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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"

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

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

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

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

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

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I am sure many of you will find this odd. I really like and admire Barack Obama and I really like and admire Sarah Palin. I am not talking about their political views. I am talking about how well they have done so far under intense pressure, how they have handled their underdog status, and most importantly how they have emotionally connected with their clients-the people of the United States. I feel I have learned a great deal from watching them.

At the beginning of this year, virtually every political pundit predicted that Hillary Clinton would wrap up the nomination on "Super Tuesday." It seems they underestimated Barack Obama. Between Friday and Wednesday night many political pundits described in detail the mistake John McCain had made selecting Sarah Palin. It wasn't just the political pundits. Joy Behar, Jay Leno. David Letterman and especially Bill Maher ridiculed Sarah Palin in ways I have not seen in years. If you want to read what they said, go to: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,416981,00.html

When I watched Barack Obama as the underdog in the early debates and when I watched Sarah Palin take the stage on Wednesday night, I felt like I was watching our women's gymnastic team on the balance beam during the Olympics. I was so worried that they might show their nervousness and not nail it. I believe they both have performed at the highest level under intense "make or break" pressure.

Why have Barack Obama and Sarah Palin connected so well with their clients? How have they moved audiences so well? How can you take what they do and apply it to your own relationship with clients and your own presentations?

In his book "The Likeability Factor," Tim Sanders includes a chapter on "The Four Elements of Likeability." Those elements are:

• Friendliness • Relevance • Empathy • Realness (authenticity)

Prior to this election, I feel I learned a great deal from President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, President Reagan and President Clinton. Like, Barack Obama and Sarah Palin, each of these candidates connected with their audience. In varying degrees they each demonstrated friendliness, relevance, empathy and realness.

Many young lawyers I coach feel they are at a competitive disadvantage because of their age and experience. I am confident that each day before the election we will hear something about Barack Obama's and Sarah Palin's lack of experience. Yet, I believe this election will show that experience is overrated and judgment, connectivity and likeability are underrated. The same is true for lawyers.

When I coach young lawyers I share with them that I believe that about 10% of legal work is "bet the company." Clients will hire the best-known senior "go to" lawyer to handle that work. At the other end, I believe that about 20% to 30% of legal work is commodity work. Clients will hire whoever is willing to do that work for the lowest price. If you are in a firm of any size, you will not be able to compete on price and frankly you would not want to compete on price. Finally, I believe that at least 60% of legal work is neither bet the company or commodity work. Clients will hire lawyers they like and trust and with whom they feel some connection.

How can you position yourself to have the best opportunity to be hired by clients for that work? First, you have to be a capable lawyer. But, that will not be enough. You need to also be likeable with the elements Tim Sanders describes. You need to be friendly. Tim Sanders uses a quote from Bert Drecker, a communication expert: "If you want to get your message across . . .., You must first persuade the listeners first brain that you represent warmth, comfort and safety." Next, you must be relevant. As a lawyer that means understanding your client's industry and company and understanding your client contact's needs. Next, you need to be empathetic. You must be able to see things from your client's point of view. To do that you need to be able to ask relevant questions and then listen, listen, listen. Finally, you need to be real.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned one of my favorite books on presentations. It is: "Give a Speech, Change the World" by Nick Morgan. I believe history will record that 38 million people tuned in to watch a speech by Presidential candidate, Barack Obama that changed the world and then less than seven days later 37 million people tuned in to watch a speech by Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin that changed the world. I hope that their speeches and performance under pressure will inspire you to give a presentation to a group of potential clients that will change their world.

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

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

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

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

3. Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. WISHING instead of WILLING.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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I have told this story about a financial advisor many times. It taught me what it feels like when someone is selling me.

Tom is a financial advisor I know here in Dallas. His wife and Nancy are friends and we have played golf as couples a few times. Tom is really, really a nice guy, but, in my view he has made many cardinal mistakes in trying to get my business.

A few years ago, Tom's assistant called me and said: "Mr. Smith would like to know if you would like to play golf with his group on Saturday." My first thought was: "If Mr. Smith really wanted me to join him, wouldn't he have called me himself?" I decided Mr. Smith was having his assistant call a "prospect" list.

Fast forward to 2007. I no longer work downtown. I discover my office is in the same building as Mr. Smith's and that he is most anxious for me to join him for lunch. I knew it would not be a social lunch between friends. Tom was looking for the opportunity to sell me his financial services. I immediately thought: "I can run, but now that we are in the same building, I can't hide forever."

Sure enough, in January of this year, Tom finally had me cornered. He and his son had joined Nancy and I during a round of golf. During the round he asked when I would next be in my office so I could join him for lunch. Knowing I could not say: "never," I told him I would in be in office on Tuesday.

I went downstairs Tuesday at noon for what I anticipated would be a sales lunch. Because I teach lawyers how to interact with potential clients, I thought that at the worst I would see an experienced sales professional in action.

The lunch was very nice. We sat in Tom's office where he had a flat screen TV tuned to a financial station and I thought that was very cool. I expected the small talk about golf and our spouses and waited to see how Tom would transition to business. Here is how he did it: "Let, me tell you about my company." He proceeded to give me a bit of a history lesson and talked about how the company is full service and can handle all my financial services. The one advantage of having Tom tell me all this is I could eat rapidly and just keep nodding my head.

Finally Tom popped the big question: "Cordell, would you like to be able to put away more for retirement that would not be taxed?" That is like asking if I would like to have someone give me a million dollars. Knowing Tom expected me to say: "Yes, tell me how." I, instead said: "Yes, and I have been talking that over with MY financial advisor." I put the emphasis on the word MY purposely to let him know I already had someone with whom I was happy. Not to be deterred, Tom spent the next 15 minutes telling me what I already knew about Defined Benefit Plans for small businesses.

When I got home, I told Nancy that even though I made clear I did not need a new financial advisor, I knew I would receive an email from Tom...the follow up. Sure enough I got this email:

Cordell, please let me know if you want any assistance in designing a qualified retirement plan for you---many times we can maximize the benefits for the principal and minimizing the same for other employees. Most principals want to obtain at least 80% of contributions so that the IRS tax savings pays for the other employees. I'm available to assist you..Tom

(As an aside, just suppose Joyce, my loyal and trusty assistant happened to see this email and concluded I was trying to minimize her benefits. Had I been Tom, I think I would have inquired about Joyce during our meeting.)

So, what can we learn about selling legal services from my experience? Send me an email or post a comment with your thoughts and I will send you my Top 10 Selling Mistakes. If you think about how you would feel from what I have written above, I believe you uncover many of the Top 10 Selling Mistakes.

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

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

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

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

Alfred A. Montapert

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

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

Here are my questions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are my Top 10 Tips:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sometimes the best way we can learn about client service is to actually be a client. In the last month my bank, which will remain nameless, taught me more than I could possibly imagine.

When I left my law firm at the beginning of 2005, I chose the bank that was on the first floor of my building because of the convenience. The bank is a well known, large, national bank. In January of last year I moved my office to another location. The branch in my old office building was no longer the closest branch. We made our deposits and other banking activities at a branch that was closer to my new office.

In December, I happened to be in the neighborhood of my old office and I needed to make a deposit, so I went to the branch in the old office building. While I was in line, Yvonne, a face I remembered came up to me and said hello to me by name. Since I did not remember her name and I had not set foot in that branch for a year, I was impressed. During her greeting I learned she was my small business banking executive. That was also interesting since I had not heard from her during 2007. I discovered that she was not even aware I had moved in January. I thought to myself: "My small business account manager is paying such close attention to my business that in the 11 months I had been gone, she had not learned I had moved from the branch manager, and had not been curious enough to even call me when she didn't see me, or my staff, in the bank."

The first week of the New Year I got a call from Yvonne. She wanted to come by and visit. She mentioned she wanted to talk about a change in my account. I thought she must be referring to the increase in deposits in my consulting firm account and the decrease in deposits in my law firm account. I assumed that would generate questions by her about what I was doing. I really did not think I needed to talk to her, but I agreed to meet with her

We set the appointment for 2:30 January, 9. That day at lunch I sponsored a webinar, so I ate lunch late and hurried back for my appointment. At 2:30 a young guy named Ramin showed up at my office. I figured he was Yvonne's assistant and that they traveled by separate cars. WRONG! To my surprise, Yvonne was not going to attend the meeting and she apparently did not have time to call me and let me know. Instead, to my surprise, I was meeting with Ramin, a young guy, who introduced himself as my small business account manager. Funny, I thought Yvonne was my small business account manager. I had never even met or heard of Ramin.

Instead of building rapport in any way or even asking me questions about my business, Ramin began by looking down at the papers in his hand and telling me a couple of things about my account. I had a savings account, a checking account and a line of credit for a certain amount. Duh, I think I knew all that.  Then Ramin told me he could convert my checking account to an interest bearing account, increase my line of credit by more than threefold and decrease the interest rate on the line of credit. When he finished, I began to laugh to myself. I was thinking: "Now I know why Yvonne did not show up. She couldn't  make magic with new opportunities like Ramin could." Knowing that was not the case, I asked: "Why is this the first time I am hearing about all these wonderful things the bank can do for me?" I also thought: "Ramin clearly had not done much homework because he clearly did not know I have no need to use the line of credit."

As I pondered these things, Ramin said: "You must be keeping the vast majority of your money in your personal account instead of your business account." I mentioned that at the end of the year I pay myself as much as I can so there is very little in the account.  It took me a couple of minutes before I realized that Ramin didn't know I have two businesses. It turned out that he had only pulled the records on my law firm account and had no clue what the banking activity had been in my consulting firm. By this time, I was laughing at how a large, large, well known bank could so badly screw up a meeting I did not even want. While laughing to myself, I was also getting mad that the large, large well known bank had so little regard for me as a customer.

I let Ramin know that I was unhappy that my small business account manager did not even know I had two businesses, or that I did not borrow money. I also let him know that I was disappointed that the bank had waited until his visit to tell me I could get paid interest in the business checking account.

Later I received an email from Ramin telling me I had two businesses, both of which had savings and checking accounts and that my law firm had a line of credit and my consulting firm did not. He suggested closing the line of credit in the law firm and getting one in the consulting firm for more than three times the amount I had in the law firm.

I replied telling him it was ok to do that. He replied giving me a list of information I would have to provide to get the line of credit for the consulting firm. Included in the list was my personal net worth and the amount of my housing payments.

I am reading "The Trusted Advisor" for the third time. Every lawyer who serves clients needs to read this book. The authors state: "Before you go into any meeting with a client (or prospective client), figure out the two or three things you want the client to absolutely believe about you by the end of the meeting." The authors suggest you can show them by doing homework about the company and asking questions that reveal you have done your homework. "Such questions give evidence that you are thorough, that you respect the client's time enough to be prepared, and that you are ready to get right to the issues."

My bank representatives didn't do their homework. I feel pretty certain that no lawyer would ever make the client service mistakes my bankers made. Frankly the bank would have been better off to make no contact with me. I do think there are legitimate client service topics to discuss. Here are some questions:

1. What would you have done if you saw a client representative you had not seen in 11 months?


2. What would you have done to prepare for the meeting with the client?


3. How would you expect a client to react if you sent a junior member of your team the client had not met and you didn't even tell him you wouldn't be there?


4. Just suppose this junior member of your team started the meeting by telling the client representative he is the client's new lawyer?


5. Assume you went to the meeting, how would you start the meeting?


6. At what point would you start telling the client how your firm could help the client?


7. How would you end the meeting?


8. How would you follow up?

If you want to compare your answers to these questions with mine, send me an email.

P.S. After I wrote this I got a call from Tony. He said he was with ...bank (my bank) and the ...branch (my old office branch). I immediately thought he was the branch manager calling to apologize. Instead, he thanked me for being a great customer and then told me he could "give me a deal" by extending my line of credit with a significant decrease in the interest rate. I asked Tony if he had by chance spoken to Yvonne or Ramin. Needless to say he had not.

I am still doing short client development thoughts on my Mac. I have been able to even include short videos. If you want to check it out go to http://web.mac.com/cordpar/Client_Development_Tips/Blog/Blog.html.

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Laura is a lawyer who I coached when I was in charge of attorney development in my old law firm. One night she and her husband were eating dinner with Nancy and me and Laura shared with me that at the end of each day after she put her two children in bed, she was absolutely exhausted and dreaded starting the same grind the next day. Like many lawyers I know, Laura rarely got up from her desk while at work. She frequently ate lunch at her desk and spent most of her time focused on her computer screen. When I heard Laura describe her typical day, I suggested that she read the book: The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. I have both the written book and the audio version and I urge you to read or listen to the book if you end each day exhausted.

I love a point the authors make early in the book. They say: "To be fully engaged, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest. Full engagement begins with feeling eager to get to work in the morning and equally happy to return home in the evening and capable of setting clear boundaries between the two."

The authors assert there are four key energy management principles:
1.    Full Engagement requires drawing on four separate but related sources of energy: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual
2.    Because energy capacity diminishes both with overuse and with underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal.
3.    To build capacity, we must push beyond our normal limits, training in the same systematic way that elite athletes do.
4.    Positive energy rituals-highly specific routines for managing energy-are the key to full engagement and sustained high performance.

Chapter Ten of the book is titled: "Taking Action: The Power of Positive Rituals." In that chapter the authors note that "a growing body of research suggests that as little as 5 percent of our behaviors are consciously self-directed. We are creatures of habit and as much as 95 percent of what we do occurs automatically..." They point out that great performers all rely on positive rituals to manage their energy and achieve their goals. They suggest that these great performers have rituals that optimize their ability to move rhythmically between stress and recovery.

How did reading this book change what I was doing? First, I divided my lifetime goals into four categories:
•    physical/economic
•    mental and growth
•    emotional and relationships
•    spiritual

Second, I decided to get up from my computer and least once an hour; I quit sending emails to someone who was just down the hall from me; I quit eating lunch at my desk; and, I changed my exercise routine to include interval training. Finally, I tried to create positive rituals including getting up early to workout, setting aside time to work on client development and spending Saturday afternoon with my daughter, Jill and playing golf each week with my wife, Nancy.

The book includes a full Corporate Athlete Performance Development Plan. Interestingly, I found many of the same steps in the plan that I included in the Personal Performance and Development Plan I had prepared for associates in my firm.

Are you exhausted each day? If so I urge you to read The Power of Full Engagement and make the changes suggested by the authors.

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

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

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

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

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This weeks Little Things Matter exemplifies the phrase "less is more." The attorney who provided this story saw that how much detail you have in your presentation may seem like a little thing, but to his audience it mattered.

I was giving a conference last week end in Canada.  I was running late Friday in the preparation (I was rushing to finish a 20 page text) and I wanted some visual support as well, so I had asked a junior lawyer to extract from the draft of my text a power point presentation and to put it on the Firm format.
 
She did a very good job, based on the model of the firm.  Format is blue on gray, with all the points duly recorded.  This promised to be a classic presentation.
 
Will was doing the English counterpart next door and he sent me his power point Friday PM.  His presentation was a mere 12 pages, with pictures and a few highlights.  It was not meant to reflect all of his speech, but rather to illustrate a few key points in a very attractive and visual way.  It struck me that Will (a Cordell alumni) had followed Cordell's recommendations!!
 
I flipped it back to the junior lawyer saying I wanted something Cordell-like.  I gave her a 5-minute crash course on what I meant!  She ran for an hour on google "search images" and prepared a superb short and sweet presentation, which I could use here and there to put some colour in the audience, while speaking freely about the substance of the speech.
 
Both Will and my presentation were major blasts at the conference, with people telling each of us what good speakers we were!

What little things can you change in your next PowerPoint that will matter to your audience?

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For many years I have said as lawyers we focus too much on what we do and not nearly enough on what our clients need. How can we learn what our clients need? Put simply, if we do some research and listen intently, they will tell us.

Two of my friends with Patton Boggs here in Dallas, Charlie Miller and Ronna Cross, recently published an article titled: "Capturing the Voice of the Client." You can find it at http://www.pbdi.org/Originate/default.asp?Action=GetDetails&ArticleID=31. I urge any lawyer who represents businesses to read the article. It will show you ways to capture the voice of your business clients.

Reading the article caused me to think again about the voice of our individual clients and client representatives. In law school we were taught to "think like a lawyer." Imagine if we had also been taught to "think like a client." We would be in a far better position to help our clients. To "think like a client" we must work on being empathetic and walking in our clients' shoes and we must build trust and rapport with them.

According to Wikipedia, empathy is defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and feel directly the emotion of another.  For us it is the ability to look at things from our client's perspective. It is very important for us to understand how our client or client representative views the matter we are handling and what is important to them. Keep in mind that for a business client our legal work is in the context of their business and for an individual client, our legal work is in the context of their life.

Habit Five, in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," by Stephen Covey, is: "Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood." That is a great habit for lawyers to follow. Covey points out that only a small percentage of people engage in empathetic listening. Most of us are figuring out what we will say instead of listening intently to what our clients are telling us. Covey also urges readers to diagnose before prescribing. Far too many lawyers want to demonstrate their brilliance before the client has finished describing the situation.

How do we diagnose? We need to ask questions and listen intently. Here are some questions or statements we can use:

• Tell me about...


• What is it like...


• Tell me more...


• Help me understand...


• Can you give me an example of...


• How did you...


• Bring me up to date on...

Sometimes our clients will tell us one thing, while their body language is telling us something different. In his book "The Likeability Factor," Tim Sanders points out that the first step to understanding how others feel is to recognize their emotions which, with practice, can be read on their faces long before they tell us how they feel. Sanders references the work of Dr. Paul Ekman and includes a quote: "Facial expressions, even quickly passing, signal emotional expression. The face is the mind's involuntary messenger."  On his website, Sanders identifies seven facial expressions we should be looking for and what emotion they signal http://www.timsanders.com/downloads/faces.html .

How can you build your empathy skill set? There is plenty of information on the internet. Tim Sanders points out that many empathy training courses use movies as a device to understand feelings and gives readers a website for  recommendations: http://empathy.colstate.edu/films.htm. That website includes many other resources for learning to become more empathetic.

When meeting with clients, prepare the way Charlie and Ronna suggest in their article. Find out as much about what is important to your client or potential client as possible. During the meeting, build trust and rapport by asking questions and listening intently. Put yourself in their shoes so you can understand best how to help them. After the meeting follow up in some way that demonstrates you were paying close attention to the voice of the client.

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

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

If you were retiring:

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


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


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

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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 listened to the book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. He is also the author of another book I like titled Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. I recommend both books.

There are three main points in The Tipping Point. The first is the "law of the few". The second is "The stickiness factor." The third is "the power of context." In this Blog, I will explain how these points apply to lawyers and client development.

What is "the law of the few"? Our success in client development can be a result of people with a rare set of gifts that help create tipping points. Gladwell identifies three types of people: (1) Connectors, (2) Mavens and (3) salesmen.

Connectors know lots of people. You know the type. No one is a stranger to them. Connectors are important not just because of the number of people they know, but also the kinds of people they know. They know people in different worlds. Connectors are masters of "weak ties," meaning many relationships that are not deep ones. Connectors are important to us because they spread the word to a wide group of people with whom they have weak ties.

A "maven" is someone who accumulates knowledge. They do the research most of us don't want to do and they find joy in passing along what they learn. If you have written an article about an important topic, a maven is the type most likely to find it. Salesmen are charismatic people who can persuade others even when the others are not convinced of what they are hearing. They can sell anything. Based on two studies, Gladwell notes that little things can be as important as big things. Second, non-verbal clues are as important; or, more important than verbal clues. Finally, persuasion works in ways we do not fully appreciate. It is not always the obvious eloquence; it can be way more subtle. Great salesmen connect with their clients in a variety of non-verbal ways including non-verbal enthusiasm, confidence and emotional expressiveness.

Gladwell notes that charisma can be measured and refers to the Affective Communications Test created by Howard Friedman, a psychologist at the University of California at Riverside. I found the test in a book, but it is copyrighted. Friedman reports that the test identifies those who "are generally popular (even if they are shy) and influential, because of their ability to transmit emotions through nonverbal cues."

I was intrigued by the studies done on charisma and Dr. Friedman's test, so I did more research. I found a UK PRESS RELEASE: MYSTERY OF CHARISMA REVEALED BY FAMELAB STUDY. Based on the findings of the press release, how can you successfully make your emotions contagious? Do so by:

• Using an open body posture - keep arms and legs uncrossed and your hands away from your face. 


• Holding your hands apart with palms forward or upwards when talking.


• Letting people know they matter and developing a genuine smile think about something that you like about the person.


• Nodding and briefly touching people on the upper arm when you talk to them. 


• Building visual pictures in people's minds by using memorable visual analogies.


• Keep altering the tone and pace of your voice - keep it upbeat and only slow down to create tension or emphasize a point.

What is "the stickiness factor?" This is the message that will be delivered by the connectors, mavens and salesmen. In the context of our legal marketing, the message must address problems, opportunities, internal changes or external changes our clients and potential clients are encountering. Otherwise, our clients and potential clients simply will not care.

What is the "power of context?" Gladwell gives as an example the book: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells. When the book first came out, sales were relatively slow. A year later the book came out in paperback and sales began to pick up. Women showed up for book signings in groups and they would have Rebecca Wells sign multiple books. Wells began to see mothers and daughters coming in together. Later, national media attention, articles in magazines and television appearances vaulted Rebecca Wells to a star status. The power of context here is the role that groups play. Okay, what does "the power of context" have to do with client development? In my case, it meant that I had a far greater chance of being hired if I gave a presentation on an important topic to contractor members of an association than if I only met with one contractor. It was also important that the presentation deal with something that was important to the contractors at that moment.

There is a very interesting Washington Post article that I believe further addresses the power of context. The Washington Post had internationally acclaimed Violinist Joshua Bell play at a Washington Metro stop while dressed in jeans, a long sleeve tee shirt and baseball cap. The test was whether in an incongruous context, ordinary people would recognize his genius. Interestingly, in the 45 minutes Bell played only seven people stopped to listen for at least a minute. Twenty seven gave money totaling $32. The Post noted that in a music hall, Bell earns $1000 a minute. I gather from reading the article that we are so busy and in our own world that we don't take time to listen to one of the world's greatest musicians. You can find the article on the Washington Post website. It is well worth reading to get a better idea of the importance of context.

So, what can we learn from The Tipping Point and how can we use it to develop more business. First, we need an idea that "sticks." It must be a solution to our potential clients' problems, opportunities, internal changes or external changes. Second, to get the idea out there, we need to have it where mavens will find it and we need to get it in the hands of connectors who will spread the word. In my case, national and state construction association executives were my connectors. They spread the word to their members. Next, when we meet with people or give presentations to groups, we need to connect with them in a non-verbal emotional way. Finally, there must be a context for what we are trying to communicate that makes it important to those hearing or reading our message.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to get "the dip"

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

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

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

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

Reasons:

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


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


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

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

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

Love you, Jill

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

What can we learn from Jill? I think she is following her passion. She has a clear idea of what she wants to do. She is very focused on serving the needs of her kids. While it may not be easy for us, if we can find the same things in our law practice, we will have the same kind of satisfaction Jill has.

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I suspect that most of you who regularly read my Blog do not know that I am a Hokie, Virginia Tech alum. Needless to say this past week has been one of soul searching and trying to find meaning about lots of things.  

As I thought about the terrible tragedy that occurred last Monday, I thought of Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankel's book "Man's Search for Meaning." In the book Frankel tells us we can find meaning by creating a work or doing a deed, by experiencing something or encountering someone, or by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering. Frankel asserts that this unavoidable suffering "can bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into triumph, to turn one's predicament into a human achievement." 

It was with those thoughts that I watched the convocation in Cassell Coliseum on Tuesday. It was a very somber and quiet group. One newspaper reported that when a minister asked for a moment of silence, there was already silence. Then, after all others had spoken, including the President of Virginia Tech, the Governor of Virginia, and The President of the United States, George Bush, Professor Nikki Giovanni came to the podium and presented a poem "We are Virginia Tech" that transformed the crowd and anyone who heard it, including me. If you haven't heard it, I invite you to watch and listen. http://www.vodpod.com/pod/show_video/47386 

As lawyers, I hope we do not have to wait for unavoidable suffering to find meaning in our careers and our lives. Can't we find meaning by creating a work or doing a deed, or by experiencing something or encountering someone? I have learned that while I may be inspired by the words of someone like professor Giovanni, my real inspiration and meaning in my life must come from within. So must yours. 

 

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Christina Bost-Seaton is the co-author of my book Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering Career Burnout and a third year associate in a New York City firm. She writes frequently for her state bar publications. Recently she sent me her thoughts on the achievement trap and gave me permission to share them with readers. 

Many young adults today are conditioned to achieve because we enjoy the recognition we obtained from our achievements.  Gold foil stars in kindergarten told the other kids how great we were.  Student of the Month assemblies were public recognitions of our achievement, lauded before all our peers, our peer's parents, and the community via those bumper stickers.  Everyone knew that we were special, just like Mom and Dad said. 

This continued with Honor Roll, Deans List, Magna Cum Laude, acceptance to prestigious professional schools and graduate programs, job offers at white-shoe law firms, investment banks, hospitals, and consulting firms.  Family and friends congratulated us with every achievement. 

The culture of self-esteem taught parents, teachers, friends, and family, to praise achievements.  Like Pavlov's dogs, we are now conditioned to achieve. 

When we think of achievers in the past, we think of people like Albert Einstein or Benjamin Franklin.  These men worked towards achieving things in areas about which they were passionate.  The achievers we remember today aren't necessarily the people who had the longest resumes and titles racked up.  Can any of you name the most-titled members of Debretts Peerage in 1780?  Exactly. 

Rather, the achievers who are remembered are those who achieved goals that were interesting and important to them. 

Young adults today are caught in the Achievement Trap.  We find ourselves continuing to have a desire to achieve, but now, the platitudes don't mean as much.  Achievement, by itself, is a hollow reward. 

You need to figure out what you are passionate about, what interests you, and what you want to spend your time working towards.  Achievements in those areas are far more fulfilling, because they will result in the praise of your biggest critic - yourself. 

Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering Career Burnout 

 

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Last Thursday I ate lunch with three associates in my former law firm. During the lunch, one of them told me she had seen my post on "The Secret." She said after reading a draft of my new book: "Prepare to Win," and reading my post last week, she finally knew my "secret." I said: "Ok, tell me what you have figured out." 

Her response surprised me. I guess I had never thought about what I have done in my career and life as succinctly as she put it. Here is what she said: 

"You have figured out what you want in your career and life, you have a plan to achieve it and you stay focused on what is important to you. 

You have figured out what your clients and potential clients want and need, many times before they know themselves and you find a way to give it to them, so they want to use you to help them. 

You know that each of the people who work for you is unique and different and you have figured out what buttons to push to get their very best. 

You focus your personal life on your family and to the extent that you can you arrange your work schedule to enable you to do things with them that they value. 

Finally, each and every day you are trying to get better at what you do in your professional life and personal life, and that motivates and energizes you." 

I was impressed with my former associate's insight. When I practiced law I did things instinctively. Now that I am no longer billing 2000 hours, I can take time to reflect and understand why some things worked well for me and others didn't. I hope you find something in my "secret" that will enable you to achieve your own career success and life fulfillment. 

 

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I received a call the other day from a friend in Washington DC. She started the conversation by telling me she had figured out my secret. Then she told me she had recently seen the DVD "The Secret" and after seeing it what I had been telling young lawyers started to make sense to her. Well, I had to buy the DVD to better understand my "secret." 

I went on Amazon and ordered the DVD and discovered that "The Secret" is also available in book form. The day I placed my order I came home and while flipping channels learned that the four people who had made the movie were on Larry King. I purposely did not watch the interview in part because I did not want to be influenced by anything till I saw it myself. If you want to read the transcript you can find it on CNN's website: 

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/16/lkl.01.html. 

What is the secret? How have I applied it without really knowing about it? I watched the movie on my iPod while flying this week. It was a little challenging watching on a small screen and even more challenging taking notes on my Blackberry. Put simply, we are a product of what our mind is thinking. If we focus on what we don't want we will likely get more of it. On the other hand, if we have a burning desire to have something or achieve something and we focus on it, we are more likely to achieve it. 

As some of you know, in 1978 I was practicing law in Roanoke, Virginia. I decided that year I wanted to be the number one transportation construction lawyer in the United States. I told my partners who looked at me like they were thinking: "There is no way someone practicing law and living in Roanoke, Virginia can do that." Well they were right about a small part of it - I could not ultimately live in Roanoke and travel all over the country. 

That same year I told my partners that in 1980 I intended to make three times what I made in 1978. Once again they gave me "the look." 

When I left Jenkens & Gilchrist to pursue my new adventure helping lawyers, I told people I intended to generate $1 Million in fees in 2007. In all the cases I was not driven by the money. I was driven by the burning desire to be recognized as the very best in the country at what I was trying to do. 

If you are skeptical about the power of focusing on something you want to do or achieve, I am living proof that it works. If you get a chance, buy the DVD or book and then take a look again at what I have written about taking responsibility for your career, clearly knowing what you want, developing a plan to achieve it, and then executing the plan. Also, follow the advice of each day thinking about the things for which you are grateful. 

After you watch or read "The Secret," please leave a comment, I'd like to know your secret. 

 

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Christy is one of my all time favorite young partners. Why? Christy is the "real deal." She is an extremely talented, self-starter who knows what she wants to accomplish in both her professional life and her personal life, and she plans her time around her priorities.

Christy is a long-term health care lawyer. She made equity partner in her firm when she was 32. Her husband is also an equity partner in a large law firm. She had two children while she was an associate. Christy is also a happy person who is not stressed out by her work and life.

Christy recently conducted a program for all the associates in her firm titled: Taking Control of Your Non-Billable Time.

Christy sent me the PowerPoint slides and it is clear that she has successfully implemented in her own life many of the ideas I suggest young lawyers consider. I wish every young lawyer would have a chance to listen to Christy's program.

In her presentation Christy told associates they cannot have it all and they have to make choices based on their priorities. She plans her life around her priorities (does that sound familiar?) Christy has established life time goals in the four categories I suggest:

• Physical/Financial
• Mental/Learning
• Emotional/Relationships
• Spiritual/Values

Christy's priorities include her family, church, work, and public service. Recognizing her priorities Christy was able to do one activity that included all of her priorities. How, you ask?

Christy was asked to be a deacon in her church. While the time commitment was not great, she declined because it would take her away from her family. Instead she started the children's choir at her church. Here is Christy's description of a public service project her choir did.

"My children's choir chose as our public service project to go sing at nursing homes (hmm wonder whose idea that was?) Around Halloween, I took the choir to sing and hand out care packages to one of my church-affiliated nursing home clients." She sent a photo of the choir to the CEO of her client with an email.

From: Christy
To: Shelley; David Smith; Kimberly
Subject: "I Saw the Light"

Mr. Smith, Shelley and Kim, I just wanted to let you know how much my Children's Choir enjoyed singing for the residents at Wedgwood yesterday and spending time with them handing out treat bags. Kim, thank you for coming in on Sunday afternoon to show us around. I am attaching a few photos. I apologize for the quality. My son is the cowboy on crutches.

Christy

This is the email reply she received from the CEO who she had always called Mr. Smith.

From: David A. Smith
To: Christy
Subject: RE:"I Saw the Light"

Christy, the pictures are neat...I recognized your son immediately (looks like his mother). Thank you for bringing the children and spending time at Wedgewood. Our residents always look forward to and enjoy children visiting.

P.S. I think you should call me David.

Thanks, David

Christy did not start the children's choir for business development. She started it because she wanted a church activity she could do with her children. She wasn't marketing when she took the children to Wedgewood. But, that public service project connected her in a meaningful way with her client that had nothing to do with legal work.

How well are you planning your personal time and non-billable time? Is it based on your priorities? Let me know if you would like more information about Christy's presentation.

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Career Development, Client Development, Emotional Intelligence, Having a Life, Interpersonal Skills

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I have always been an avid reader of books I thought would improve my skills in client development, leadership, teamwork and a variety of other topics, and help me use my time more effectively. I learned long ago a way to read business books. I first skim the book. In that process I decide what is important that I want to go back and read in detail.
People often ask me for a list of books I would recommend they read. So, I put this list together with the idea of you reading a book a month. Considering I am posting this blog in February, you may want to adjust the schedule accordingly. However, if you can find the time, I'd suggest you quickly read January's book and then get right into the book for February. I hope you find each book to beneficial to you and I hope you enjoy them.
January: Getting Things Done by David Allen
February: Overachievement by John Eliot
March: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
April: The Ultimate Guide to Mental Toughness by Daniel Teitelbaum
May: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
June: The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey with Rebecca Merrill
July: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
August: Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
September: High Trust Selling by Todd Duncan
October: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators by Carmine Gallo
November:  Making Rain by Andrew Sobel
December: Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galfard
Six Bonus Books if you have already read any on the list above:

1. Selling with Emotional Intelligence by Mitch Anthony


2. How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman


3. Heavy Hitter Selling by Steven W. Martin


4. The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders


5. Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story by Jerry Weissman


6. Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski

By the way, please feel free to post comments to this blog as you read the books. Tell me what you found helpful. I like receiving your feedback.
 
 

 

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January was a busy month for me. I gave six presentations to bar associations and law firms within a 10 day period. One of the presentations focused on building the next generation of rainmakers. As I thought about what I would tell the audience, it occurred to me that most of the rainmakers in law firms are, or will be, at retirement age within the next 10 years. That may be fine if a firm has institutional clients, but if the firm is more entrepreneurial, then building the next generation of rainmakers is especially important. 

Before considering how to build the next generation of rainmakers, it is important to understand what makes rainmakers different. I think rainmakers exhibit the following attributes: 

• They have high emotional intelligence. 



• They really care. 



• They expect more of themselves than others do. 



• They have high energy. 



• They inspire confidence. 



• They have a passion for their work and their clients. 



• They are not "selling" to get business. 

So what do the characteristics of rainmakers tell us about creating the future rainmakers? I think it tells us several things: 

• Rainmaking will be natural for few and a challenge for many. 



• We need to focus on raising the level of emotional intelligence. 



• One size does not fit all (we need to customize our training to the individual). 



• We need to teach associates to set goals and prepare a plan. 



• Client development training should be interactive and experiential. 



• Programs for 1-3 year associates should be vastly different than programs for 4-7 year associates. 



• Programs for junior partners should focus on developing a business plan, developing their profile and how to connect with clients and potential clients and enrich the relationship. 



• A client development program will have little value if there is no follow-up individual coaching. 

 

Tags: Emotional Intelligence, Law Firm Leadership, Mentoring

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Someone once asked Albert Einstein "if you could ask God one question, what would  it be?" He first replied he would ask God how the Universe began. After reflection, he said he would ask God why the universe began, because then he would know the meaning of his own life.
Perhaps the most powerful discussion on life purpose can be found in Viktor Frankl's book: Man's Search for Meaning, which was dictated in nine days and sold nine million copies before the Vienna psychiatrist's death in 1997. In trying to examine his own life purpose after losing his entire family, including his wife, in the Holocaust, Frankl left a legacy for all:
"Everyone has his own specific motivation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment and demand fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone's task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it."
More recently, Dr. Rick Warren wrote in the best selling book The Purpose Driven Life that he once got lost in the mountains and stopped to ask for directions back to his campsite. He was told, "You can't get there from here. You must start from the other side of the mountain." This didn't mean his goal was impossible. What it meant, and what it can mean to you, is that no goal is possible if you focus on the starting point. You need to be able to see past whatever's blocking your path real or imagined mountains and view the endpoint. If you keep your sight focused on your goal, you will find your way under, over or through any obstacles in your way.
It's vital, then, to use your vision wisely to set your sights on the goal you truly wish to achieve. If your vision ends at your annual review, at the end of the month, or on your next payday, your success may end there as well. If your vision is based on someone else's ideal is pleasing a parent, spouse, or boss, your goal will end at the edge of their sightline, not yours. But, if you apply your vision to your purpose, the end is limited only by your view of the horizon.
I always enjoy your feedback. Please feel free to make a comment or ask a question.
 

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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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Are you willing to go on a journey with me and see if it makes 2007 your best year ever? 

I contend that no matter how successful you have been in the past, 2007 can be your best year ever. I also contend that for most people, it is the small things that will make the biggest difference. If you are interested, I want you to answer the following questions about yourself. You can email your answers to me if you would like my thoughts. I will also give you my Top 10 Tips for Making 2007 Your Best Year Ever. 

Here are my questions: 

1. What are your hopes for your career in 2007? 

Create 3-5 goals that will lead you toward the hopes you have for 2007. 

2. What are your hopes for your career over the next five years? 

Create 3-5 goals that will lead you toward the hopes you have for your career over the next five years. 

3. What is the one thing you could do in 2007 that you have not done before, that would have the greatest impact on your career? 

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

4. What is holding you back? 

In my case, I know I lack self discipline, and more than anything else, that was the most critical thing holding me back. I knew what I should do, but did not have the discipline to always do it. 

5. What are you willing to do to become more successful? 

I like the quote attributed to a wide variety of college football and basketball coaches. "Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win." 

Here are my Top 10 Tips: 

1. Write down what you want to accomplish in 2007. 



2. Prepare a Plan so you use your non-billable time wisely. I can provide you with templates to consider. 



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



4. Read or listen to one book a month on success, client development or other topics that will make you more effective. If you send me an email, I would be happy to send you my list of books that will make the biggest difference in your career and life. More importantly than reading the books is actually implementing 2-3 things as a result of reading the books. 



5. Use your time more effectively. Time is our most valuable resource. Whether we care to admit it or not, our challenge is not that we do not have enough time. Instead, our challenge is that we do not use the time we have effectively. Occasionally, I challenge myself to write down things I do - or things I should do that by not doing them - wastes my time. 



6. Think of ways to apply the 80-20 rule. Let me give you examples so you can think about it. Twenty percent of the things we do creates eighty percent of our success. What is that twenty percent for you? Eighty percent of a typical lawyers business comes from twenty percent of his or her clients. Which of your clients generate eighty percent of your business? 



7. Decide how much non-billable time you plan to spend developing your career and client base in 2007 and divide by 50. Each week give yourself a report card on whether you spent the number of planned hours and how well you spent it. 



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



9. Send me an email that tells me all I need to know about you to recommend that a potential client hire you. Why am I suggesting this? First, if you do not know why a client should hire you, the clients clearly won't know either. Second, this will cause you to think about your elevator speech. How many times have you met people who ask what you do? Telling them you are a litigator, or a corporate lawyer or a tax lawyer may be absolutely accurate, but it will not likely get you very far. 



10. Some of you might think this idea is a little hokey, but try it anyway. Several times each day for a week, close your eyes and say to yourself as emphatically as you can: "I am the best and I love what I am doing." Psychologists, including sports psychologists have told us for years that affirmations and visualization can create peak performance. Our brains cannot distinguish between what we experience and what we vividly imagine. We are no greater on the outside than we think we are on the inside. Twenty years ago I read: Peak Performance: Mental Training Techniques of the World's Greatest Athletes by Charles A. Garfield and Hal Zina Bennett. I applied what the authors suggested to athletes to my law practice and I believe it works. 

There is something else I urge you to do in 2007. Spend more time with your family without feeling guilty. When you are with your family, be in the moment with them. Focus on them both externally and internally. Do not let your mind wonder. You can spend more time with your family, if you spend your billable and non-billable time more efficiently and more effectively. 

 

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Book Reviews, Career Development, Client Development, Emotional Intelligence, Having a Life, Interpersonal Skills, Tips

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1. Start broadly and work to specific goals.  

2. Think of your major definite purpose (what you want to accomplish), understand why accomplishing it is important (why), and your core values (how you want to live).  

3. Think of goals in the four aspects of your life. 

a. Physical/Economic 

b. Mental/Learning and Growth 

c. Emotional/Relationships 

d. Spiritual/Values/Contribution 

4. Brainstorm and write down as many potential goals as possible in each of the four aspects of your life. 

5. Just as you did for your major definite purpose, for each goal ask why achieving it would be important to you. 

6. When you come up with an answer to the why question, ask why again. 

7. If you do not have a good answer to the why question, discard that goal because you will not likely have the passion to achieve it. 

8. For each goal make a list of no less than 10 things you need to do to accomplish it. 

9. Share your written goals with your spouse, friends or mentor. 

10. Take the first action step right away so the train will leave the station. 

In 1978, I decided that my major definite purpose was to be the preeminent transportation (highways, airports, rail) construction lawyer in the United States. Why was that important to me? First, it was important because I wanted to be the "go to" lawyer in some niche. Second, I wanted to pick an area that was not a crowded field. Third, I wanted to use my government contract experience I had gained while on active duty in the Air Force. Finally, I wanted to work for highway contractors because three of my college friends were active in family owned highway construction businesses. 

I hope these ten tips help you find success in your goal setting. Please feel free to make comments or ask questions - one of my goals is to hear from you. 

 

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