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

 I recently posted about the on-line coaching program I am conducting this year. We started the program just last week.  I would love to start another group, but if you are not able to participate, I will share with you how you might  create your own client development program without a coach.

For most young lawyers I coach, client development is not a habit. They can rationalize reasons not to be actively doing what is needed to build a book of business or expand relationships with existing clients. The most common thing I hear is: “I have been so busy with billable work that I have not been able to…”Thus, I have to find ways to get those lawyers to do something they do not regularly do and create an environment that will most likely enable or facilitate the lawyers to keep up their client development efforts, even when they are not seeing immediate results.

When I coach a group of lawyers, we set a group goal and decide on 25 action items to achieve the goal. Each member of the coaching group sets individual goals and prepares a plan to achieve them. Members of the group share their plans with me and with the other members of their group. Each month, the members of the coaching group report on what they have done that month. Some firms put the reports on a coaching group portal page and other firms send an email with the photo of each person in the group and his or her report by the photo.

There is a psychological method in this madness. Studies show that when you set goals, write them down, establish a date to complete them and share them with another person, you are more likely to actually do what it takes to achieve the goals. You do so in part because you want your actions to be consistent with the commitments you have made. This principle is most powerful when you create the commitment yourself  rather than having a senior lawyer dictate the commitment to you.

The lawyers I am coaching make commitments to themselves, to me and to other members of their group. That commitment helps each lawyer hold himself or herself accountable.. The principle is also more powerful because of the commitment to a team goal and team action items. The lawyers in the coaching group do not want to let the team down.

If you are not able to have an outside coach like me to create the team environment described above, as Nike would say: “Just Do It" with a group yourself. Begin by assessing where you are right now. Here is a coaching video with questions to help you do that. 
 

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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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A friend sent me a July 6 article from Law 360 titled: “Firms Hesitant to Invest in Business Development.” The essence of the article was that business development training/coaching must produce real bottom line results for firms to want to engage an outside consultant. Producing more revenue is the primary reason for a firm to engage in client development training and coaching. The unanswered question is how can client development training and coaching produce more revenue. Here’s how:

One-shot business development training will not produce more revenue because it will not change the actions lawyers should take to produce revenue. Business development training should be combined with individual and group coaching. Your firm can either hire an outside consultant, or create your own internal program. Either way, to produce more revenue the firm, the lawyers and the coach must make commitments and keep them.

The Law Firm Commitments:

1. Select lawyers who have the inner drive to be more successful. Your lawyers who need coaching the least, will put the most into it and get the most out of it.
2. Leadership commitment and involvement. When your firm leaders are champions for the program, there is greater energy and a buzz around the firm.
3. Aligned and active involvement of professional development and marketing professionals. Client development training has both a training component and a marketing component. Your professionals from both groups have a role to play.
4. Sharing unique firm strategies and issues with the coach. Each firm is different. For an outside coach to be successful he or she needs to understand your firm’s goals, strategy and culture.
5. Funding the program. Shows you are investing in your lawyers.

The Lawyer Participant Commitments:

1. Active involvement in the group and individual coaching activities.
2. Open mind to change.
3. Create a business development plan with goals.
4. Willingness to be held accountable.
5. Preparation for coaching sessions.
6. Monitoring client development activities.
7. Sharing best practices and successes with the group.
8. Identifying challenges and working to overcome them.
9. Commitment to spend around 20 non-billable hours a month on client development activities.

The Coach/Consultant Commitments:

1. Helping participants with planning and goal setting.
2. Pushing each member and the group to attain group and individual goals.
3. Role playing and experiential learning.
4. Ideas for client development.
5. Teaching and applying client development techniques.
6. Referral to source materials on career and client development.
7. Team coaching.
8. Creating opportunities for teambuilding.
9. Providing candid feedback and suggestions.
10. Making firm leadership aware if any participant is not meeting his or her commitments.

I know from my experience leading a program in my old firm and now working with lawyers and law firms that if your firm, your lawyers and your internal or outside coach/consultant makes and keeps the commitments described above, the firm will generate a return on investment that is a multiple of the program cost.
 

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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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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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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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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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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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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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A person with great dreams can achieve great things. Dr. Bob Rotella, golf psychologist

1.     Make sure there is an alignment of leadership, purpose, strategy, core values, culture, and systems that includes goal setting.  If the leadership does not support goal setting, it is not part of the strategy.

2.     Or, if it is contrary to the firm's culture, it probably won't happen.  Leadership requires that you set an example and show lawyers how to meet the firm's and their own expectations.  That means firm leaders must have their own goals and be willing to share them with others.  Keep in mind:  If you don't value career development at your firm, your brightest talent will move to a law firm that does.

3.     Clearly articulate what is expected of mentors and why.  Train the mentors and then hold mentors accountable.  Mentors should help associates set goals, help them prepare a plan and then meet with them regularly to go over how they are doing.  For accountability, include mentoring in evaluating bonuses and compensation for partners.

4.     If the firm values associate development and associate investment in their careers, communicate that message clearly and then reflect it in associate bonuses and feedback.  If the firm does not value it, persuade associates they are at best limiting their career by not investing non-billable time in themselves.

5.     Help associates see the value of setting goals and then train them how to set them.  Be able to convey that goals are a means to career success and satisfaction. I explain to associates that I selfishly set goals because I know I am responsible for my career happiness and success.  Goals help me prioritize what is important to me and help me focus on my personal and career priorities.  Goals also give me a sense of freedom and independence, especially as I develop my own clients.  I also explain that a great deal of the value is actually the process of setting goals and thinking about the future.  Consider the words of the very goal-oriented Ben Stein, who is an actor, political speechwriter, law professor, economist, author and columnist:  "The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this:  Decide what you want."

6.     Conduct workshops for associates on goal setting and career planning as part of orientation and then a second workshop at the beginning of their fourth year.  Those who have reached their goals will need to set new ones; those who have not may need to change their action, strategy or both. If their goals have changed, they may need to chart a new course.  The formal workshops, in addition to private, ongoing mentoring, reinforces the firm-wide message that your commitment to your associates is long-term and embedded in firm culture.

7.     Have mentors find out from associates what is important to them and what they value.  It is the beginning step to setting goals.  Mentors can help reinforce firm goals and an associate's role in achieving them.  It is also important for mentors to understand that goals reflect generational and societal change.  What motivates a mentor may have little meaning to an associate.  Pay attention to the differences and help associates form goals that match their values.

8.     Convey to first and second year associates that their goals need to focus on what they want to learn and experience.  If the firm has a shadowing program the goals may include the shadowing they want to do.

9.     When associates set goals, have them write a paragraph on why they want to achieve their goals and have them brainstorm all the things they need to do to achieve each of them.  Share with them strategies for reaching goals quickly.  Studies have shown enormous differences between the success of people who just thought about rather than wrote down their goals and between people who wrote down their goals once, yearly, monthly, weekly and daily.  Hint:  The more often you write down your goals, the faster you will reach them.

10.    Prepare different Personal Development and Performance Plan templates for the 1-3 year associates than the 4-7 year associates.  Their needs are different, and this should be reflected in the planning guidance you provide.

An average person with average talent, ambition and education can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society if that person has clear, focused goals. Brian Tracy, whose bestselling titles include,  Hire and Keep the Best People

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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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"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Chinese Proverb

I like to point out that it is a mistake for law firms to focus on Profits per Partner (PPP). Instead, I recommend focusing on the things totally within the control of the firm that in the end produces Profits per Partner. One of those things is your attorney development program. In the book Aligning the Stars, the authors, Jay W. Lorsch and Thomas J. Tierney point out that: "Starmaking" is more important to a firm's long-term success than "rainmaking."  Talent is the only source of a firm's competitive advantage.

What is your firm's purpose, vision, and its core values relating to its attorney development program? Here is what I suggest you consider:

Purpose The purpose of our law firm Attorney Development Program is to enable our attorneys to better serve our clients, to increase our realization, and to provide opportunities for greater achievement and career satisfaction. 

Vision

We seek to have an attorney development program recognized as preeminent by our clients, our lawyers and law students.

Core Values Our attorneys will take responsibility for their career development and satisfaction.

Each attorney, associate, shareholder, and of counsel must contribute in some way.

Supervising lawyers will give clear direction, answer questions, pay attention to quality, and provide real time constructive and supportive feedback.

Teamwork is encouraged at all levels.

Each attorney and staff member will be shown respect. Respect engenders respect.
We will endeavor to provide consistent, real and specific direction on career advancement. 

CLE will be used as a means of acquiring skills necessary to better serve our clients and enable our attorneys to grow.

We will demand a lot from our lawyers.  They will work hard, meet high standards of excellence, and over time and with our guidance and support, learn to be outstanding lawyers, trusted advisors and mentors for a new generation of outstanding young lawyers.

Each associate in our firm has a unique background, unique skills and unique dreams, but  they also share things in common.  They all want to learn and become better lawyers.  They want to perform interesting work. They want to feel like they matter, know where they stand, and whether they are on track, and they want to feel respected by senior lawyers and peers.

The most junior lawyers know more about the science of law and less about the art of lawyering than they will ever know in their career. When it comes to the future, many young lawyers are confused.  They feel like they are on a trip to an undefined and constantly moving destination (making partner).  They are uncertain of the time expected for their arrival, feel they have not been given a map to get there, and no compass to let them know where they are.  They feel they have no coach or sponsor. Our job as senior lawyers is to teach them the art of lawyering and help them clear up the confusion. This requires us to get to know them, to understand what makes them unique, and to encourage them to achieve success as they define it. Our work with our clients is not any different and just as we get good vibes from helping our clients achieve their business objective, we get the same feeling helping our young lawyers achieve their career goals.

"You will have more fun and success helping other people achieve their goals than you will trying to reach your own goals."

Dale Carnegie

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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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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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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 

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Tags: Being a Lawyer, Career Development, Coaching, Law Firm Leadership, Mentoring

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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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As I said in my blog posted November 17, 2006, if you're looking for your own role model for a great mentor, I believe you can learn a great deal from one of the greatest coaches in the history of sports: John Wooden. I'd like to share some additional thoughts I've learned from this great coach and mentor: 

John Wooden prepared his UCLA teams to win. He did not just prepare for one game, but also prepared for the entire season. He strongly believed that hard work, which he defined as industriousness, is essential to success. Interestingly, that did not necessarily mean long practices. His practices were, in fact, among the shortest duration of any college team. John Wooden also had a practice e philosophy. He used to say: "Don't mistake activity for achievement." He focused on fundamentals: shooting, passing, cutting, dribbling, blocking out on rebounds, and defense. His practices were well planned and each had specific goals. 

The legal profession is changing, most especially in the manner in which law firms and lawyers provide service to their clients. Our clients are taking a more active role on the team. They expect us to understand their businesses and industries, to be more efficient and to communicate better. As mentors we must make sure our mentees understand changes in our clients' expectations and be prepared to respond to them. 

As mentors we need to teach young lawyers to prepare for their career, not just for the assignment they are handling at the time. We need to convince them that their future is based on how well they invest their non-billable time. For young lawyers, work and family life balance is important. They need to know that being industrious is not the same as putting in long hours. As Coach Wooden put it: "You can work without being industrious, but you cannot be industrious without work." 

Mentoring is the best opportunity we have to create an environment where our young lawyers know that they are greatly valued and their careers are important to us. Taking time and interest in our mentees and their careers will send the message that the firm cares. In the end, our lawyers will have greater career satisfaction, they will be better trained and our clients will be better served. 

  

 

 

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I have learned from my coaching of senior associates and junior partners that many young lawyers don't know where to start with their client development efforts. They mistakenly think they need to sell clients, make cold calls and figure out other ways to solicit business. Since all of this is distasteful to most, they don't ever get started. 

In a nutshell, here is what I am trying to teach young lawyers: You cannot directly market or try to sell clients. The harder you try to sell the less successful you will be. Clients want to buy (or need to buy), but they do not want to be sold. Whatever you tell clients about how good you are or how your service is extraordinary, they will likely not believe it because your competitors are telling them the same thing. Clients do not want to hire lawyers who are ordinary. They want to hire lawyers who are extraordinary, remarkable and memorable. The game plan for successful client development is having the clients come to the lawyer as a result of creating something remarkable or being remarkable and having clients, potential clients and people who can refer business talk about the lawyer. Seth Godin, a marketing guru says that the premise of remarkable is to have non-compensated third parties become an evangelist for you and your services. 

In a world where law firms and lawyers all look alike, how can a lawyer stand out from the crowd and be remarkable, extraordinary and memorable? I teach lawyers how I did it and how they can do it. The first step in becoming remarkable is to determine what you want in your career. Second, you need to learn how to become credible by building your profile. Third, you need to learn how to determine your clients' and potential clients' views, biases, and perspectives so you can create something that will be noticed and be remarkable in the eyes of those who might hire you. 

Let me give you a personal example: In January 1983, President Reagan signed into law the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, which doubled the federal funding for highway construction. The Act included a provision requiring that not less than 10% of the funds must be expended with Disadvantaged (Minority) Business Enterprises. Overnight that quadrupled the amount that had previously been spent with those firms. It created a huge problem because there weren't enough qualified and adequately capitalized firms to do the new volume of work. I knew this would be a big issue, so I studied everything I could on the issue, put together a notebook and ultimately wrote a guide for contractors. I was then asked to speak at contractor meetings across the country. I was on a panel with a lawyer from the Federal Highway Administration who recognized I knew this program backwards and forwards. About a year later he received a call from the general counsel of the largest highway contractor in the United States asking who he would recommend to help them with a problem in Atlanta. He told them they had to hire me because I knew more about the law on minority contracting than any other lawyer. They hired me and for the next 20+ years they were my largest client. That is what client development is all about. Incidentally, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program 24 years later remains a huge legal issue. In the last year I was hired by the Associated General Contractors to write a "Tool Kit" to help their members comply with the law. 

Each young lawyer I have met can be remarkable if they are open to trying, and if they make a commitment to work at it. 

Have a wonderful New Year and think of how you can become remarkable in the eyes of the clients who might hire you. 

 

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Over the last month I have focused on the importance of being or creating something remarkable. We need this because we want clients, prospective clients, and people who can refer business to us to become evangelists for us. In the past it was easier to be remarkable. There were fewer lawyers and most businesses were owned locally. There were no firm websites, no email, and clients were not inundated with lawyers trying to get their business. Lawyers developed business by doing good work, being active in their community, and obtaining an AV Martindale Hubbell rating. 

Today it is far more difficult. The number of lawyers has mushroomed, law firms are bigger, clients have consolidated and moved, and clients are challenged to see differences between one lawyer or law firm and another. Over many years, I have encouraged lawyers I coach to focus on what makes them unique and what they can create that clients will find uniquely valuable. I owe my client development success to creating booklets, workshops and other materials that clients, potential clients, and people who referred business found to be remarkable. 

Christy is a young partner from Nashville I am coaching. She is married, has two children, and already brings in a significant amount of business. Christy actually helped me develop part of the story in my new book Rising Star. I am confident Christy will be even more successful as she goes forward. Why do I believe that? First, Christy has a burning desire to be the best long term health care litigator in the country. She works at it each and every day. Second, she focuses on her life priorities which are her family, church, and career. Third, she uses her time more wisely than just about any lawyer I know. Finally, as successful as she is, she is still open to coaching and has applied things we have talked about and experienced success as a result. 

There is something else that makes Christy unique and special. She sings gospel music with a Nashville sound that blows me away. If you want to hear the star I am coaching, click on the website for her church that is below. Then, click on November 19, Gospelaires. Even if you are not a fan of country music, I think you will see that not only can Christy sing country gospel, but she also lights up the room when she comes in. 

http://www.woodmontchristian.org/videos.htm 

 

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Here are five questions senior lawyers should ask their junior lawyers or that associates should ask themselves: 

1. What are you good at? What are you really good at? 



2. Is there a need for your talent? Is it marketable? Will someone pay you for it? 



3. What is your passion? What excites you? 



4. What are your core values? What are your ethical standards? 



5. How can you integrate your talent, passion and integrity? What steps do you need to take to accomplish your goal? 

When you answer these questions for yourself or for your firm, you become the architect of your career. You take responsibility for making, shaping and achieving your objectives. AND when you own your goals, when you are motivated from within, you operate at a much higher level of achievement that will speed you toward them. 

 

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Coaching, Mentoring

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Imagine if Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Oprah Winfrey had become lawyers. We'd be handwriting our opening statements by candlelight and packing our briefcases in saddlebags, and, perhaps, we wouldn't know what books merited our reading time. Each of these colorful geniuses would have become grayer, duller and indistinguishable from one another. 

This is, essentially, what happens in law school. We collect some of the greatest minds in the country, strip them of their unique brand of intellect and tell them only one thing matters: thinking like a lawyer. Or maybe two things: thinking like a lawyer and finishing in the top 10% of their class. And then we wonder why law students and young lawyers as a group are depressed, disillusioned and dissatisfied. 

Studies repeatedly show that first year law students arrive with excitement, well-being and passion for a law career. According to Lawrence S. Krieger, who along with Kennon M. Sheldon, conducted the most recent study: "the overall law school experience is likely to have an undermining effect on professionalism and career/life satisfaction." Law graduates are significantly different people from those who arrived to begin law school. "They are more depressed, less service oriented, and more inclined toward undesirable, superficial goals and values." 

For over one hundred years, law schools have taught students "the science of law" using the "Socratic method." Law schools have bragged about teaching students to "think like a lawyer." I fly almost every week and I sometimes imagine how I would feel if the best that could be said about my pilot's training is that he or she was taught to "think like a pilot." I want my pilot to learn how to fly the plane, not just think like a pilot. The "art of being a good lawyer" is all about relationships. According to law professor Daisy Hurst Floyd, "legal education devalues relationships." I believe most clients would prefer that law students learn how to actually be a lawyer rather than just to think like one. They probably would be even more pleased if law students were taught to also "think like a client." 

So, many law graduates arrive at their law firms already disillusioned about their decision to become a lawyer and stressed out over their future. At many large law firms, they quickly conclude that only one thing matters: Their billable hours. They become further disillusioned when they are assigned to a team sent to a warehouse for "document review." The good news is they get to record lots of billable hours, spending 14 hours a day in a warehouse. The bad news is they get further away from the dream they once had when they decided they wanted to be a lawyer. As one anonymous young lawyer wrote in a D Magazine article: "Associates want a sense of Purpose from the practice of law. But, you can't find Purpose in the library or the warehouse doing document review." 

And then we wonder why lawyers as a group are depressed, disillusioned and dissatisfied. And why the clients we represent neither like nor respect us very much. 

Law school teaches that intrinsic values, purpose and passion doesn't matter, and many large law firms teach that having intrinsic values, purpose and passion doesn't pay. And both teach that goals are nothing more than extrinsic numbers: test scores, billable hours, associate salaries and profits per partner. When recruiters search for new talent, they rate candidates by their pedigree: school and class rank without considering emotional intelligence, core values, individual talent or interest. 

There has to be - and, fortunately, there is a better way. We can encourage law students to follow their passions and to realize them by focusing on purpose, vision, core values, goals, plans and execution. We can teach them what it is like to be a lawyer and how to serve clients. We can teach elements of emotional intelligence. In this way we will be focusing on the whole person and better prepare law students for their future careers. 

 

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I spoke with Andrea the other day. She is a partner I am coaching to build her real estate practice. She is also a jock. Recently her firm sponsored a foursome in a charity golf tournament and Andrea's foursome finished on top and won the $5000 first prize Each member of the foursome will receive $1000 and the team will contribute another $1000 to the charity. Andréa and I talked about how to follow up with the two potential clients who were in the foursome. I thought she should buy golf balls and have the firm name, the event and the word Champions printed on the golf balls. I also thought she might bring the foursome together for some sort of fun golf outing or dinner. It might even be fun to invite spouses and have a dinner at her house. 

  

 

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Young lawyers have never been paid more and been less satisfied with their careers. Studies done by the ABA, state bar associations and other groups since the mid-80s have noted a sharp decrease in the percentage of lawyers who were satisfied with their professional lives .Twenty to thirty percent (20% - 30%) of the lawyers surveyed are extremely dissatisfied. 

A study by the North Carolina Bar Association done in 1991 reflects that 23.6% of the attorneys would not become attorneys again and only 53.9% of the attorneys surveyed desired to remain in law practice for the remainder of their careers. Over 24% of the attorneys reported having symptoms of depression and more than 25% had anxiety symptoms. Twenty-two percent (22%) had been diagnosed as having ulcers, coronary artery disease, hypertension or other stress related disease. Forty-three percent (43%) agreed that the demands of work do not allow them to have enough time for satisfying life outside of work. 

What is the cause of the growing dissatisfaction? Some of it is simply a misconception by law students and law school aspirants about what it means to be a lawyer. Some go to law school simply because they do not know what they want to do or they have been pushed to do so by a well meaning relative. 

Practicing law today is more stressful than in the past. First, the high salaries create pressure on reaching billable hour minimums and in some cases the young lawyers have little control over whether their practice group will have enough work for them to do. Many decry the loss of professionalism and collegiality that used to exist in our profession. Clients have merged or consolidated while the number of lawyers has dramatically increased. That creates intense competition among firms and lawyers. Because of billable hour pressures on both partners and associates training, shadowing and mentoring are not as valued as before. I know plenty of times when the managing partner of a firm has encouraged associates to participate in some training and development. 

What should law firms do about this problem? When I was responsible for attorney development at Jenkens & Gilchrist, I decided we would focus our attorney training and development program on our lawyers taking responsibility for their careers, figuring out what they want, setting goals, developing a career plan and executing the plan. I worked with senior lawyers to encourage them to help associates define what represents success for them. I spoke at our shareholders' retreat on the importance of our attorney development program and how it would ultimately increase our profitability. 

I conducted Career Development Workshops in each of our offices and shared with our associates what I had done and what I learned in my own career. I worked hard to build our associates' trust. I offered to help any of our associates prepare their Career Development Plan and set goals. 

Recently, I received a call from the former chairman of the Jenkens Associate Committee. I had not heard from him in months. I could tell from the call he was excited and had something to share with me. It turns out he has landed his first big client. He also shared with me that he is totally "in the zone" working now and that as a result he no longer focuses on billable hours and yet he is billing more hours than before. He and his wife had a baby last year and he thanked me for getting him to focus and spend his time more wisely, so he has more time to spend with his wife and son. 

A firm cannot motivate the unmotivated, but focusing on attorney development can make a big difference to the substantial number of lawyers who want to become better lawyers and make a difference for their clients. 

 

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I have coached junior partners on client development for many years and have enjoyed the interaction with them tremendously. I am amazed at how their needs are similar regardless of firm, practice area, gender or any other distinction. I am also amazed at what they can accomplish with coaching from someone who has developed business and who takes the time to get to know them. 

Here are some thoughts for senior lawyers in law firms searching for ways to help junior partners develop business and for junior lawyers who want to jump start their client development efforts. 

When I begin coaching a junior partner, I typically ask what I can do in coaching them that will provide the greatest benefit. Almost every one responds by asking me to help on where to focus. I then ask what they consider to be their "niche" and explain their niche could be an industry, a type of work or something that makes them unique. I explain that it is important to focus on something that energizes them, that utilizes their unique talents and background and that clients and potential clients need. With that prodding, almost every junior partner has some idea of where to focus his or her attention. 

I then talk about goals. Many junior partners have never set goals. Others have set goals that are either very ambiguous or are not energizing them. Experts have found that the highest or most difficult goals produced the highest levels of effort and performance, until the limits of ability are reached. I have found very few lawyers set goals that are beyond the limits of their ability. So, coaches should encourage junior partners to set goals that "stretch" them. 

What does that mean for those of us coaching junior partners? It means we first must determine what each person wants. I ask questions like: "What specifically do you want?" "Why is that important to you?" "What will achieving this do for you?" "What level of commitment do you have towards meeting this goal?" To determine their level of belief they can achieve their goals, I ask: "Where are you now?" "How will you know when you have achieved what you want?" "What will you need to do to achieve it?" "What firm resources will you need?" "What can you do now to start?" 

Most of us who are senior lawyers want to tell younger lawyers what they need to do. It is way more effective as a coach to let them figure that out for themselves by asking the kind of questions I have outlined above. 

 

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