you would like my thoughts.

Here are my questions:

1.  What would be a homerun for you in your career and your personal life for 2008?

If you are challenged answering this, think about what you want to accomplish in your career this year, what you want to learn, what would be enriching relationships with family and friends and how you want to live your life.

2.  Picture in your mind, you in January 2013. What is happening in your career, your family and your personal life? Write down what you picture yourself doing then.

3.  What is the one thing you could do in 2008 that you have not done before, that would have the greatest impact on your career and your life? 

Several years ago, I decided that the one thing for me was to use my time more wisely. I also decided that I needed to plan my time each week and write down what I planned to do.

4.  If you know what you want, what is holding you back? Don't say your firm or other things over which you have no control. Instead, focus on what you can control.

In my case, I know I lack self discipline, and more than anything else, I waste time on things that don't lead me toward my professional or personal priorities.

5.  What are you willing to do to achieve what you have described is important to you?
I like the quote attributed to a wide variety of college football and basketball coaches. "Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win."

Here are my Top 10 Tips:

1. Write down what you want to accomplish in 2008.  Then prioritize your list of what you want to accomplish.
 
2. Prepare a Plan with written goals so you use your non-billable time wisely. I can provide you with two different templates to consider. 

3. Decide on one area to learn that will enable you to be a more effective lawyer in your field. One year I decided to focus on communication to juries. I bought every book I could find on the subject, listened to every tape and read every article. 

4. Get a group of your colleagues together to talk about the main points of leading business books that will make you more effective. If you send me an email, I would be happy to send you my list of books that will make the biggest difference in your career and life. More importantly than reading the books is actually implementing 2-3 things as a result of reading the books. 

5. Use your time more wisely and effectively. Time is our most valuable resource. Whether we care to admit it or not, our challenge is not that we do not have enough time. Instead, our challenge is that we do not use the time we have based on our priorities. Occasionally, I challenge myself to write down things I do - or things I should do that by not doing them - wastes my time.
 
6. Think of ways to apply the 80-20 rule. Let me give you examples so you can think about it. Twenty percent of the things we do create eighty percent of our success. What is that twenty percent for you? Eighty percent of a typical lawyers business comes from twenty percent of his or her clients. Which of your clients generate eighty percent of your business? 

7. Decide how much non-billable time you plan to spend developing your career and client base in 2008 and divide by 50. Each week give yourself a report card on whether you spent the number of planned hours and how well you spent it. 

8. Get more face time with clients and prospective clients. One of the lawyers I coach has discovered that each and every time he meets in-person with a client, he comes away with a new matter either right then or shortly thereafter. 

9. Develop your elevator speech. Send me an email that tells me all I need to know about you to recommend that a potential client hire you. Why am I suggesting this? First, if you do not know why a client should hire you, the clients clearly won't know either. Second, this will cause you to think about your elevator speech. How many times have you met people who ask what you do? Telling them you are a litigator, or a corporate lawyer or a tax lawyer may be absolutely accurate, but it will not likely get you very far.
 
10. Get a friend in your firm or outside your firm who will be like a success workout partner. Why do this? It is just one good way you can hold yourself accountable. When I had a workout partner, I was way more likely to show up at the fitness center even when I did not feel like it.

11. Make client development a habit. Do something each and every day, no matter how small. The lawyers in one firm I am coaching came up with a list of 33 potential small client development activities they could do each day. Can you come up with your own list?

12. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, spend more quality time with your family without feeling guilty. When you are with your family, be in the moment with them. Focus on them both externally and internally. Do not let your mind wonder. One of my first mentors was known as a hard worker. Yet he spent more time with his family than any of the partners in the firm. How did he do it? Put simply, he did not waste time on things that were not his priorities. You can spend more time with your family, if you spend your billable and non-billable time more efficiently and more effectively based on what is most important to you.

I am still really enjoying posting client development thoughts for the day on my Mac computer. Over the weekend I posted one about setting goals and what I have learned from Brian Tracy's books. Today I posted one about making your friends your clients and your clients your friends. I hope you will find these thoughts helpful. Go to http://web.mac.com/cordpar and check it out.

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Our clients expect us to do high quality work. They know that if we are in a well known and reputable law firm, we must do high quality work. One of the problems we face is that the lawyers with whom we compete also do high quality work.

In surveys of the Fortune 1000 corporate counsel, 75% say they do not recommend their law firm to others and if they thought they could find a law firm that would be different, they would switch firms. They are not upset about the quality of the work, or even the hourly rates. Most are upset about the quality of the service, cost inefficiencies and the lack of interest and understanding of their industry, company and them individually. I think client service focuses on the experience the client has when you are helping them.

On Friday, I was in Miami for a presentation to the new partners in an international law firm. While I was at the Miami airport waiting to go home, I received an email from a lawyer I coached a couple of years ago. It included a video telling the story of a young guy who bagged groceries and how he made the experience different and unique for the shoppers in his store. Here is the link to the video.  http://www.stservicemovie.com/
 
I love the commercials on television with PC and Mac. Like most lawyers, I own PCs in my office. But, I purposely own Macs at home and I frequently use my Powerbook at the office. At the end of the day even though PCs supposedly crunch numbers better and Macs are better at some creative applications, the computers do about the same thing in my world. Why do I like my Mac so much more? It is about the experience and the service. I actually love going to the Apple store. I pay $99 a year to get "one-on-one" training as often as once a week. I typically sign up to have my one-on-one training with Chris because he knows me and what I want to learn.  While at the store I look around and see a small table with young children seated on the floor using the computers set up on the table. I see fathers or mothers with a child learning how to use an application and I see elderly couples learning to use a computer for the first time. When I leave the store, I feel I have really learned something valuable. Recently I have been learning how I could create this Blog on iWeb. I am really not a computer guy, but I can actually do it. Take a look at my creation by pasting the website below in your browser. http://web.mac.com/cordpar/Site/Blog/Blog.html. I likely will switch my Blog to that website in the future because it is way easier to use and is way easier to insert media, including photos. When I do, you will need to subscribe to the Blog on the new site. I will always have this site and will also put a copy of the Blogs posted here on the new site.

What's the point of the PC v. Mac discussion? Put simply, if you are a great lawyer in a well known firm competing against great lawyers in other well known firms, the best way to distinguish yourself is by the quality of your service, your understanding of your clients' industries, companies and individual representatives and your ability to provide what they need and want in addition to high quality work.

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On this last day of 2007, if you haven't already started planning what you want to accomplish in 2008, this would be a really good time to start.

When I was billing 2000 hours I did not have time to study or understand why some lawyers are successful and have a great family life and why others are not. I also did my client development activities instinctively and some things worked very effectively while other things did not work quite as well.

Now, that I am coaching and working with lawyers, I have a much better idea of the attributes of the most successful lawyers who also have a family life and I understand better why certain client development efforts work. While each of us has unique talents, weaknesses, ambitions and practices, and there is no magic pill or formula, there are principles that I urge you to think about and try.

On my webpage you will find two articles I wrote that were published this year. They both focus on how a lawyer can make 2007 his or her best year ever. The second is kind of a shorter version of the first. I believe becoming more successful begins with our attitude. When we talk to our self do we say: "Yes, but..." or "Sure, how..." do we say: "My problem is..." or "my opportunity is..." do we say: "I don't have time to..." or do we say: "I will find time to..." Next, we must have clarity on what we want in our career and in our life. Our time and energy are our most important assets. If we do not have clarity, we waste precious time. For me to have clarity, I think on paper with written goals and a plan for using my time. Take a look at the two articles as you ponder what you want to accomplish in 2008.

Next, we need to focus on what our clients need. They do not want to be sold on how good we are or our firm is and they do not care about what we do. They hire us to solve their problems, help them achieve opportunities or deal with internal or external changes. To be relevant, what we do has to address those issues or it doesn't matter. The best way to figure out what potential clients need, is to identify your target market and make sure you understand their industry.

We need to build our profile. To borrow a quote: "Being the best in the world is seriously overrated." Over time think about what you can be the "go to lawyer" doing. It should be something clients need and you are passionate about. Building our profile gives us the opportunity to build relationships with clients and potential clients. Client development is all about relationship building. When we become more successful we need to build a team. Young lawyers who will later work with you will be thinking "what is in this for me to work with...?"

Finally, we need to plan our personal time at the very least as well as we plan our work time. We need to be in the moment, not answering blackberry emails, and when we are with our kids, we need to be doing things with them rather than for them. You will see in this Boston Globe article that my grown daughter brought that point home to me well. http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/07/02/businesss_new_task_turning_off/

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I am frequently asked about the attributes of rainmakers. I have given it some thought and here is what I see in rainmakers.

Most rainmakers are really good lawyers. They may not be the smartest lawyer in their field but they have focused on always getting better and becoming the best lawyer they can be.

Most rainmakers are genuinely likeable. They connect well with other people in large part because they are able to convey they really care. They are empathetic and understand the other person's point of view. They are good listeners. They are able to build trust and rapport quickly. They are open and friendly.

Most rainmakers have a confidence inspiring personality. When I was a young lawyer we did not have mentoring programs, but mentoring took place every day. I remember one of the first things I learned from my mentor was that clients need to feel you can take care of their problem. They are entrusting something really important to them in your hands.

Most rainmakers are willing to get outside their comfort zone. I believe real achievement occurs when you stretch and try something that is uncomfortable. In 1980 I gave my first presentation to a large audience. I was really nervous about it and stayed up all night before the presentation going through it in my head. I visualized the audience and visualized me speaking. The next day I did the presentation and it was well received. I was also nervous the first time I tried a case to a jury. I spent hours and hours preparing for the trial. I remember cutting my hours in the bill by half. In each of these instances, getting outside my comfort zone gave me confidence.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, most rainmakers know what they want, they know what their clients need and they deliver value and exceed expectations.

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One of my favorite business books is "Never Eat Alone" by Keith Ferrazzi. I have listened to the book on my iPod and read a hard copy of the book. Most law firms are focused on building their brand, but only a few lawyers are focused on it. In chapters 23 and 24, Ferrazzi discusses building and broadcasting your individual brand. What do you want people to think when they hear your name? There is also a great article Tom Peters wrote for Fast Company magazine titled; "The Brand Called You." You can read it at http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html

When I was building my law practice I wanted my potential clients to think I was:
1. The preeminent transportation construction lawyer in the US
2. Innovative
3. Construction business savvy
4. Likeable
5. Caring
6. Focused on helping contractors

For 25 years I wrote a column for Roads and Bridges magazine titled "Law: The Contractor's Side." That column enabled me to build my brand more than anything else I did because it gave me the opportunity to show readers I understood them and their industry.

What do you want your clients to think about you? What is the best way to show them your brand?

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Here's another Little Things Matter that demonstrates how much it counts for you to remember little things your client or potential client tells you. The attorney in this story not only remembered what her potential client told her, she did another little thing that mattered.

I had a phone coaching session with Cordell yesterday and I mentioned that I had been focusing the last 30 days on in-person client visits. I have also been trying to incorporate the "give away" idea Cordell has discussed. I have had a lot of fun getting to know my clients and potential clients on a more personal level. I wanted to share with you the following, in the hopes that it may inspire and/or assist you in your efforts.

I ran into a long-time acquaintance recently, we'll call her Mary, who I had not seen in some time. "Mary" and I got to talking and I learned she had recently become engaged, is planning a wedding, and is also in the process building and buying a new home. "Mary" mentioned that she had not found time recently to work on fitness and that she wanted to get back on a fitness program before the wedding. She also mentioned her plans to rent her existing home to a tenant. A week or so after my meeting with "Mary", I was in a bookstore looking for a specific book. While there, I thought about "Mary" and remembered a health eating/fitness book I had read. I called "Mary" and stopped by to see her after work, where I presented her with a small gift bag with the book and a note. She was very touched, could not believe I had remembered her mentioning her desire to become more fit before the wedding, and could not thank me enough. She has already asked me if I can prepare a lease and to review the contract for her new home."

We all know it's important to listen to what your clients tell you. We all know we need to listen to what they say about their legal issues. That's a big part of being a good lawyer. But if you want to build relationships with your clients, you will want to listen to what they say about themselves. Then you'll know what little thing to do that will matter.

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Over Thanksgiving weekend I received an email from one of the lawyers I am coaching. His email and my reply are below.

I wanted to follow up on our call yesterday to get your thoughts on year end planning.  Specifically, when you would do your year end planning, what areas would you focus on?  Thanks, and I look forward to receiving your thoughts.

I do it between now and end of year. I especially like this weekend and the time between Christmas and New Years because I can relax and focus.

Here is my focus:

1. I look back on what I have accomplished this year: What did I learn? What did I do? What results did I get? What could I have done better?

2. What do I want to accomplish next year? What goals? Why important to me? What do I want to learn? What do I want to do better? What would be a homerun for me?

3. What actions do I need to take? I always try to list 25. When will I do each?

I write all of the answers to these questions and my list of 25 actions. Why is that an important step?  Studies have shown that we are far more likely to do things we have committed to writing. We are also far more likely to do them when we set a date certain.

What year end planning are you doing?

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How can a young lawyer develop an effective plan? First, keep in mind that as Dwight D. Eisenhower once said:  "Plans are nothing, planning is everything." The thought that goes into developing the plan is invaluable. In order to make the planning process valuable, the partner should answer questions including:

1. What is your target market?


2. What steps have you taken to understand your target market's industry and business?


3. What are the problems, opportunities, external and internal changes your target market is facing?


4. What solutions can you offer?


5. What makes you unique and able to add value to your clients better than your competitors? 


6. What do you consider to be areas where you could improve?


7. What client development efforts have you made in 2007? Which were successful?


8. What do you perceive as obstacles to your client development success (either firm or self-imposed)?


9. What have you done to expand relationships further with your existing clients?


10. What is the one thing you can do that you are not doing now that would have the greatest impact on your client development efforts?

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What can a law firm do to energize its associates?

First, the law firm must clearly articulate the importance of the work associates do, not in terms of billable hours or profits per partner, but rather in terms of how the work benefits clients. Many associates decided to become lawyers because they wanted to contribute in a meaningful way. They will find their work worthwhile when they can re-ignite that sense of making a contribution that matters. Second, law firm leaders need to clearly articulate where the firm is going, how it plans to get there, what are its core values and how each lawyer, both partner and associate, is expected to contribute. If a firm does this well, it will have gone a long way to energize its associates. It will also have created a sense of affiliation and teamwork mentioned by the authors of Aligning the Stars.

Firms then need to empower associates to achieve the firm goals. I believe this is best done by working with each associate individually and listening and understanding what makes him or her unique and special. I strongly recommend that each associate, with the help of a mentor, set goals and develop a plan to achieve them. Associates need to take control of their careers to feel empowered and setting stretch goals and having a plan is the first step to empowerment. The goals should focus on what they want to learn and what they want to achieve and should focus on their individual needs and dreams and stretch them. When associates take control of their careers, set stretch goals and have a plan to achieve them, they will achieve at higher levels and will be more excited about their future.

Law firms then need to give feedback, especially positive feedback and constructive feedback.  The concept is simple and the reasons for it clearly understood, but getting partners to actually do it takes real effort. Law firms need to make sure their supervising lawyers are constantly giving real time feedback and that it is not simply criticism. As David Maister points out, satisfaction is driven in part by coaching. Looking at the great teams in sports, the coaches play a huge role in the team's success. They recognize that each player is different and they know how to push the right buttons to get the player to perform at a peak level. Law firms too often limit feedback to year end reviews and rarely give praise when an associate does an outstanding job. In many cases, to push the right buttons, it is actually more important to let associates know when they have done an outstanding job and let them know how much their work is appreciated. As Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles suggest in Gung Ho, when criticism of an associate's work is warranted, it should be done in a way that encourages the associate and shows specifically how the work could be improved.

In summary, law firms will be more successful when they raise the level of career satisfaction of their lawyers. Firms can do this by making sure associates understand their importance and the importance of what they are doing.  Then if they feel responsible and in control of their careers and they receive feed back from supervising attorney, they will more likely stay with the firm and do outstanding work for the firm's clients.  Interestingly, law firms have complete control over accomplishing this goal, yet few are really doing it.

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I will be speaking to groups of associates in two law firms in the next week. The topics generally will cover the secret of being a successful lawyer and having a fulfilling and active family life.

When I was billing 2000 hours I did not have time to study or understand why some lawyers are successful and have a great family life and why others are not. I also did my client development instinctively and some things worked very effectively, while other things did not work quite as well. I didn't have time then to sit down and analyze why.

Now, that I am coaching and working with lawyers, and researching and writing, I have a much better idea of the attributes of the most successful lawyers who also have a family life and I understand better why certain client development efforts work more effectively than others. While each lawyer I know has unique talents, weaknesses, ambitions and practices, and there is no magic pill or formula, there are principles that I urge you to think about and try.

I have written about those principles in previous Blog postings and on my web page you will find two articles I wrote that were published this year. The first was published by the New York State Bar Association YLD publication "Perspective" and the second was published by "Marketing the Law Firm." It is kind of a shorter version of the first. They both address some of the principles I mentioned.

As I have outlined on this page before, it all begins with our attitude. When we talk to our self do we say: "Yes, but..." or "Sure. How...?" do we say; "My problem is..." or "my opportunity is..." Next, we must have clarity on what we want in our career and life. Our time and energy are our most important assets. If we do not have clarity by having a written plan and written goals we waste precious time. Next, we need to focus on what our clients need. They do not want to be sold. They do not care about what we do. They hire us to solve problems, help them achieve opportunities or deal with internal or external changes. If what we do does not address those issues, the client will not hire us, no matter how good we are.

We need to build our profile. Over time it really helps to focus on a niche and become the "go to lawyer" in that niche. It should be something clients need and you are passionate about. One lawyer I am coaching sent me her revised plan. She identified clients and potential clients, what she could do for them, two specific areas she wanted to focus on and become the "go to lawyer" and a game plan to become recognized by the clients she wants to serve.

Building our profile gives us the opportunity to build relationships with clients and potential clients. At the end of the day, we get the opportunity to be considered based on our reputation and recommendations, we ultimately get hired based on how well we connect with our clients and build trust and rapport. Assuming we do high quality work, we keep those clients by understanding their industry, their business and their personal needs. I also say that I want my clients to be friends and I want my friends to be clients. So, the personal relationship we develop really does matter.

When we become more successful we need to build a team. Young lawyers who will later work with you will be thinking "what is in this for me to work with...?"  We need to treat them as if they are as important as our most important client because without their help we will not retain our most important client. We need to align their goals with our own and our client's goals, provide sufficient information in a timely way for them to do their work and then constantly give feedback.

Finally, we need to plan our personal time at the very least as well as we plan our work time. For me, Saturday afternoon starting with lunch has always been Jill's time. It is more challenging now that she is married, but we still try to spend that time together, now usually with her husband and my wife, Nancy, included. When we are with our family, we need to be in the moment, not answering blackberry emails. You will see in this Boston Globe article that my grown daughter brought that point home to me well. http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/07/02/businesss_new_task_turning_off/

I recently came across a report titled: How Superachievers Outperform Others by Dr. Donald J. Moine. I found it very supportive of what I have learned and written about how super lawyers outperform others. You can find it on the Selling Power webpage http://www.sellingpower.com. If you have trouble finding it or downloading it, send me an email and I will get it to you.

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"Are your star associates staying with your firm?

Are they learning the skills that make them valuable to your clients?

Are your partners behind the effort to train and develop the associates?

What are effective ways to train and develop them? 

I got the opportunity to answer these questions during a presentation to managing partners at an annual bar association meeting. I loved the title they gave me. It gave me the opportunity to focus on how to connect with the 'next generation,' make the business case for developing them, and then give specific ideas on how to do it."

The above quoted text is from an article I wrote for the October 2007 issue of The Practical Lawyer. In Developing the Next Generation of Remarkable Lawyers, I ask and answer those questions. If you want to read more about this important topic, you can download an advance copy of the article from my website:

www.cordellparvin.com

While you are at my website, feel free to look at and use the other articles and information I have on the site to help you and your firm in developing your attorneys and furthering the success of your firm.

After you have read the article, please come back to this blog and post any comments you may have about developing the next generation of remarkable lawyers.

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Many associates, especially those in large firms, wonder whether it makes any sense to learn about client development and if so, what they should learn. Here are some client development questions for you to ponder.

General

Why should you learn about client development when your firm represents some of the largest companies in the United States and would likely not want a client that might engage you?

Planning

Why is it important to set goals?

What is the most important element of effective goals?

What are the most important elements of an effective business development plan?

How much non-billable time do you believe you should spend on your own career development and client development each year?

1. 100 hours


2. 200 hours


3. 300 hours


4. 400 hours


5. 500 hours

Client Development

What should a 1-3 year associate do on client development that will provide the greatest return when he or she becomes a partner?

What should a 4-7 year associate do on client development that will provide the greatest return when he or she becomes a partner?

How can you best build your profile?

What do you think a lawyer interested in developing clients by being active in the bar should do?

What do you think a lawyer interested in developing clients by being active in the community should do?

Why is it important to write articles?

Where can you get your articles published?

How do you decide on what topics to write?

Why is it important to make presentations?

How do you determine where to speak?

How do you determine the topic on which to speak?

What are the elements of a good presentation?

How can you differentiate your PowerPoint slides from those of other lawyers that put audiences to sleep?

In surveys, 75% of clients are not satisfied with the legal service they are receiving.  What can you do to change that perception?

What can you do to better serve your clients?

How can you better focus on contacts?

What can you do to build trust with your clients?

What can you do to build rapport with your clients?

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Some of the lawyers I coach tell me they are challenged to figure out what they really want and what is most important to them. I understand the problem. It is not easy to look inside and discover what is really important to you. Here are some questions that might get you started:

Why did you want to become a lawyer?  What kind of work do you really enjoy?  What do you feel are your unique talents?  What do you want to achieve in the next 10 years? Who are lawyers you really admire, and why?  How would you describe your ideal client? What do you believe is your life purpose? What is your career purpose?

If you were retiring:

• What would you want your colleagues to say about you?


• What would you want your clients to say about you?


• What would you want your family to say about you?

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"Being the best in the world is seriously underrated." I love this quote from Seth Godin at the beginning of his book: The Dip. A week ago Monday, in my blog, Become Entrepreneurial, I said that I would talk more this week about that quote.

What does it mean to be "the best in the world?" First, it is being perceived as the best by our clients and potential clients. We can not become the best till we clearly understand their perceptions, and they know we understand them. It is their world, not ours. Being the best also means clients have compared us to other lawyers they have used or met. I've found that comparison very interesting.

When I was a young lawyer, I was on a plane with Mr. Burrows, the CEO of my largest client. We were on our way to Florida to try and settle a big contract dispute. Mr. Burrows was my father's age and since my father had passed away, I looked at him as a father figure. We were in aisle seats across from each other. During the flight, Mr. Burrows reached over and grabbed my arm and said: "Cordell, there is something I need for you to know. I hate every lawyer I have ever met." I could not think of a response. Then, Mr. Burrows grabbed my arm a second time and said: "But, of all the lawyers I hate, I hate you the least." So, on that day I learned that being hated the least by a contractor was "being the best in the world."

Later, after we had settled the case, I paused to think about what Mr. Burrows was really telling me. I think he hated me the least because I didn't talk like a lawyer. I talked more like a contractor who also had a legal degree. He appreciated that he did not have to pay me to learn about the highway construction contract clauses. I had learned about them long before I did any work for his company. I also learned that clients expect us to do the highest quality work. If we don't, we have a far bigger problem. Where we can differentiate ourselves is through being the best in our client's world at understanding them, their company, and their business (industry).

What are you doing to become "the best in the world" in the eyes of your clients?

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Was anyone surprised that Tiger Woods won the PGA tournament over the last weekend? I certainly was not surprised. I know the PGA has many outstanding golfers. Yet, no one on the tour goes into a major tournament better prepared than Tiger Woods. During his interview on Sunday, Tiger Woods talked about his consistency of ball striking and putting. He also explained how he prepared for the tournament. He visited and walked the Southern Hills golf course, visualized the shots he expected to make and practiced those shots. Tiger Woods is clearly the number one golfer in the world.  Even the best golfer in the world has a coach. Hank Haney.

Even though the greatest golfer in the world has a coach, most lawyers my age don't see the value of coaching lawyers on client development. Those lawyers never had coaches when they were senior associates or junior partners, so they can't see the value of it now. Most lawyers my age also believe lawyers either "get it" (how to develop business) or don't. They believe lawyers who are successful at business development were born with the traits that enable them to bring in business.

Why is it important to have coaching for senior associates and junior partners now? There are several reasons. First, developing business now is way more challenging than it was 25 years ago. There are way more lawyers making the competition greater, client expectations have increased, and the time available for business development has decreased. When I was a young partner, most lawyers developed business by doing excellent work and waiting for the phone to ring. Most clients in those days were both local and loyal. It's way more complicated now. Through consolidation and mergers, clients that were locally owned are now part of national and international companies. So, it is more difficult to become visible to those clients. Second, many senior associates and junior partners are in the transition stage of their career, moving from being solely service providers to being responsible for developing and building client relationships. For many, that is a daunting task. They do not know where to start. As a result, they do not start, or they give up quickly when some of their efforts do not work. To the extent there is any effort at all, it is unstructured, unfocused and ultimately unsuccessful. Many lawyers procrastinate, are undisciplined, have no written plan and ultimately little or no execution.

When I was actively practicing law, I did not have the time to focus on helping our junior lawyers with business development. Frankly, I did not have time to analyze why some things worked for me, while others did not. Now that I am no longer billing 2000 hours, I have time to analyze what worked for me and why it worked.

Before I left my old law firm, I went to the leaders and told them I had peaked in my own business development efforts and offered to take 15 brand new partners and work with them on their client development. I bragged I could help the group double the collective business volume in two years. They actually accomplished that goal in one year. I enjoyed working with our pilot group so much that I decided to leave my law firm so I could work with lawyers in other firms.

If you have someone in your firm who will take the time to coach and work with your senior associates and junior partners, I think you will see both a benefit to the lawyers coached and a benefit to your firm.

Here are some thoughts on what you might do. The person who volunteers to coach should be like a fitness coach. In other words, he or she will help the participants be accountable to themselves and to the "team." I love a quote I read recently in a book by Jack Canfield. The quote was attributed to Fast Company magazine:  "Executive coaches are not for the meek. They are for people who value unambiguous feedback..."

Put simply, the most important factor in the success of any coaching program is the burning desire of the participants to get better at client development and their willingness and openness to being coached. So, the first thing you must do is select the right people.

 The second thing I suggest is to create both an individual effort and a team dynamic. Participants will learn what activities will provide the greatest benefit to them and then will have regularly scheduled sessions with the coach to report on activities and learn more. I have been amazed by the group dynamic. No one in the group wants to let the rest of the team down and they feed off of each other's ideas.

In an effective coaching program, young lawyers will:

• Develop a Business Plan
• Determine both group and individual goals that will challenge and stretch them
• Determine what activities to undertake to meet their goals
• Learn how to write articles and give presentations that will enhance their reputation and increase their chances of getting hired.
• Develop a Focused Contacts Plan
• Become more client focused
• Be held accountable

I bet that many of the lawyers my age who do not believe in coaching lawyers get golf lessons from PGA professionals. I submit that if the greatest golfer in the world benefits from coaching, the greatest young lawyers in the world would also.

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I recently received a copy of an email from a lawyer I am coaching to the others in her coaching group. She said:

I am not sure how many of you are reading Cordell's book, but I just read a great tip in there that I thought that I would share with you.  It is not one that I had heard before.

Determine who 5 leading lawyers are in your field.  Print out their biographies.  Study their biographies to determine what has made them successful (e.g. speaking engagements, leadership roles, pro bono, memberships).  Emulate their success.

A few years ago I read a quote attributed to Bobby Knight and also to Paul (Bear) Bryant. It was "Many have the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win."  I believe  successful lawyers are not successful by accident. Most I know prepare to win by figuring out what is important to them, setting career and life priorities, developing a plan with goals and taking action to achieve them. I also know now that attracting new clients and building a lasting relationship with them is not an accident. The successful lawyers I know prepare to win with clients and potential clients by taking time to understand their needs and making sure they effectively address those needs.  In your career, "the will to prepare to win" will be way more important than the "will to win." So, I chose "Prepare to Win: A Lawyer's Guide to Rainmaking, Career Success and Life Fulfillment" as the title for my new book, which has recently been released.

This book is not about winning in court or on appeal. Instead, it is a workbook designed to help you define your own success and then achieve it. I hope you will find it a helpful tool as you focus on your career, client development, and living the kind of life that is important to you. I hope you find some valuable nuggets in the book that will help you think through what your career and life priorities are and how you can achieve them.

Here are the Chapter titles:

Chapter One:  How Do Rainmakers Do It?
 
Chapter Two:  Living and Practicing Law with a Purpose: You Have to Answer the "Why" Question

Chapter Three:  Your Vision of Success: How Do Rainmakers Do It?

Chapter Four:  Core Values: How Do You Want to Live?

Chapter Five:  The Importance of Role Models and Mentors

Chapter Six:  Setting Yearly Goals and Developing Your Career Plan

Chapter Seven:  A Call to Action: Executing Your Plan

Chapter Eight:  Mind Games: Getting and Staying "In the Zone"

Chapter Nine:  Building Your Profile: The Power of Writing and Speaking

Chapter Ten:  Community Service and Networking

Chapter Eleven:  Connecting with Contacts

Chapter Twelve:  Top Ten Client Development Mistakes

Chapter Thirteen:  Improving Client Service

Chapter Fourteen:  From Niches to Riches

Chapter Fifteen:  Important Extras: The Value of Extraordinary Client Service

Chapter Sixteen:  The Business Case for Better Balance

Chapter Seventeen:  Building the Next Generation of Rainmakers

If you want to read a sample from the book, click here. You can also order the book from the webpage.

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I recently received three very thoughtful questions from young lawyers about the mentoring relationship. They were:

1. How do you find a mentor when no one has a shingle outside their door that says "Mentor available"?

2. How can you attract the attention of a mentor without damaging your image within the firm by appearing that you are needy and desperate for career help?

3. What is the best way to develop a meaningful mentoring relationship?

Even though mentors don't have a shingle outside their door identifying themselves, associates can tell pretty quickly who are the best and most interested in their firm. Associates need to take the initiative to find the right mentor. Alternatively, associates can tell which of the senior lawyers are not well suited to be mentors. Some senior lawyers don't often give associates recognition for high quality work or service or going the extra mile for clients, it's probably true.  I think many of these senior lawyers did not get the positive feedback I received as a young lawyer.  Therefore, they are less inclined to give it.  In my old firm I tried to convey to senior lawyers that associates want, need and deserve feedback. My goal was to encourage my partners to be better mentors and to teach associates how to get the most out of their mentoring experiences. I learned over time that no matter how hard I tried, I was not able to change those partners. So, even though the great mentors do not have a shingle outside their door, associates need to look for them if they get to choose their mentor.

I sincerely do not believe that wanting to have a mentoring relationship is any sign of weakness. I frequently tell lawyers that Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer in the world, has a coach. I have always had mentors, even today after practicing law for more than 35 years.

The best way to develop a good mentoring relationship is to convey to your mentor that you want to become the best lawyer you can be and you are open to his coaching. In the process, also convey that you are responsible for your career success and you have taken that responsibility by knowing what you want to achieve, developing a plan with goals and taking steps to execute what you have in your plan.

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Most lawyers my age never had coaching on client development when they were junior partners. So, naturally many ask why it is important for lawyers now. There are several reasons. First, developing business now is way more challenging than it was 25 years ago. When I was a junior partner we could develop business by just "doing good work," getting an AV Martindale rating and being active in the community. There were far fewer lawyers, almost all clients were local and loyal. Now, competition is greater, clients have been acquired and merged, client expectations have increased and the time available for business development has decreased. Second, many junior partners are in the transition stage of their career where they are moving from being solely service providers to being responsible for building client relationships and developing new business. For many young partners, client development is a mystery. As a result, to the extent there is any effort at all, it is unstructured, unfocused, and ultimately unsuccessful. They procrastinate, are undisciplined, have no plan, little focus, and ultimately little or no execution. Mentors within the firm can balance the current situation with both institutional firm knowledge and their own experience, but they do not have the time to focus on the business development of more junior partners. Coaching is designed to assist junior partners in their client development, providing both a benefit to themselves and to their firm. Like working with a fitness coach, participants learn what activities will provide the greatest benefit to them and then will have regularly scheduled sessions with the coach to report on activities and learn more. Any coaching program should include:

• Developing a Business Plan


• Determining both group and individual goals that will challenge and stretch them


• Determining what activities to undertake to meet their goals


• Learning how to write articles and give presentations that will enhance their reputation and increase their chances of getting hired


• Developing a Focused Contacts Plan


• Becoming more client focused


• Being held accountable

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I have always found inspiration from quotes. I doubt many young lawyers have ever heard of James Allen. He was an English author in the late 1800s. His quotes have inspired many, but few have ever heard of him. He was a self-help guru when self-help gurus were not cool. Here are just a few of his quotes that I hope will inspire you.

"You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration."

"To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve."

"For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?"

"All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts."

If you want to learn more about James Allen and download his most famous book As a Man Thinketh, check out http://jamesallen.wwwhubs.com/ - a website devoted to his writing and teaching. Chapter Four of the book focuses on having a purpose, something I believe we all need. I particularly like this paragraph from that chapter:

"A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being. But whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph."

So, have you decided what your major definite purpose is for being a lawyer? Have you focused your thoughts on achieving it?  

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By now you have likely seen the Clinton campaign video which is a take off of the last episode of the Sopranos. If by chance you haven't seen it, you can find it on the candidate's website: hillaryclinton.com. I think it is an absolutely brilliant marketing piece. Among other things, it increases Hillary's likeability factor, ties her indirectly to a very popular television show, draws people who would not otherwise go there to her website, and it is memorable and extraordinary. Finally, it is simply fun and gets people involved in the discussion by asking them to vote for her campaign song.

I had not gone to her website prior to hearing about the video. In fact, I have never gone on any political candidate's website. I think if you look at hers you see what legal marketing will look like in the future. There are Blogs, Videos, links to her on YouTube, MySpace and plenty of opportunities for people to get involved.

How can we apply this same approach to marketing ourselves as lawyers? I have to give that lots of thought, but I would be very interested in hearing any ideas you have. For now, I am in awe of the creative idea and how it became a lead story on many of the networks.

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment to this blog.

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Whether you are reading this blog because you want to be a rainmaker or you want to prioritize your career and your life, I hope you find something valuable from my book, Rising Star. I have included in this blog some paragraphs from the introduction. And I have included what one attorney has said about Rising Star. I hope you find this helpful.

"This is the second book I have written about Tony and Gina Caruso. In "Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering Career Burnout" I focused on Tony, who after finishing his first year as an associate in a large Texas law firm is burned out and struggling to find meaning in his career. In Ciao, Gina loves her work as a clerk for a Federal Court judge. At the conclusion of Ciao, Tony has just been promoted to partner and he and Gina have two children. Rising Star: The Making of a Rainmaker is about Gina, who is now a partner in a mid-sized firm. She is the talk of the firm, having brought in $1 Million of business. Yet, she feels like a one-hit wonder because her success was a result of one big case from one big client.

I have known Tony's and Gina's throughout my 35 years practicing law. Their characters are a composite of lawyers who have worked for me and lawyers I have been blessed to coach and mentor. Many of those lawyers have caused me to study and examine differences between lawyers who are successful and happy and lawyers who are not. Interestingly, many of the people who are truly successful also have a great personal life and are very family oriented.

***

Gina learns you must begin by knowing what you want. Then becoming credible to your potential clients and finally by understanding their wants, needs, and perceptions so that your service and what you provide them is "remarkable" in their eyes. When I developed my own successful law practice, and when I wrote Rising Star, I was not familiar with marketing guru and successful author Seth Godin. The main focus of his writing has been about the need in our complex society to be "remarkable" to be even noticed. In the November/December 2006 issue of Selling Power," Seth Godin talks about three kinds of customers. I will put it in the context of clients:

1. Clients who don't need the services you or your firm offer.

2. Clients who need the services you or your firm offer, but are using another lawyer or firm.

3. Clients who are ignoring you.

Godin says you can't market directly to the second and third group. "Instead, have them come to you." How do you suppose you can get them to come to you? Godin suggests you have to create something "remarkable."

Gina learns that principle and I have taught others to do the same thing. Jennifer is a labor and employment lawyer I am coaching. She created the "Easy Guide" which is a compilation of labor and employment laws on laminated cards which an HR person can attach to his or her monitor. Jennifer has the clients in the second and third category calling and asking for an "Easy Guide."

Writing Rising Star has been a labor of love, but not nearly the joy I have had over my career working with young lawyers like Tony and Gina. I hope you will use Rising Star as a guide to develop your own success.

What remarkable thing can you create that will cause clients to come to you?"

If you want to read the rest of the introduction and a couple of sample chapters, click here for information about how you can get a free e-copy sample of Rising Star.

This is no simple 'how-to' rainmaking book filled with lists and instructions that you promise to read once you find the time. This is a book you will pick up and read cover to cover, and likely read again. Mr. Parvin has brought rainmaking and career development to life through this story of a young lawyer struggling to balance professional and personal life. There is helpful advice for all lawyers here -- from setting specific goals to making a name for oneself. I highly recommend it.

Christina Plum, Attorney,
Stenzel Law Office LLC
Past Chair, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division

To order Rising Star, click here - or you may find it on Amazon.com

As you read Rising Star, please feel free to come back to this blog and add a comment.

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Would it surprise you to know that I thought of quitting a few times in my career? The first time was when I was a first year law student. During the first semester I worked very hard and had no idea how I was doing. I thought to myself: "Who needs this?" I'll just quit law school and fulfill my active duty commitment to the Air Force. Well, I didn't quit and at the end of the first semester I was third in my class. In 1980 I tried a case in West Virginia. One issue in the case was the reasonable cost of completing a construction project. I argued $130,000. The contractor's lawyer argued $30,000. We had jury interrogatories with the specific question: "What was the reasonable cost to complete the project?" The jury answered: "0." I was devastated. I asked the judge to send the jury back. After all, the amount had to be somewhere between $30,000 and $130,000. He refused. On my way back home, I thought to myself that maybe I was not cut out for this stuff. But, what else could I do. So, I stuck with it again.

This week I listened to a Podcast interview of Seth Godin. http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/podcast.php The focus of the interview was Godin's 78 page book: The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches When to Quit (and When to Stick) . I bought the book for $7.77 and I would urge you to buy it also. I like it because it focuses on the importance of being number one-"the go to person" in your field. Godin says that to be a superstar it helps if your niche has a steep dip-the barrier between those who try and those who succeed. Microsoft has created a dip so deep and wide that its competitors quit before catching up. Apple has done the same with iTunes and the iPod. I believe I did it with my writing and speaking on transportation construction. No other lawyer had near the content or number of speaking engagements I had.

Godin notes that every project starts out to be exciting. Later there is a dip. Less successful people quit or decide it is OK to be average. Many successful people quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt based on the priorities in their life. They commit to beating the right dips for the right reasons. They actually seek out dips and realize the bigger the dip, the greater the reward for getting through it.

One of the questions Seth Godin is frequently asked is how do you know when it is time to quit. He suggests that it is time to quit when you realize you are have been settling for mediocrity or when you see no measurable improvement and no way to change how you measure it. Seth Godin says the worst time to quit is when the pain is the greatest. For more about the book, go to http://www.squidoo.com/thedipbook.

A couple of months ago, I participated in a program for a very successful New York based firm. The title of the program was "Path to Partnership." The program was for the firm's senior associates. The managing partner introduced me and talked for about five minutes about his vision of the professional and personal attributes of lawyers the firm wants to have as partners. I followed with a one hour presentation. I told the associates there is no formula, but there is an approach that begins with figuring out what is important in their lives. After my presentation, five junior partners told the group about their path to partnership. One junior partner had been a lateral as a senior associate. Another had left the firm to try cases in the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC. Two of the partners had been with the firm from the beginning. One told the associates that he had come to the firm for the summer while in law school "just for the experience." He never intended to come back as a first year associate. When he did, he planned to leave after a couple of years. Turns out he never left.

While each of the junior partners got to partnership in a different way, they shared one thing in common. During their years as associates, they experienced many dips. They each wondered if the effort they were making was really worth it. One young partner got through the dips because he needed the income to pay for the place he was living in the city. All five of the young partners said that a breakthrough occurred for them when they first sensed what they were doing was making a difference for a client. I came away with the appreciation that each of us encounters dips in our careers. In order to get through them we need a powerful reason-the reason that is the right one for us.

If you are interested in my PowerPoint or the handouts from this program, just let me know and I will send them to you.

Click here to get "the dip"

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Years ago when Jill was in college we were taking a father-daughter trip. While on the plane, Jill said: "Dad, there is something I have to tell you." With fear of what it might be, I replied: "What's that Jill?" She said: "Dad, I don't want to be a lawyer. I want to teach." I was quite relieved and I told Jill I admired her for following her passion.

Last year when she and I were preparing for a high school youth group program at our church, Jill showed me her journal from high school which included her life goals at the time. One of her primary goals was to teach special education.

Jill, occasionally reads my Blog. The other day I got an email from her. Here is what she said:

Dad you should write a Blog about elementary teachers for the lawyers you coach. A lot of things that we do can be applied to being successful as a lawyer.

Reasons:

1. Elementary teachers spend all day working with lots of different personalities and learning styles. We have to approach each child differently. We have to constantly change what we are doing midstream so that we can work with those different styles. When we figure out that something is not working, we have to think on our feet and be a problem solver so that "no child is left behind." I bet that successful lawyers approach each client differently and they think creatively of ways to solve each client's problems.


2. We love what we do and we don't do it for the money. In fact, most teachers spend more than they should to make sure that each child has a pencil, paper, lunch, or a warm coat. Most of us give selflessly. Why? Because we LOVE our children. I know that when I am at work I am in the zone. I love teaching my kids and would never do anything else. I bet that lawyers who really care for their clients will also give selflessly and be in the zone when helping them. I appreciate that a young lawyer may not have the contact with the client like we have with the kids, so that must be a real challenge.


3. I am sure many lawyers think about how much time teachers have off and that the school day ends at 3:00 so we must have a really easy job. When we are teaching we work HARD! We are on our feet all day, and on our computers all night and all weekend. This is no 9 to 5. We give up our lunches so that we can walk a kid with a bloody knee to the clinic and make sure that he's patched up. We then hand that kid OUR lunch so that he has something to eat because the cafeteria is already closed. We give up our conference time so that we can tutor. We stay late at school so that the lesson is prepared for the next day. Why? Because we are dedicated to making a difference for our children. While we have time off in the summer, I always teach summer school and continue my education to continue learning to be a better teacher.

I would love for you to come up here one day and see what it takes to teach special education. The amount of patience I have to have each day is UNREAL. The amount of love and dedication I have to give each day is UNREAL. My kids struggle in so many ways. They each need so much love and attention. But, fulfilling that need is what makes it all worthwhile

Anyway, come have lunch one day and meet my little boogers.

Love you, Jill

I went to Jill's school last week. I have to admit, I was blown away by how her kids performed. Each of them has challenges learning and many have other issues as well. She has a way of reaching them that I would never have the patience to do.

What can we learn from Jill? I think she is following her passion. She has a clear idea of what she wants to do. She is very focused on serving the needs of her kids. While it may not be easy for us, if we can find the same things in our law practice, we will have the same kind of satisfaction Jill has.

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When I set goals I do a lot of brainstorming with myself, and with my wife, friends and mentors. I like to ask myself who, what, when, why, where and how questions. Try these when you are setting goals.

The Who Questions:

Who is important in my life?

Who do I want to benefit from what I am doing?

The What questions:

What are my strengths?

What are my challenges?

What do I want to accomplish?

What do I want to learn?

What do I want to experience?

What contribution do I want to make?

What do I want to have?

What do I want to earn?

What am I most passionate about?

What do my clients need the most?

What do I need to do to accomplish my goal?

The When Questions:

When do I want to accomplish each goal?

The Where Questions:

Where do I want to live?

Where do I want to visit?

The Why questions:

Why is each goal important to me?

And why is that important to me?

The How Questions:

How do I want to accomplish my goals?

How do I want to live?

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I did a number of presentations in January. One presentation was at the Virginia Bar Association Annual Meeting and was at the Managing Partners luncheon. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to speak to this group because it gave me a chance to make the business case for attorney development. As you will see below, I began by focusing on the next generation 

"Developing," "Next Generation" and "Great" 

I love the title of my presentation even if I had little to do with selecting it. The three important parts of it are "developing," "next generation" and our desire to develop "great" lawyers. 

There are likely several reasons that focusing on developing the "next generation" is important. But, I want to address two reasons here. First, Stephan Covey, the famed author and speaker talks about our desire to live, to learn, to love, and to leave a legacy. As law firm leaders we can only leave a legacy if we are developing the next generation of our lawyers to make our firm even more special. Second, when we use the term "next generation", we must realize they are unique, special, and differ in many ways from our own generation. Much has been written about the "X" generation and the "Y" generation and how their ideas and values differ from those of us who are baby boomers. I learned this the hard way when I was made the partner in charge of attorney development. I have written an article about recruiting and motivating the "Y" generation. I decided to write it as if a managing partner was giving a presentation about the firm to a group of summer associates. The managing partner was focusing on things I have learned that are important to that generation. New lawyers want to be part of a law firm that: 

• Is honest with them and does not "sugar coat" what it will be like to work at the firm after graduation; 



• Has a clear sense of purpose, vision, core values and makes clear what each lawyer can do to contribute to the firm's success; 



• Emphasizes the importance of teamwork and recognizes the contribution of even the most junior lawyer; 



• Offers challenging assignments; 



• Focuses on training and development of its lawyers; 



• Models the behavior it expects from associates; 



• Provides mentoring and coaching; 



• Provides constant feed back rather then just one or two times a year; 



• Has the most up to date technology and uses it; 



• Appreciates diversity and embraces it; 



• Focuses less on hours and more on revenue or profitability; and 



• Is a fun place to work. 

If you are interested in reading the entire handout materials or receiving a copy of my PowerPoint slides, please send me an email 

. 

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Career Development, Coaching, Law Firm Leadership, Mentoring

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I walked in the snow flurries over the weekend (not supposed to be this way in Dallas in April) and listened to the current Business Week Savvy Selling Podcast: 

http://www.businessweek.com/mediacenter/podcasts/savvy_selling/current.html 

I like this podcast and listen each week.  Each week columnist Michelle Nichols interviews a sales expert. This week she interviewed Warren Greshes, a motivational speaker and author of  The Best Damn Sales Book Ever.  He made some points that fit very well with what I am trying to teach lawyers and what I have done myself.  First, he talked about motivation.  I believe I am able to motivate people when I speak, but as Greshes points out that is external motivation and it does not last.  I try to share ideas, techniques and strategies with lawyers to help them find their inner motivation. That is the one that lasts.  I know when I think of my major definite purpose, asking why it is important to me and then asking what I need to do to accomplish it, I become motivated to go for it. 

Greshes also emphasized the importance of having an activities plan.  I recently looked at  my 1999 Marketing Plan.  In addition to having a business development goal, it was filled with activities I could check off as I did them.  When you have an activity plan, it helps you feel you are accomplishing things even when the big file has not come in the door. 

When I coach lawyers on client development, I share with them stories of when I was able to figure out a potential problem my construction clients might encounter and find a way to help them before they were even aware of the problem.  Warren Greshes tells an amazing story that is included in his book.  The story is how Peter Rosengaard, a life insurance agent, sold a life insurance policy with a death benefit of $100 million on the life of entertainment entrepreneur David Geffen.  When Peter Rosengarrd discovered that MCA, the large entertainment company, had just purchased Geffen Records for $600 million, he realized that David Geffen was the single, indispensable, driving force behind Geffen Record Company and that if anything ever happened to David Geffen MCA's  $600 million purchase would be worth very little.  Listen to the podcast to learn how Mr. Rosengaard was able to make contact with the CEO of MCA and identify the problem and offer the insurance policy solution before the CEO had thought of the problem.

What problem may impact your clients and potential clients and how can you help them deal with it?

Click here to get The Best Damn Sales Book Ever

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In the last two weeks I have given a presentation to a group of 100 construction industry executives attending a meeting in San Francisco and to 200 construction industry executives attending a meeting in Orlando. The focus of my presentation was to let them know what they need to do to stay out of trouble in the post Enron era.

These client development opportunities caused me to think about some more questions that I hope will get you thinking more about your own client development opportunities. I posed some questions for you to consider in my blog posted last week. After you consider those questions, I would enjoy receiving your answers and thoughts about the following questions focused on serving potential clients who are not using you or your firm now: 

1. Do you think it is easier to get clients to hire you who have a legal matter right now or clients who do not have a legal problem right now? Why do you think it is easier to get business from the group you selected? What do you think is the most important thing you can do to get business with each group? 


2. I believe we have gone through four eras of client development in my career. The first was just do good work. The second was brochures and newsletters. The third was websites and branding slogans. The most recent is creating ideas your clients find to remarkable. What are examples of remarkable ideas that will bring clients to you or your firm?


3. What problems, opportunities or changes do your potential clients face and what unique solution does your firm offer clients? What unique solution do you offer? Why should a new client hire your firm? Why should they hire you? 


4. I have often said that selling legal services is counter intuitive. The harder we try to sell the less successful we will be. Yet, I have used one selling technique that has produced millions of dollars in fees from new clients. What do you suppose I have done and how can you implement the same technique? Here are a couple of hints. First, think counter intuitively. Second, consider some of the questions above. 


5. Suppose my goal in making the presentation to the contractors in San Francisco and Orlando is to get them to hire me at some future point. What advice would you give me on what to do before, during, and after the presentation?


6. Finally, based on your thinking of the above questions, what is the one thing you can do in 2007 you are not doing now that will generate the most business in the long term? 

Add a comment or drop me a note with your answers and thoughts. 

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Career Development, Client Development

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We live in an interesting and challenging time. Never have we earned more and spent more, and never have we been so unhappy. College students, graduate students, young professionals, and businessmen and women increasingly find that their lives are void of happiness and meaning. According to Richard J. Leider's The Power of Purpose, adults over the age of sixty-five consistently say that if they could live their lives over again, they would be more reflective, more courageous, and more focused on finding purpose earlier on. Evidence of the decline in happiness and purpose is apparent when one looks at the recent rise in the study of how to attain them:

• Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was first published in 1990. Since then, more than 10 million copies of the book have been sold.


• In 2002, The Purpose Driven Life, a Christian book about finding purpose, was published. It has now become a worldwide bestseller.


• In 2006, the most popular course at Harvard in the spring semester was Psychology 1504, "Positive Psychology." Close to nine hundred students crowded into Memorial Hall Sanders Theatre each Tuesday and Thursday to hear Professor Tal Ben-Shahar's lecture on "how to get happy" and how to find "a fulfilling and flourishing life." In a March 10, 2006 article about the course, The Boston Globe reported that in the last several years, positive psychology classes have cropped up on more than one hundred campuses around the country.

Clearly, finding happiness and fulfillment in our careers and in our personal lives is an enormous challenge that we face. Moreover, the line between our careers and personal lives has largely been erased, and thus many of us lack a sense of control over our lives. The net result is that more and more people feel stressed and burned out. Despite today's challenges, some people are thriving in their careers and personal lives even while working the same amount of time as those who are burning out. What accounts for this disparity? The answer begins with attitude. Those thriving assume responsibility for their happiness and success and take a proactive approach to cultivating fulfilling lives. They've established their goals, discovered their values, and defined their own sense of work-life balance based on their priorities. As a result, they are "in the zone" in whatever activity they undertake, and they have found purpose in their careers and lives.

This blog comes from the introduction I wrote to Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering Career Burnout. In Ciao, I answer the question of how one goes from burnout to balance by demonstrating how one can adopt the proper attitude and put into practice the methods of those who've attained career and life satisfaction. Ciao is the parable story of Tony Caruso, a young, burned-out attorney who learns how to live according to his priorities and, thereby, achieves his desired career and life balance. Click the link below to find out how to get the first couple chapters of Ciao free.

Click here to get Ciao!

Click here to get The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Click here to get The Purpose Driven Life

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Christy is one of my all time favorite young partners. Why? Christy is the "real deal." She is an extremely talented, self-starter who knows what she wants to accomplish in both her professional life and her personal life, and she plans her time around her priorities.

Christy is a long-term health care lawyer. She made equity partner in her firm when she was 32. Her husband is also an equity partner in a large law firm. She had two children while she was an associate. Christy is also a happy person who is not stressed out by her work and life.

Christy recently conducted a program for all the associates in her firm titled: Taking Control of Your Non-Billable Time.

Christy sent me the PowerPoint slides and it is clear that she has successfully implemented in her own life many of the ideas I suggest young lawyers consider. I wish every young lawyer would have a chance to listen to Christy's program.

In her presentation Christy told associates they cannot have it all and they have to make choices based on their priorities. She plans her life around her priorities (does that sound familiar?) Christy has established life time goals in the four categories I suggest:

• Physical/Financial
• Mental/Learning
• Emotional/Relationships
• Spiritual/Values

Christy's priorities include her family, church, work, and public service. Recognizing her priorities Christy was able to do one activity that included all of her priorities. How, you ask?

Christy was asked to be a deacon in her church. While the time commitment was not great, she declined because it would take her away from her family. Instead she started the children's choir at her church. Here is Christy's description of a public service project her choir did.

"My children's choir chose as our public service project to go sing at nursing homes (hmm wonder whose idea that was?) Around Halloween, I took the choir to sing and hand out care packages to one of my church-affiliated nursing home clients." She sent a photo of the choir to the CEO of her client with an email.

From: Christy
To: Shelley; David Smith; Kimberly
Subject: "I Saw the Light"

Mr. Smith, Shelley and Kim, I just wanted to let you know how much my Children's Choir enjoyed singing for the residents at Wedgwood yesterday and spending time with them handing out treat bags. Kim, thank you for coming in on Sunday afternoon to show us around. I am attaching a few photos. I apologize for the quality. My son is the cowboy on crutches.

Christy

This is the email reply she received from the CEO who she had always called Mr. Smith.

From: David A. Smith
To: Christy
Subject: RE:"I Saw the Light"

Christy, the pictures are neat...I recognized your son immediately (looks like his mother). Thank you for bringing the children and spending time at Wedgewood. Our residents always look forward to and enjoy children visiting.

P.S. I think you should call me David.

Thanks, David

Christy did not start the children's choir for business development. She started it because she wanted a church activity she could do with her children. She wasn't marketing when she took the children to Wedgewood. But, that public service project connected her in a meaningful way with her client that had nothing to do with legal work.

How well are you planning your personal time and non-billable time? Is it based on your priorities? Let me know if you would like more information about Christy's presentation.

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Career Development, Client Development, Emotional Intelligence, Having a Life, Interpersonal Skills

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I have always been an avid reader of books I thought would improve my skills in client development, leadership, teamwork and a variety of other topics, and help me use my time more effectively. I learned long ago a way to read business books. I first skim the book. In that process I decide what is important that I want to go back and read in detail.
People often ask me for a list of books I would recommend they read. So, I put this list together with the idea of you reading a book a month. Considering I am posting this blog in February, you may want to adjust the schedule accordingly. However, if you can find the time, I'd suggest you quickly read January's book and then get right into the book for February. I hope you find each book to beneficial to you and I hope you enjoy them.
January: Getting Things Done by David Allen
February: Overachievement by John Eliot
March: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
April: The Ultimate Guide to Mental Toughness by Daniel Teitelbaum
May: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
June: The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey with Rebecca Merrill
July: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
August: Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
September: High Trust Selling by Todd Duncan
October: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators by Carmine Gallo
November:  Making Rain by Andrew Sobel
December: Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galfard
Six Bonus Books if you have already read any on the list above:

1. Selling with Emotional Intelligence by Mitch Anthony


2. How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman


3. Heavy Hitter Selling by Steven W. Martin


4. The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders


5. Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story by Jerry Weissman


6. Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski

By the way, please feel free to post comments to this blog as you read the books. Tell me what you found helpful. I like receiving your feedback.
 
 

 

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Someone once asked Albert Einstein "if you could ask God one question, what would  it be?" He first replied he would ask God how the Universe began. After reflection, he said he would ask God why the universe began, because then he would know the meaning of his own life.
Perhaps the most powerful discussion on life purpose can be found in Viktor Frankl's book: Man's Search for Meaning, which was dictated in nine days and sold nine million copies before the Vienna psychiatrist's death in 1997. In trying to examine his own life purpose after losing his entire family, including his wife, in the Holocaust, Frankl left a legacy for all:
"Everyone has his own specific motivation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment and demand fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone's task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it."
More recently, Dr. Rick Warren wrote in the best selling book The Purpose Driven Life that he once got lost in the mountains and stopped to ask for directions back to his campsite. He was told, "You can't get there from here. You must start from the other side of the mountain." This didn't mean his goal was impossible. What it meant, and what it can mean to you, is that no goal is possible if you focus on the starting point. You need to be able to see past whatever's blocking your path real or imagined mountains and view the endpoint. If you keep your sight focused on your goal, you will find your way under, over or through any obstacles in your way.
It's vital, then, to use your vision wisely to set your sights on the goal you truly wish to achieve. If your vision ends at your annual review, at the end of the month, or on your next payday, your success may end there as well. If your vision is based on someone else's ideal is pleasing a parent, spouse, or boss, your goal will end at the edge of their sightline, not yours. But, if you apply your vision to your purpose, the end is limited only by your view of the horizon.
I always enjoy your feedback. Please feel free to make a comment or ask a question.
 

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I have been asked by the American Bar AssociationYoung Lawyers Division to speak at their spring meeting in Montreal. The title they are thinking about: "Come on Baby Light My Fire: How to Reignite Your Flame with the Law" caused me to think about the points I will want to make to those who attend. The points I want to share are in my books "Say Ciao to Chow Mein" and "Prepare to Win," but young lawyers can learn a great deal about the same subject by reading and listening to Maya Angelou, a person I deeply admire. I hope young lawyers also admire her. I once heard her say that if we do not like our situation we need to either change it or change how we look at it. In an interview I recently read, she made the very points I tried to make in "Say Ciao to Chow Mein." Here is what she said: 

"I was so naive about so many things. I remember wanting very much to be successful. I had a singing career then and had just released my first album, Miss Calypso. But I didn't think that that was going to make me a success. I thought I was going to become a prosperous real-estate broker. I had this image of myself with my briefcase, wearing alligator shoes, carrying a matching purse and wearing a pair of lovely little suede gloves that stopped right at the wrist. Of course, my life unfolded along a much different path, but back then, I thought that being successful was mainly looking the part and being able to afford the material comforts. Yes, it is good to want to be successful at something, but I know now that money doesn't measure success. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you. All the other tangible rewards will come as a result." 

Some dictionaries define success as the attainment of wealth, power, favor, or eminence. Young lawyers seeking those things will likely be disillusioned because when you get it you are not even satisfied. I have lived my life and have based my law career on redefining success to make sure it includes following my passion and being engaged in work that benefits others. There can be no real, long lasting success without fulfillment. What are you doing to find fulfillment in your career and life? What do you need to change? How can you change how you are looking at your situation? 

 

 

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Two years ago, Paula Nailon from the University of Arizona and I moderated and presented a program for the ABA YLD fall meeting in Austin. I gave a presentation on Success: Determining and Achieving Your Purpose, Values and Goals based loosely on a program I had done for lawyers in my old firm and for law students at several law schools.

After my presentation a young lawyer asked me what separates the superstar young lawyers from the rest of the pack. I mentioned that the very best young lawyers I know have a "burning desire" to be the best at something and work hard achieve it. I call it the "fire in the belly."

Before I went to law school I was inspired by the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. I know of very few lawyers who ever heard of the book. Napoleon Hill was born into poverty in the coal fields of southwest Virginia in 1883. (I have tried cases in the county where he grew up and it is still impoverished.) Hill accomplished some great things as an attorney and journalist, but also had many failures along the way. His big break came when he was commissioned by the wealthy steel baron, Andrew Carnegie to write a book describing the characteristics of people who achieve true financial success and happiness in their lives and those who don't. It took Hill over 20 years to produce the book.

Recently I was looking for a Napoleon Hill quote: "Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve" and found many websites that permit downloading the book at no charge. I downloaded it from http://www.onestopinternetbusiness.com/tgr.pdf and have enjoyed reading it again. I believe the 13 principles he outlined in the early 1900s still apply today. I hope young lawyers and law students who are interested will read the book. Consistent with my answer to the question at the YLD Austin meeting, Hill's first principle was "Desire." He believed desire is the starting point of all achievement. He ended the chapter on desire by noting that his message was going out during the most devastating depression in American history. To those who were wounded by the depression he stated: "To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin with an intense, BURNING DESIRE for something definite. Through some strange and powerful principle of 'mental chemistry' which has never been divulged, nature wraps up in the impulse of STRONG DESIRE 'that something' which recognizes no such word as impossible, and accepts no such reality as failure."

When I work with young lawyers, I focus on career success through taking control, setting energizing goals and planning. I teach them how to set goals that will inspire them and energize them. The goals represent the "something definite" Hill mentioned. Each young lawyer with whom I have worked is unique, gifted and very special and has virtually unlimited potential to achieve his or her own unique personal and professional goals. I am convinced young lawyers can be successful (as they choose to define success) if they have the BURNING DESIRE to achieve their own unique goals.

 

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