3 Ways to Grow Your Standing at Your Firm

We all want it.

Don’t we? The status and prestige that comes with success? With being significant? Express the desire to grow your standing out loud though and it’s viewed as vain. It’s the truth though isn’t it?

Status is a good thing believe it or not.

It’s a helpful tool that enables you to do what others around you can’t. You’re able to reap rewards your peers can only dream about. It’s a driver, a motivator for success.

And it’s inevitable.

Your social standing is a value signal

This is the part many professionals mix up.

They confuse people with performance. This confusion seemingly creates a kind of social schizophrenia. Our culture makes statements like “everyone has value.” Then we turn around and reward people with high status jobs (e.g. attorney, doctor, scientist). We reward them with more than those who work at a fast food restaurant.

Some people take it further.

They assume they’re better than those they consider to be beneath them. Which is the driver for all sorts of dysfunctional and oppressive behavior.

Is this true?

Are people with high status better than those without?

Not at all.

It’s about your value proposition.

• People are priceless.
• Their jobs are not. They have a fixed value.

A person is irreplaceable. You are irreplaceable. There has never been a person exactly like you. And there never will be again. You’re literally one of a kind.

But you are not your job.

It’s fairly easy to teach someone to cut grass. It’s a valuable skill sure, but there are lots of people who can do it. There are very few people who are both willing and able to do what you do as an attorney.

Most people can’t do what you do.

20 to 40 percent of law school students drop out. Another 40 percent of students fail the bar exam on their first try.

It’s hard work.

The status and rewards a person receives isn’t about their intrinsic value as people. It’s about the unique value they’re able to provide. If they can do things most people can’t do, the rewards are greater. Complete a task that anyone can do and the rewards aren’t as… well… rewarding.

It’s about the value you’re contributing, not the people themselves.

Grow your status and you may hurt your career

Status is a deceiver.

Your social standing in your firm, if it’s good, lulls you into a false state of confidence. People with status make the same mistake I just mentioned.

They believe it’s about them.

They tell themselves they deserve it. It begins to hurt them. Sukhvinder Obhi, a neuroscientist at McMaster University, in Ontario, compared the brains of the powerful and those without power under a transcranial-magnetic-stimulation machine.

His research shows power and status corrupts the unprepared.

It behaves like a tumor, impairing the neural processes responsible for empathy. The subtle differences were surprising.

A 2006 study asked study participants to write the letter E on their foreheads for others around them to view. It’s a task that requires you to see things from another person’s point of view.

Here’s what happened.

The powerful were three times more likely to draw the E the right way for themselves and backwards to everyone else. Those who weren’t powerful did the opposite more often than not.

Ouch.

Status, power, it primes you to ignore peripheral information.

Which is exactly how status destroys careers

Struggle teaches you a secret.

It’s the secret to boosting and preserving your social standing in your firm. Your status and power doesn’t come from you. It comes from those around you. It’s not an intrinsic part of who you are.

Meaning what?

Status and power is given to the exceptional (you) so you can continue to serve. Because at its core, your social standing is about trust.

Distilled to its purest form, it means this:

Your status, and the power that comes with it, is a loan and it must be repaid.

There’s only one reason for your increased social standing in the firm. Service. Your employer, co-workers and peers expect you to make things better, for them.

• Co-workers come to you for help and advice
• Partners give you lucrative rewards, incentives and bonuses in exchange for performance
• Your team trusts you to lead (and they follow)
• You’re asked to represent the team or the company officially

This also means your firm expects you to:

• Be the rainmaker
• Outperform or fight off competitors
• Raise the profile and status of the firm in the industry at large
• Building, teaching or developing your team. Making them better in some way.
• Achieving results that are quite simply, above and beyond what the average attorney can do.

Burn this into your brain.

Your status and power is a loan. That loan must be repaid.

Ignore that long enough and your status and power will be revoked. Allow this to happen and you’ll be worse off than when you started. It’s important to keep this fact in mind.

Still want it?

Follow a few simple rules to grow your standing

These rules are clear.

They’re not at all easy. They take time, require growth and come with serious risks. But the potential payoff is disproportionately enormous.

Rule #1: Do what others can’t (or won’t)

Doing what others can’t or won’t immediately creates value. In a supply vs. demand economy, we’re intrinsically drawn to results. Doing what others can’t or won’t is bigger in the minds of those who refuse to try.

Here are a few examples:

• Connect with top out-of-sight influencers and power brokers.
• Access information others can’t find, get to or reach.
• Partner with influencers and platforms that generate a significant and disproportionate amount of revenue for you and your firm.
• Create new ideas, tools or resources that produce more money for firm (and you) with minimal effort.
• Create fascination and desire with potential clients.
• Create openings and opportunities in situations where those around you have failed.
• Deliver wins in an unwinnable situation

See what I mean?

It’s hard enough meeting billable hour deadlines. How on earth are you supposed to make all of this happen?

It’s simple.

You [10x your productivity], creating the extra free time you need to get these results.

Rule #2: Always provide value

I use Peter Thiel‘s value formula. It’s a consistent and straightforward representation of how the world works. The formula goes like this:

1. Create X dollars of value for [clients, partners and shareholders].
2. Capture Y percent of X.

That’s it.

When it comes to providing value, it’s only limit is your imagination. As long as it’s valued by others and it’s legal/ethical it’s fair game.

Here’s a few examples:

• You can write for distinguished sites like Blue Sky and the Wall Street Journal’s Law blog.
• Become a prolific thought leader, blogging on a wide variety of high traffic, high profile, or partnership oriented sites.
• Syndicate your content across a wider variety of sites online.
• Take on public facing, noteworthy cases with a slim chance of victory. Then win.
• Become a rainmaker by partnering up with platforms like Martindale, Avvo, or AttorneyPages. Platforms that attract a significant amount of clients.
• Come up with new ways to bring more money to the firm.
• Create free quizzes, software, tools and resources to generate a disproportionate amount of leads. Then share them with the attorneys in your firm. Maintain control of your lead generators.
• Connect with power brokers, key influencers, celebrities and leaders. Then, when relevant, work to connect them with those at your firm who are worthy of that trust.
• Become an information broker. Gain access to information that’s difficult or impossible for others around you to get. Create systems and procedures that enable you to find the exact information people need, when they need it.

Your goal should be simple.

Become so valuable to your firm that it’s incredibly and brutally painful for them to lose you. Create enough value to elevate their position as a firm. This gives them the opportunity to create the amazing results they desperately want.

Deliver value consistently.

Do it with the understanding that your new found status and power are loans that must be repaid.

Rule #3: Take care of your audience

People are sensitive.

It’s a general rule to follow. It’s a wise idea to assume that your clients, peers, co-workers and employers are sensitive to the same things. We’re all a bit sensitive to:

• Insults
• Threats
• Bullying
• Abuse
• Humiliation

Use these tools sparingly if at all. The circumstances that require these strategies are exceedingly rare.  It’s not as easy to avoid making these mistakes as you might think.

It’s actually quite common.

People around you are often offended by things you aren’t even responsible for. Some of these people may cast blame, secretly nursing a grudge.

Here are some straightforward ways to avoid making that mistake:

1. Don’t ghost or ignore people. Ignoring texts, emails and instant messages harms the relationship. Silence is the worst insult possible. It trains those around you to fill in the blanks. Which of course means they’ll assume the worst.
2. Don’t assert your power over others. At any given time, and in any given conversation, one person will always be more successful than another. Casually mentioning the large bonus check you received stings when the associate you’re talking to didn’t get one.
3. Pay your debts. Most people collect relational and social stamps. They do good with the expectation of return. What’s worse, the value of the good deed goes up in a giver’s mind and down in the recipient’s.  Consistently expressing gratitude for the things others have done for you. It’s a simple and easy way to avoid resentment due to social and relational debts.
4. Don’t waste their time. It’s important to zealously guard your time. It’s just as important to guard the time of those around you. Simply saying “I don’t want to waste your time” in a conversation is enough to let people know you value them personally and you value their time.
5. Don’t think they’re okay with it, just because you are. Your values aren’t their values. People have their own way of doing things. Imagine that an associate decided to borrow several items from your desk without asking because they’d be okay with it. Then, when confronted, they mentioned it’s not a big deal and told you to let it go? Infuriating right? That’s how many people feel with this assumption.

It really comes down to this.

Know your audience. If you’re a junior partner, be aware of the fact that senior partners may be condescending from time to time. Interns may fawn all over you, eager for any of your attention. Prospective clients may feel intimidated and express false bravado.

There’s a simple rule you can follow to take care of your audience.

Build them up.

That’s pretty straightforward right? This doesn’t mean you morph into a brownnoser. It also doesn’t mean that you accept abusive or dysfunctional behavior.

Acknowledge their value, as a human being, as equal to your own.

Some people are driven by agreeableness and social pleasantries. Others loathe chit chat preferring that you “get to the point.”

Do so.

Meet people where they are.

What if your social standing doesn’t matter?

It always matters.

Your clients, the public, your peers, everyone around you relies on it. Your social standing is a measuring stick. A clear point of distinction that outlines your place in the dominance hierarchy.

•       If you’re low on the totem pole, work is easy but life harder.
•       If you’re high on the totem pole, work is hard, but life is easier.

There’s suffering either way.

That’s the beautiful part about your social standing. We live in a culture where your rank matters. But unlike other cultures, you’re free to choose.

What will you choose?

We all want the status and prestige that comes with success.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

The need for significance is a normal and legitimate human need. It’s not a vain or unworthy pursuit. It’s about you. You’re intrinsically valuable. There’s no one else like you. Improving your social standing gives you the ability to show that your work is valuable.

Because your social standing is a value signal.

You are priceless. Your job on the other hand has a fixed value. You have everything you need to increase that value as you see fit. To create the life and the opportunities you want Now.

But you have to choose.

Make the right moves and you’ll reap rewards your peers can only dream about. Use value as a driver, a motivator for success and you’ll see growing your social standing is inevitable.

 

It’s an important but underdeveloped skill.

It’s something professionals struggle to do with any reasonable amount of confidence. They’re concerned about the consequences of their choice. When the topic comes up, many attorneys are filled with fear and dread.

I’m talking about saying No.

Saying No something most of us don’t want to do. It’s unpleasant, awkward and difficult.

Saying No is unpleasant, because you’re a peach

It’s scientific.

Psychologist Kurt Lewin found that our cultures can be broken down into two broad categories.

Peach or coconut.

These fruits are used to describe people and cultures in the world. It’s a simplification to be sure but that’s the point. This symbolism shows us our differences. The ones that exist at a deep and fundamental level.

Here’s how he described people.

“Peach people are soft on the outside, but have a hard stone that protects their inner being. Coconuts have tougher exteriors, but get past that, and they’re sweet inside. Americans, according to stereotype, are peaches; the French, like the Russians and Germans, are coconuts.”

This is why it’s so hard to say No.

Peach is synonymous with the personality trait agreeableness. In American culture, you’re expected to be warm, cooperative, considerate and kind.

Saying No isn’t any of things.

This isn’t actually true. Instead it’s one of those implicit and unconscious assumptions we carry around with us.

It’s easier for coconuts to say No

Coconuts seem to be tough on the outside. They’re often viewed as cold and unfriendly. Calloused and frustratingly rude. Get past their tough exterior and they’re incredibly sweet.

Honest, open, but still sweet.

And there it is. The secret to saying No to colleagues safely. Coconut cultures use an approach that’s direct and open. Peaches rely primarily on subtlety and nuance. Suggestions and requests that are actually orders and commands.

[In a previous article] I covered different strategies for saying No. Here’s a quick recap.

• The deferral. I’m swamped right now. Ask me again after 4:45 today?
• The delay. The deadline for this contract is today. Can I finish this first?
• The introduction. I’m in the dark on this. Can [Steve] take the lead on this?
• The bridge. Alison is already working on the brief. Should I reach out to her?
• The relational account. If I do this I’ll let [client] down. He was counting on me to…

See how peachy these responses are?

What if you’re dealing with a rotten peach?

Someone who isn’t all that cooperative but still aware enough to be able to play the peach game. It seems like they’re warm, caring and considerate to everyone else.

They haven’t hurt you explicitly.

But you know they’re not acting in your best interests. Maybe the approach is used to strong arm you in meetings. Maybe they’re using email CC’s (to company influencers) as a coercive force. Maybe they’re asking you to do something you can’t or don’t want to do.

What do you do?

You use the structures in place to your advantage. Our culture relies on subtlety. We’re expected to escalate our responses to problems proportionally. First a suggestion or request, then a gentle let down, followed by a firm No, concluding with an aggressive shutdown.

The usual first steps.

Here are some additional peach strategies you can use to counteract your colleague’s requests before they escalate.

Strategy #1: Confirm the ask completely

You’re on the clock.

You have to complete and file paperwork with the courthouse by a specific time. You’ve got a lot on your plate. And then it happens.

The request.

“Can you help me with a consult? I’ve got a problem with…”

Start by asking questions.

You:“I’m in the middle of finishing a contract that’s due today. Are you asking for help with something that has to be done today?”

Asking questions is the one thing many attorneys forget to do. But asking questions gives you the tools you need to protect your boundaries. You can…

• Forward their request to another colleague with similar experience
• Point them to new, different or specialized resources
• Schedule a time to help, once you’ve finished your work

When colleagues make a request, make it a habit to ask questions. A complete understanding of their request gives you the ammunition you need to find the appropriate No/redirect.

Strategy #2: Confirm the consequences with terms and conditions

When colleagues make a request they’re typically concerned with their side of things. It’s natural and understandable. But their request comes with consequences. These consequences are hooks you can use to say no.

Like this:

• I’m supposed to be getting X done. Did you want me to drop Y and focus on Z?
• I can help you if I have X, Y and Z by noon tomorrow. Can you get it to me by then?
• I’ll give this a shot. X could be a major barrier but I’d like to try and work around it.
• Would you give me two days to figure this out? There’s a lot to unpack here.
• I’m willing to help you with X. Would you be willing to take over Y for me instead?
• I can’t help with X but I know three people who can. Give me a day to reach out to them.

See what’s happening? You’ve shown colleagues you’re willing to try, open to helping them and struggling with real consequences of your own.

It legitimizes your No.

It’s an important must-have in peach cultures.

Saying No, an important but underdeveloped skill

How you say No matters.

It’s something most professionals struggle to do. They’re concerned about the ramifications of their No. Saying No doesn’t have to hurt the relationship between colleagues.

You just need the right No.

With the right approach and plenty of peachiness, you’ll have the skills you need to improve your relationships, all while saying No.

 

It’s impossible. There’s no way.

There’s no way to 2x, 5x or 10x your productivity. It’s absolutely impossible. That’s the approach many professionals take towards productivity.

It makes sense.

There’s a lot of generic advice online. Most of it isn’t practical. It’s often not clear what you’re supposed to do with the advice you receive. It’s no wonder then that productivity is a struggle for most.

Here’s the surprising truth.

Exponential productivity can be your default

This isn’t just you getting a little bit more done each day.

No.

I’m talking about a massive increase in productivity, 2x, 5x or 10x better than your performance on an ideal day where everything flows well.

Is that possible?

Not only is it possible, it’s something you can begin to accomplish in a few short weeks. Add the right ingredients, make the right choices and your productivity skyrockets naturally, automatically.

This sounds like nonsense.

No scratch that. This sounds like it’s too good to be true, which based on experience, means it is too good to be true. Here’s the reality. You can achieve exponential productivity because others have done it.

How’d they do it?

Step #1: Begin with Halt

What is halt and why should you care? Halt is something many of us choose to ignore. It’s an acronym that stands for hungry, angry, lonely or tired.

•  If you’re hungry you need to eat. Research shows thinking makes you hungry. Deep intellectual work stimulates an increase in appetite. This makes sense when you realize your brain consumes a whopping 20 percent of the energy you consume.

Research also shows that hunger, in the form of low blood sugar, leads to mental and emotional instability.

You’ll experience confusion, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and a plethora of negative side effects. If you want to win consistently, eat consistently.

•  What about anger? The scientific and medical literature validates this again and again and again. Stress, in the form of fear, anxiety and anger decreases your cognitive abilities. It affects your ability to concentrate, impacting working memory (recall + recognition), sensory processing functions, your ability to pay attention and more.
• Then there’s loneliness.  Dr. John Cacioppo states loneliness is actually like hunger. Loneliness raises the levels of stress hormones in the body. It destroys the quality and efficiency of sleep so it’s much less restorative. Lonely people sleep more but they get much less rest. Loneliness slowly erodes your ability to cope with stress. In addition to producing all of the same effects I mentioned above, it’s contagious.

What’s more horrifying about loneliness is that 1 in 4 people are struggling with it. Twenty-five percent of Americans said they had no one to confide in.

• What about when you’re tired? Research shows tired people are prone to overreacting. Researchers found activity levels in the amygdala were as much as 60 percent higher than levels in those who were rested. It’s difficult for the tired to concentrate. To focus. It increases (dangerous) risk taking behavior. It dramatically decreases cognitive function. It also makes you easy to manipulate.   

You see where I’m going with this right?

You already know all of this. You already know it’s important to eat, sleep, rest and have good relationships. The problem is, you’re under a tremendous amount of pressure to do otherwise.

Want to win?

To routinely outperform your peers? You have to fight this pressure. You have to make sure your needs are met. When they’re not met, you’re automatically underperforming. Neglect one of these areas and your performance suffers. Neglect two or more and your failure compounds.

Ignore these areas and you kill your ability to act on any of the other productivity strategies I’ve listed below.   

Step #2: Discover what focus actually is

Focus is defined as:

“The center of interest or activity“

If you’re like most people, you think this means you have to pay close attention to a very specific thing. If you’re focused on contracts, you have to exert a tremendous amount of willpower to force yourself to focus on drafting contracts.

This is miserable.

This approach to focus is dysfunctional. There’s a much healthier way to approach focus. When it’s viewed appropriately it produces peace, joy and yes, productivity. It’s starts with a question. What is focus?

Focus is the ability to say No.

And what are you doing when you say No? You’re creating a non-negotiable anchor point. If you’re focused on drafting a contract you should say No to…

•  Phone calls
•  Consults from other partners or associates
•  Visits from advice seekers
•  Emails, meetings and events
•  Matter management (administrative tasks and busy work)
•  Some good things and some bad things

This creates focus automatically.

You say Yes to the details that work with your focus (e.g. eating, sleeping, relaxing a bit, etc.) and you say No to details that take you away from your focus. You don’t have to say No ahead of time either. Just say No as you need to.

Focus is decision making.

It’s you drawing a line in the sand about the one thing that matters to you right now.

One thing.

Not three, or four, or ten.

One.

Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of us are terrible at multitasking. The scientific, experiential and anecdotal evidence all back this up.

Take a look.

Say No, to focus on one thing.

Here’s the problem. You have bosses, partners and clients. Nothing upsets them as much as hearing the word No. There are times when you need to use that word specifically or directly. What about the other times? When you need to let them down gently?

Get them to say No for you.

How?

Here’s how Adam Grant, Wharton professor and author of Give and Take, does it:

1. The deferral. I’m completely swamped right now. Would you follow up with me after 4:45 today?
2. The delay. Would it be alright if I did this after I finished here? The deadline for this contract is today. I don’t want to let [our client] down.
3. The introduction. I’m completely in the dark about these easement and environmental issues. Geoffrey is the in-house expert. Would it be alright for him to take the lead on this?
4. The bridge. Alison is already working on the brief for tomorrow. Should I reach out to her?
5. The relational account. If I do this for you I’d be letting [client] down. He was counting on me to finish drafting this contract by the end of business today.

Another simple solution?

Make yourself scarce. Find a private and quiet place to do your work where you won’t be disturbed. It sounds obvious until you realize how many attorneys aren’t doing this.

Want to focus? Learn to say No.

Step #3: Leverage those around you with 80/20

You know the 80/20 rule, right?

That roughly 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes? Yeah, that’s the one. This rule deserves your obsessive and undivided attention.

Here’s why.

Attorneys, on average, lose 6 hours daily to non-billable tasks. In fact, only 2.3 hours are spent on billable tasks. If you’re able to save an additional 2.3 hours, you double your incoming billables!

Think about that. 80/20 can save you.

How?

• Use legal practice management software to automate or semi-automate your administrative tasks.
• Outsource your work to people, apps or tools.
• Hire new, trustworthy law school graduates on a freelance basis. Have them handle your busy work at a lower rate.  This gives them the experience they desperately need, you get the work you need done.
• Use people and tools to screen out interruptions and undesirables (e.g. salespeople).

Focus 80 percent of your time and attention on the 20 percent that produces results. Make a consistent and systematic effort to remove yourself from non-essential tasks. Remove…

•  Busywork
•  Timewasters
•  Interruptions
•  Knowledge vampires
•  Freeloaders
•  Dysfunctional peers
•  and users…

From your professional life. Then, once they’re out, work to keep them out. Show support staff how to be an efficient gatekeeper.

Then focus.

If you’re looking to gain freedom, power, opportunity and rewards from your work, say No to what you don’t want.

Step #4: Resist the inevitable “labor creep”

Trouble is coming.

If you take the time to implement the first three strategies I’ve covered you’ll notice some interesting things.

First, things will get harder.

Your productivity will actually go down at first. Which is insane. Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of this article?

Not at all.

This is actually how things are supposed to be. This is the part most “life hacks” and productivity experts leave out. Change, in the short term, is uncomfortable and unpleasant.  

Why?

Your basal ganglia is to blame. Your habits, routines, rituals and traditions (repeatables) are formed in the basal ganglia, in your brain. We use this part of our brain to store our thoughts, memories and the functions we perform repeatedly. We reinforce these repeatables whenever we think, feel or behave as we did in the past.

When we make a change it’s physiologically painful.

Our brains are comfortable with the way things are. It’s not pleased with the fact that we’re trying to make a change. If you’re looking to overcome that you can (a.) make your productivity changes pleasant (e.g. with a reward) and (b.) structure them around a trigger and (c.) repeat them consistently.

Stick with it, and the payoff is enormous.

Second, If you’ve followed steps 1 – 4, you’ll begin to notice you have a newfound resource.

Time.

You’ll accomplish far more work in far less time. You’ll easily outperform your peers and partners. You’ll also have a large amount of free time on your hands. Here’s why that’s bad news. Your co-workers have a plan for your free time.

To claim it as their own.

You’ll suddenly be inundated with more requests from those around you. “Can you help me with this? What do you think about those briefs I sent you? Do you know where I can find these docs?“

You’ll need to rely on step #2.

You’ll need to protect your newfound free time. Focus, on saying No. At this point you’re faced with a choice. Determine what you’re going to do with your free time or watch as others decide for you.

You can…

• Use it to recoup and recharge
• Spend it with family and friends
• Use it to boost your career or earnings
• Build your career outside of your practice
• Work on projects and cases you choose

It’s completely up to you.

Step #5: Learn how to learn.

Have you learned how to learn?

Most professionals believe they can learn well. They made it through law school after all. And they’re right for the most part. But they don’t hold a candle to those who’ve learned how to learn.  These aren’t the same things.

I’ll explain.

Imagine being able to memorize long complex forms of data. To be able to triple or quadruple the amount of information you’re able to consume, learning four to five times faster and remember it all?

It sounds impossible doesn’t it?

And that’s the problem. Remember the Henry Ford quote? “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t -you’re right.” It’s the same with learning.

Your peers are suffering.

They’re suffering from digital dementia. That’s a technical term, believe it or not. It was coined by German neuroscientist, Manfred Spitzer in 2012. A large section of the developed world is struggling with digital dementia.

The suffering is real.

We’re experiencing a fundamental breakdown of cognitive abilities in a way that’s similar to people who have suffered a head injury or major psychiatric illness. Spitzer argues we’re all getting dumber.

Here’s how he explains it.

An overuse of digital technology results in the breakdown of cognitive abilities. Short-term memory pathways will start to deteriorate from underuse if we overuse technology.

We’ve lost the ability to make simple calculations in our head. The ability to remember phone numbers like we used to when we were young. We don’t learn as fast as we used to. And we tell ourselves a story (e.g. we’re getting old) as a way to explain it away.

But it’s not true.

How do I know? Jim Kwik. Kwik was once known as the boy with the “broken brain.” After a childhood accident left him struggling in school, he learned how to trick his brain to overcome mental limitations.

He’s defied what’s possible.

He’s able to learn 10x faster than top performers, memorizing (and recalling) long and complex pieces of information. He’s taken his “broken brain” and he’s turned it into a super power. A tool he uses to dramatically outperform those around him.

Here’s how he does it.

Want to win?

To permanently surpass your co-workers, peers and those around you? Learn how to learn. Do it and you’ll be able to out learn, out think and outperform your peers. You’ll have the training you need to use your mind the way you’ve always wanted to.

Exponential productivity is your default…

If you’re properly trained.

It seems impossible but, as we’ve seen, it really isn’t. It’s possible to 2x, 5x or even 10x your productivity. A massive increase in productivity can be simple and enjoyable, if you have training and a plan to follow. Add the right ingredients, make the right choices and the productivity at your practice will skyrocket.

Sounds too good to be true.

It’s all true, if you follow the steps I’ve outlined. Do the work, learn to learn and you’ll have everything you need to boost your productivity to legendary levels.

A disorganized attorney was a must-have.

That’s the mantra many firms used to subscribe to. For a long time, a disorganized lawyer was a good lawyer. It was seen by many as a sign of a brilliant, scatterbrained professional.

Not anymore.

These days disorganization is seen for what it is. A liability and expense for the firm. Research shows that the top performing attorneys are organized and lethally efficient.

Why does that matter?

Organized attorneys defeat the disorganized

An attorney that’s organized is one that’s difficult to keep up with. They routinely outperform those they compete with. They’re able to achieve far more than the average attorney, simply because they’re organized.

On the other hand disorganized attorneys…

• Miss deadlines.
• Ask for extensions.
• Lose documents.
• Fill documents out incorrectly.
• Ask clients to repeat tasks.
• Display poor attention to detail.

Here’s the problem with all of this.

They know.

These disorganized attorneys know their behavior is a problem. When they let their co-workers down they’re embarrassed and ashamed.

They don’t want to talk about it.

Because shame tells them to hide. This creates a serious problem for firms. Attorneys are highly educated professionals. Any attempts to help them manage simple or routine behaviors will be seen as patronizing.

How do you change the situation?

Is there anything you can do to get the results you’re looking for in your firm? What happens if these disorganized attorneys resist your attempts to help?

Step #1: Begin with the end in mind

This starts from day one.

If you’re responsible for hiring associates at your law firm it’s a good idea to look for people that meet all of the criteria you’ve set out (e.g. experience, values, character, track record, etc.).

There’s more.

It’s common for many firms to neglect several other key areas. I’m talking about personality. You need a clear way to assess prospective attorneys. You’ll need to identify where they fall on the big five personality traits.

1. Openness is a trait that governs curiosity, variety, aesthetic sensitivity and a variety of other sub-traits. Professionals who are higher in trait openness tend to be more intelligent, curious and more interested in answers to their questions.
2. Conscientiousness is the personality trait that describes caution or vigilance. It trends towards orderliness (e.g. everything in its proper place, traditionalism, etc.) which is idea for organization, or industriousness (e.g. achievers, utilitarians) which often describes ambitious people.
3. Extraversion is something most of us are familiar with. It’s a trait that defines extraversion, ambiversion and introversion.
4. Agreeableness describes qualities that are generally perceived as kind, sympathetic, cooperative, warm and considerate. Agreeableness refers to sub-traits like altruism, compliance, modesty, straightforwardness, and tender-mindedness and trust. The higher you are in agreeableness, the easier you are to get along with.
5. Neuroticism refers to emotional stability. Individuals who score high on neuroticism tend to experience a greater amount of anxiety, worry, fear, anger, frustration and other negative emotions. They’re also at risk for a variety of mental disorders.

Why does this matter?

You’ll need to choose the right people at your firm. If you’re looking to help your colleagues, employees improve their organizational skills, you’ll need to know two things.

1. Who you’re dealing with which tells you…
2. How to approach them.

For best results, your approach should be tailored to the individual.

What does that mean exactly?

• Attorneys who score higher on neuroticism will need more reassurance than other attorneys.
• Those who score high on openness typically have lots of questions, which will require more patience from you.
• Conscientious attorneys who are orderly, “get it” already. If they’re not organized something is wrong. You need to find out why.
• Attorneys who are industrious are ambitious and eager to work. Positioning is key here. Frame the discussion about their organization skills from the standpoint of promotion. If they’re organized they’ll get better results, which means faster promotion.

See what I mean?

A one-size fits all approach won’t work here. You’ll need to meet your colleagues where they are. It’s the only way you’ll be able to move them to where you’d like them to go.

Which means you’re ready for…

Step #2: Ownership or they’re out

Many firms tyrannize their staff.

They lay out a set of demands. Then, they brutally enforce those demands, punishing anyone that fails to measure up. They lambast unhappy attorneys with instructions to “get over it.”

Here’s the problem.

This takes law firms further away from their ultimate goal. To win. There’s always a threat to your organization. Another attorney that’s willing to run themselves into the ground to steal business from your firm. Headhunters looking to poach your star associates.

You’re under attack. (Whether you realize it or not.)

The good news? You’re strong, you’ve made it through law school, through work at a firm. You push through the daily grind of getting things done.

You had a gift.

Ownership. You took ownership of your path in life. You went after your goals. You’re doing what needs to be done. Others depend on you.

Give your team ownership.

When a new employee (regardless of role) joins the team, require them to own their choices and the path they follow. You might be wondering, “How am I supposed to do that?“

With an individual development plan.

The individual development plan is a plan your employees create. In their plan, they lay out the work and results they plan on accomplishing, with guidance from you, for the upcoming year.  You establish a few non-negotiables (e.g. results should be quantifiable, meet a minimum standard, must challenge them, etc.).

They create the plan.

Then, both of you choose the consequences. What happens if they meet or exceed the plan? What happens if they fail to meet most of the criteria in the plan? You go over it with them, then once you both agree on the ins and outs of the plan, they get to work.

At the end of the quarter/year, you reassess.

The consequences take their course. For example, if they fail to meet 50 percent of the items in their plan they’re fired.  Why do it this way?

There are three modes of relationship.

• Tyrant. You do what I say, when I say, how I say, or else.
• Slave. I’ll do whatever you want just don’t leave/fire me, please!
• Negotiator. Let’s find a win/win scenario. Here’s what I need. What do you need?

A few firms operate as tyrants. They enslave their employees, making it difficult to attract and retain A player associates. The first two options obviously aren’t ideal. What about negotiating?

Here’s the thing with negotiators.

Many firms avoid negotiating because they feel they’ll lose their power. That their attorneys will walk all over them. Which isn’t true. If you’ve allowed attorneys to walk over you, you’ve become a slave.

Don’t want that to happen?

Make sure your firm has good boundaries. Know what you’re willing and not willing to accept. Then follow through.

Step #3: Make organization automatic

Make it easy to win.

Create the right systems and procedures for your firm. Add the right software tools to minimize busy work and manual entry. Use the right behavioral models to automate the behavior you want from your team.

It’s hard work, at first.

But the work is front loaded. Once you’ve laid the foundation, organization is simple. Use task management tools and workflows.

It’s tough for everyone at first but it’s absolutely worth it. Why? Easy gets done. The easier it is for your employees to do what you’d like them to do, the more likely they are to do it.

How?

1. Find the right motivator. We’re motivated by two things pain or pleasure. Use both and you’ll maximize the results you receive.
2. Give staff the ability. Make sure your colleagues (a.) understand what you’re asking (b.) know how to do what you’re asking and (c.) are willing to do what you’re asking.
3. Create triggers to activate behavior. When X happens, I do Y. When clients ask for A, I send them B. Don’t overwhelm staff with a massive set of rules. Just offer the trigger at key decision points.

Lay your expectations out ahead of time.

Then, give your team the education, tools and resources they need to make those things happen. Do it well and you’ll help your colleagues improve their organizational skills, without patronizing them.

An organized attorney is a must-have

That’s the mantra your firm needs to win. The legal landscape is hyper competitive and fierce. You’ll need every advantage if your firm will survive. A disorganized lawyer isn’t the telltale sign of a brilliant, scatterbrained professional.

It’s a sign of failure.

These days disorganization is seen for what it is. A liability, a major expense for the firm. A player attorneys are organized and lethally efficient. Share the secrets of organization with your teammates and you’ll find your firm is the must-have clients need.

 

Most attorneys are competitive.

They want to win. As it turns out, there’s a subtle strategy you can use to beat your competitors. This strategy compounds rapidly, paying huge dividends over time. It’s a strategy you can use to beat internal and external competitors.

I’m talking about continuing education.

Education enables you to find creative and innovative strategies for each of the problems your clients face. Most attorneys do their best to stay up-to-date. Most aren’t sure who to turn to for the data they need.

It’s not their fault.

As a result, many attorneys struggle to achieve the results and outcomes they want.

You deserve better.

Here’s a list of legal blogs and publications you can use to win.

Take a look.

Federal and state legislation and regulations

1. Congress.gov and GovTrack.us for proposed, pending and recently enacted federal legislation
2. OpenStates.org for proposed, pending and recently enacted state legislation
3. FederalRegister.gov for proposed/final regulations
4. USA.gov for regulatory data from specific federal agencies
5. NCSL.org a resource for tracking states’ proposed, pending or final rules

General

1. The ABA Journal Blawg Directory, a comprehensive listing of more than 4,500 legal blogs broken down by practice area. If you’re looking for a specific practice area that’s not covered in this post this is a great place to start.
2. The In-House Blog focuses on the issues that come with in-house legal jobs. They include helpful posts like “how to get promoted, salary surveys, what it’s like to go in-house” and more.
3. beSpacific provides a searchable database of more than 44,000 posts on a variety of subjects including: federal documents, privacy, law and technology, intellectual property, energy, the economy, tech related litigation and libraries.
4. Above the Law takes a behind-the-scenes look at the world of law. The site provides news and insights about the profession’s most colorful personalities and powerful institutions, as well as original commentary on breaking legal developments.
5. Law 360, a LexisNexis company, covers all things legal.  It’s touted as a one-stop source for legal news and analysis. It’s comprehensive, timely and detailed, covering a wide variety of practice areas and industries.

Litigation

1. LexBlog is a worldwide publishing network that has over 25,000 bloggers within their network. Half of the nearly 1,000 blogs from the United States’ top 200 law firms. They have a variety of channels including civil litigation and class action and mass torts. firms.
2. The Red Well is an aggregator that covers litigation, persuasion and advocacy.
3. The Jury Expert, a publication that’s focused on litigation advocacy.
4. JHA.com is written by Joseph Hage Aaronson, a New York attorney who specializes in commercial litigation and arbitration.
5. JAMS, is one of the largest private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) providers in the world.  Their publication covers mediation, arbitration and ADR. Their panel of experts includes 350 retired judges, attorneys and employee associates.
6. The MassTort litigation blog covers mass tort and civil litigation issues from the perspective of several law professors.
7. Innovative Science Solutions covers litigation topics focusing specifically on scientific subjects (e.g. how much caffeine is safe to ingest?)
8. Settlement Perspectives offers a vast amount of helpful information on structuring and negotiating settlements, with practical advice on negotiating.
9. Minc Law describes itself as the nation’s #1 internet defamation law firm. They provide helpful information on defamation oriented litigation topics. Their blog and legal resource center is a consumer-facing resource for topics like extortion, blackmail, reputation management and more.

Intellectual property

1. Patently O is the nation’s leading patent law blog. It’s published by two authors: Dennis Crouch, associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Law and Jason Rantanen Professor, University of Iowa College of Law.
2. IP Newsflash offers current and trending news related to patents, trademarks and other intellectual property issues.
3. Law 360, a LexisNexis company, has a vibrant section on intellectual property law. This content is hidden behind a subscription/pay wall but it’s worth it. Payment creates obligation and that means readers are far more likely to get value out of it.
4. IP Watch is a non-profit news source that’s focused exclusively on intellectual property law from an international perspective.
5. Patent Docs is a publication that focuses on patents primarily as well as other forms of intellectual property. Patent Docs is written by patent attorneys and agents, many of whom hold doctorates in a diverse array of disciplines.
6. JD Supra provides intellectual property law updates, alerts, news, and legal analysis from leading lawyers and law firms.
7. Trademark and copyright law blog is published by Foley and Hoag LLP. This site offers fresh perspectives on legal developments including trademarks, copyrights, domain disputes, unfair competition and more.
8. Foss patents covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers).
9. Trading Secrets covers trade secrets and non-competes. If protecting trade secrets is part of your responsibility Trade Secrets is for you.
10. Trade Secrets Watch offers the latest in trade secret news and analysis from the US and across the globe.

Criminal law

1. Crime and consequences is sponsored by the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, covering all aspects of criminal law across the country.
2. The ABA’s Criminal Justice Magazine is intended for a national audience of defense lawyers, prosecutors, judges, academics, and other criminal justice professionals with a focus on the practice and policy issues of the criminal justice system.
3. Bankruptcy Beat, a subscription only service/publication offered exclusively by the Wall Street Journal
4. Finance & Bankruptcy Law Blog offers trending news, advice, tips and strategies presented specifically for financial institutions. This site is published by Sheppard Mullin, a 480-attorney law firm with offices in California, New York, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
5. Bankruptcy-RealEstate-Insights.com is published by Vicki R. Harding. She handles commercial transactions with an emphasis on real estate and bankruptcy issues.

Employment law

1. BT Currents  is managed by the attorneys in Barnes & Thornburg’s Labor & Employment Law Department. It’s designed to be your resource on employment law developments across the country.
2. Orrick employment law and litigation and the equal pay pulse covers various aspects of employment law developments across the country and internationally.
3. Employment law worldview is published by Squire, Patton Boggs. They aim to provide attorneys with a unique global insight into the practical and legal HR issues relevant to employers.
4. Employment and Labor Insider, published by Robin Shea, covers employment litigation, including Title VII and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (including the Amendments Act).
5. Screw You Guys, I’m Going Home covers employment law from an employee perspective. It’s irreverent and brash outlining “What You Need To Know Before You Scream ‘I Quit,’ Get Fired, Or Decide to Sue the Bastards.“

Legal tech

1. Giga Tech is a publication from the GigaLaw Firm. This publication covers technology law with an emphasis on cybersquatting, counterfeiters and intellectual property law.
2. Future Lawyer is published by attorney Richard “Rick” M. Georges. He discusses the technology of today and tomorrow—with a legal spin.

Contracts

1. Adams on Contract Drafting. This blog is written by Ken Adams, a leading authority on the building blocks of contract language and contract automation.
2. The contracts guy focuses on contract law with an emphasis on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts.
3. Bryan Garner on Words is an ABA columnist who focuses on helping attorneys improve their legal writing skills. He also runs the blog LawProse.

Here’s the thing about this list.

It’s not comprehensive. There’s also no reason for you to read every single blog on this list. It’s meant to be used as a reference. Identify the blogs that work for you, in your practice areas.

Save what’s useful.

Don’t see your practice areas on the list? Head to the sites listed in the general category. Feeling overwhelmed or unsure about where to start?

Just click one link.

Don’t enjoy reading these? You can listen to these blogs using helpful plugins and apps like Voice Aloud or Read Aloud.

You’re a professional. You’re incredibly busy.

Staying up-to-date is a superpower. It’s a helpful way to open doors. Feel you have a significant amount to say? Guest post on other noteworthy publications to build powerful relationships and raise your profile.

Need advice on a particular problem?

Search through blogs in your practice area for specific strategies, tactics and advice you can use. If you want to surpass the attorneys inside and outside your firm you need more knowledge. Blogs are an informal way for you to get ahead. To win, to stand on the shoulders of giants.

Make education a consistent part of your routine and you may become an industry giant yourself.