Building accountability into an important firm initiative is difficult. As firm leader, you can neither assume it will happen, nor can you demand it. Accountability measures require genuine buy-in and commitment from firm leadership, and the require sensitivity by project leaders to the challenges each lawyer will face in contributing to the project. Success comes from enthusiastic participation in the program, not from metrics. Too often, says Eric, accountability measures can derail the success of a program if they are not handled correctly. His provides excellent guidance and advice.

Riveting bolts or building the Golden Gate Bridge? Cutting stone or constructing Notre Dame Cathedral? Does your firm have a “Noble Purpose?” Many studies reveal that how your firm and its people perceive their contributions to the world and to society have a significant impact on their engagement in their work, as well as their long-term career satisfaction. Does your firm have a “Noble Purpose"…a reason for being that engages and fulfills your partners, your associates and your support staff? Here are a few to consider:

• We help entrepreneurs make their dreams come true.
• We help injured people find justice.
• We make the biggest real estate projects in town happen.
• We help senior citizens enjoy retirement comfortably.

You get the idea. What’s your firm’s “Noble Purpose?”

As a leader in your firm, you set the culture. Great leaders set and maintain an optimal culture where each individual enthusiastically contributes their best work for the good of the entire organization. We’re constantly on the look-out for impactful articles about law firm leadership to share with our readers and this one – although not specifically about law firm leadership – really grabbed my attention. It’s short. It’s practical. And it’s really good. Here are five of the 13 habits:

Listen. Great leadership comes from understanding your organization and its people. Understanding comes from listening to your partners, your clients and market.

Share. Share your vision and goals. Set the bar high. People want to feel like they’re part of something great.

Recognize. Always recognize and celebrate your team. Great leaders share credit for success and accept responsibility for failure. Also, they praise in public and criticize in private.

Commit. Make a commitment to yourself to be the best firm leader you can be. Read books and articles. Attend conferences. Collaborate with other leaders, both in and out of the legal profession.

Take Care. Be good to yourself. Studies reveal that you’re at your best when you exercise and engage in a healthy lifestyle.

Gale is a rock star in the world of CPA firms. She’s been selected as a “Most Recommended Consultant” by Inside Public Accounting for nine consecutive years, and as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting” by Accounting Today for seven consecutive years. This article speaks to those firm owners (in either a CPA firm or law firm) who have comfortably settled into the passenger seats at their firms and, until now, have been along for the ride. (I’ll bet you even have some at your firm!) Now, many of these “passengers” are being asked to slide into the driver’s seat. They’re being asked lead, market and help grow the firm. But all is not lost. There is hope and this short, yet powerful, article is a great place to start.

In this article, Mark writes about research by Edward Hess, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, which compiles the findings of eight well-researched and highly-regarded studies about high-performing organizations. Using different approaches and methodologies, all eight studies found that high-performing organizations share these characteristics:

• High Employee Engagement,
• Constant and Relentless Improvement,
• Strong Purposeful Cultures, and
• Humble, Passionate Leadership.

The article provides practical ways that you can “hone your humility” to become a more effective law firm leader.

Our inaugural Leadership Academy was a great success and we’re pleased to share a brief article highlighting four of the main topics (along with faculty commentary) we discussed. They are:

• Succession and Talent Management
• Firm Values and Culture
• Leading Change in the Law Firm
• Key Attributes of an Effective Firm Leader

Based on the feedback we’ve been getting from participants, we’ll be presenting more of these workshops in the future. Stay tuned for details.

The skill set required of a great lawyer is far different (in fact, the exact opposite in many areas) than the skill set required of a great law firm leader. Great leaders are optimists, embrace change and think long-term. In this article, Larry outlines the “behavioral influence” approach to leadership and provides a simple set of strategies that can be highly effective in leading the lawyers in your firm. They are:

• Role Modeling (aka Leading by Example). We pay far more attention to what leaders do, rather than to what they say.
• Social Proof (aka Bandwagon Effect.) In times of uncertainty, we pay close attention to what others are doing and we tend to follow.
• Commitment and Consistency. Start small and build on success. You’ve got to eat the elephant one bite at a time.
• Similarity. We want to be like successful people around us and do what works for them. Nobody wants to be the odd man out.

It’s a great article with solid leadership advice.

When it comes to succession planning within a law firm, we often hear from managing partners: “I’m concerned that our young partners don’t have what it takes to run this firm in the future. They lack the drive, commitment and work ethic to become owners of the business.” And from young partners, we hear: “The senior partners won’t let go. They cling to control and won’t introduce us to their clients and referral sources.” Firms need to find ways to bridge the gap if they want to be around in 2020 and beyond. Sue shares her advice to help your firm manage its succession process.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard a gazillion (that’s right, gazillion) times from frustrated law firm leaders: “Today’s young lawyers just don’t want to work very hard like I did when I was a young lawyer. They want work-life balance, yet they believe they’re entitled to make the big bucks just because they went to law school. Back in my day…”

Well, young lawyers are here to stay, and they’re starting to assume leadership roles in many firms. You’re not going to change an entire generation, so you best learn to understand them and what makes them tick.

• Traditionalists (born before 1946) – The WWII generation likes stability and clear direction.
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964) – These folks want work-life balance and understand the “big picture.”
• Gen X (1965-1980) – These are creative types who like autonomy and variety.
• Millennials (1981-2000) – Multi-taskers who thrive on recognition and constructive feedback.

Natasha includes her tips and offers a few additional resources if you want to lean more.

We’ve all spent countless hours in unproductive, time-wasting meetings. Meetings that begin 15 minutes late and have no agenda, no leadership and wander aimlessly from topic to topic. Meetings during which most of the participants appear more engaged with their smart phones than the conversation before them.

As an effective law firm leader, it’s critically important that the meetings you run be meaningful, valuable and effective. In fact, I know many managing partners take pride in and are known for their ability to run a great meeting. In our opinion, great firm leaders run great meetings.

Timothy Corcoran, our Keynote Speaker, was well-received in delivering a hard-hitting presentation emphasizing our theme – “Evolve or Perish: Leading Your Firm in an Increasingly Competitive Market.” Together, we wrote a two-page report immediately after the Conference highlighting some of the major themes and issues discussed during the day. Among them:

• The Challenges of Strategic Planning and Implementation
• Why and When to Hire a Marketing Director
• Dealing Effectively with Chronic Underperformers
• Recruiting Laterals with Books of Business

Jordan Furlong is a lawyer, consultant and industry analyst who forecasts the dramatic impact the changing legal market will have on lawyers, law firms and other legal organizations. And, as we all know, leading change in the law firm is a challenging task. In this short, but really good, article, Jordan outlines a five step process to make it happen. His guidance:

•  Start with the facts, not abstract, faith-based notions, of the situation
•  Find a catalyst to induce a sense of urgency
•  Outline a clear, detailed plan to achieve the desired goal
•  Appoint and empower forward-thinking leaders throughout the firm
•  Have the courage to take the heat when the going gets tough

According to the research presented in this timeless, often-cited, article by Dr. Larry Richard, lawyers are off the charts – when compared to the general population – when it comes to certain personality characteristics. Among them:

• Highly skeptical,
• Hate change,
• Risk averse,
• Love autonomy,
• Low resilience, and
• High sense of urgency.

A must read article to help you, as managing partner of your firm, understand what you’re up against.

Here's a short but hard-hitting video that hammers home the dramatic changes in the legal industry over the past decade. We suggest that you play it at your next partnership meeting and ask your partners what they think. If this doesn't get their attention that your firm needs to change, nothing will.

The video is produced by Re-ThinkLaw.org, an initiative launched by an outfit called Axiom. Stay tuned.

After 25 years in the legal industry, I often find myself working with firms that are long on planning, yet woefully short when it comes to implementation. My advice? Pick just three meaningful initiatives, dedicate the required resources, and assign a responsible partner – not a committee – to make sure each initiative is accomplished. And follow the advice is Gerry’s brilliant article.

In this gem of an article, Ed says he finds little in common among unsuccessful law firms, because each one tends to fail in its own unique way. He does, however, find that there are a number of factors that are almost always present in highly successful law firms. These factors include leadership, expectations, and a subjective compensation plan.

This is an article we wrote that appeared in the November/December issue of Law Practice magazine, published by the American Bar Association. Our advice to firm leaders? Create job descriptions. Get to know the firm’s top clients. Develop a firm-wide strategic plan. And encourage partners to invest in the firm’s future.

David Maister writes some really good stuff and you'll find lots of his books and articles featured on our Website. This particular article discusses things like mission, vision, values and culture in the context of a law firm. It's a great article to circulate among your partners in advance of your next Firm Retreat. It will get them thinking about a whole bunch of issues, including the rules and codes of conduct (if any) by which your firm and its professionals live.

This interesting and thought-provoking article appears in January edition of the ABA's Law Practice Today. In fact, there are several good articles in this issue, but this one got my attention. Among other things, Corcoran writes about how more progressive law firms are focusing attention on continuous process improvement and finding new, more effective ways to get things done.

Developing leadership skills is hard work. And it's especially difficult for lawyers who, by nature, tend to be skeptical, autonomous and risk averse. Yet the absence of strong, committed leaders who are trusted and inspire confidence within the firm is often cited as a major factor in most law firm dissolutions. Has the time come for your firm to invest in developing leadership skills in its lawyers? If no, why not? If yes, what, when, who and how? This article will help answer some of those critical questions.

This article contends that companies that are good at growing leaders do so in the trenches at the “line manager” level, not through their HR departments. That would equate to a department head and practice group leader in the context of a law firm. It includes a “Leadership Development Checklist” on how to grow great leaders.

This article interviews a pair of Harvard Business School professors who talk about the importance of identifying future leaders, training them to be effective in their roles and retaining them as top talent – especially in a mid-sized organization.

For many years, Keith Houck was the COO of GrayRobinson, now one of the largest and most successful law firms in Florida. In his article, he compares growing a law firm to nurturing a garden. Although each plant has its own preferences and special needs, they function and look their best as a group. But not every plant is good for the health of the entire group.

We are strong advocates for strong, competent, business-minded administrators in law firms. Management. Marketing. Finance. Human Resources. Technology. They make the trains run on time, and they make the firm more money. This article talks about the critical role of firm administrators from the perspective of three managing partners – from small, mid-size and large law firms. One thought we especially like: "Acting like a partner, that is like an owner not an employee, goes a long way toward helping the administrator get a seat at the table."

From strategic planning to effective committee structure, this two-pager gets right to the point. Although simple in concept, these rules are not always easy to apply and follow. But the most successful organizations do….including law firms.

This thought-provoking article was featured in Law Practice Today, the ABA’s monthly online magazine. In it, William Blackburn reports on a growing number of law firms that have adopted new models of governance to help them survive, even thrive, in both good times and bad. He profiles numerous firms that have implemented broad-based sustainability initiatives — cultural, social, economic, environmental, and financial — to ensure their long-term prosperity and well-being. 

Much ado has been made over the new partnership between Best Lawyers in America and US News & World Report to present their version of law firm rankings. We’ll be writing more on that topic in a soon-to-be-published MPF White Paper. In any event, there are a few thoughtful articles on their website including this one. And it’s good news for smaller and mid-size law firms.

There are three common reasons why law firms fail, says this article that appears in the June edition of ABA’s Law Practice magazine. Lack of leadership. Lack of strategic focus. Lack of financial discipline. Don’t let your firm be among those that fall apart or seek refuge through an acquisition.

We found this rather interesting list "100 Managing Partners You Need to Know" browsing the Web earlier this month. Not surprisingly, it appears as if one must be with an AmLaw 200 firm to be on it. Lawdragon says it contacted more than 50,000 legal professionals for their input. 

MPF Faculty member Bob Denney offers practical advice to firm leaders in the wake of the worst economic recession in 70 years.  We couldn’t agree more with Bob’s points. It’s time for law firm leaders to step up.

This is a must-read article for firm leaders, especially in these challenging times. "Out of difficulty, leaders rise. That someone might as well be you," says acclaimed author Quint Studer. The 11 bits of advice offered in this article are the components of leadership greatness in law firm executives. 

How should a firm appropriately compensate its managing partner for the non-billable time required of the role?  Take a look at Peter Giuliani’s article that appeared recently in the ABA’s Law Practice Magazine.

You’ve just accepted your new role as managing partner of the firm. Congratulations. Now what? This article, published recently in the ABA’s Law Practice Magazine, offers a list of savvy first steps to help you get started on the right foot.  

Riffing on an article from Fast Company, a publication that focuses on creative individuals in the business world, Cobb issues advice for the law firm environment. Like "Find, hire and promote people that make you and the organization uncomfortable." This article is a shot in the arm for the naysayers and people afraid of change.

Have you ever heard this excuse from your colleagues? "I didn’t go to law school to become a salesperson!" If the business aspects of practicing law don’t come naturally to you … or to someone you know … this is the article you need. It’s time to change your approach and tap into entrepreneurial resources you’ve had all along.

Harvard management guru David Maister asks the ultimate question "Can lawyers be 'managed' at all?" Given their unique personalities, it's no easy task. We think every firm leader should read this article.

The managing partner job rarely comes with an instruction manual or even a job description. Rose polled firm leaders to find out the real concerns of new law firm leaders. Should you lead by consensus or decree? How much time will you spend managing? Learn what your colleagues had to say.

Meetings are one of the most universal parts of business life, but one of the least effective communication tools. Read this article to learn ways to run more efficient and productive meetings at your firm.

Most firms don’t utter the "s" word — succession — until disaster strikes. This article leads off with a great example of that. Don’t let your firm fall into the malaise and wait until fate forces your hand. Succession planning benefits firm leaders of today and tomorrow.