Page 151 - MASTER COPY LEADERS BOOK 9editedJKK (24)_Neat
P. 151
Leaders in Legal Business
Working with the Florida State Bar and its task forces into the future has immersed me in the disruptive
technologies and impact of social media on the legal profession. We have long had important traditions, but
external changes are coming at us like bombs in a video game. I seek permission and often am allowed to offer
some catalytic information about these changes in order to open the minds of those with whom I am working to
get them thinking about how they might strategically prepare for a changing future.
The greatest challenge in advising law firm clients about the future and social media is that the changes
are happening so fast. I keep finding myself saying, “Well, that was true two years ago…” For example, does each
lawyer need to have a profile on LinkedIn? Five years ago, “no.” Two years ago, “maybe.” Now, “yes.”
We recently sent some information to some senior litigator clients on an Excel worksheet. We were
politely reminded that Excel would be a little difficult for most of them, and we should use Word instead. In
essence, we were reminded that many lawyers even in the most sophisticated firms are technologically illiterate.
I am not making this up. The challenge, therefore, is to help lawyers in a gentle and empathetic way to see ahead
of the bow of their ship so that they can contemplate their future transcending what most lawyers have on their
minds today.
The Law Firms that Motivate Consultants
The most exciting law firms to work with have some or many of the following attributes: 1) they have
leaders that are willing to lead and are not simply trying to avoid criticism from those who elected them; 2) they
are imaginative, and delight in thinking of new practice areas and industry configurations aligned to the changing
needs of their marketplaces; and 3) they try. It is impossible to help an athlete who remains slumped in a chair…
The athlete has to try and try again and again. This affords a good consultant the opportunity to fine-tune the
performance and help the athlete attain great results. Lawyers are athletes, too…
An Acknowledgment to the Sophisticated
Many of the largest firms in the world, including those founded in the United Kingdom, have
extraordinary internal management resources and deploy them brilliantly. In fact, my own view is that it is because
of them that the legal profession has to raise its game and become far more sophisticated in a great hurry. I have
the privilege of serving some of these amazing firms, and I'm very grateful to them for allowing me to help, but
also for what I learn from them in the process.
144
Working with the Florida State Bar and its task forces into the future has immersed me in the disruptive
technologies and impact of social media on the legal profession. We have long had important traditions, but
external changes are coming at us like bombs in a video game. I seek permission and often am allowed to offer
some catalytic information about these changes in order to open the minds of those with whom I am working to
get them thinking about how they might strategically prepare for a changing future.
The greatest challenge in advising law firm clients about the future and social media is that the changes
are happening so fast. I keep finding myself saying, “Well, that was true two years ago…” For example, does each
lawyer need to have a profile on LinkedIn? Five years ago, “no.” Two years ago, “maybe.” Now, “yes.”
We recently sent some information to some senior litigator clients on an Excel worksheet. We were
politely reminded that Excel would be a little difficult for most of them, and we should use Word instead. In
essence, we were reminded that many lawyers even in the most sophisticated firms are technologically illiterate.
I am not making this up. The challenge, therefore, is to help lawyers in a gentle and empathetic way to see ahead
of the bow of their ship so that they can contemplate their future transcending what most lawyers have on their
minds today.
The Law Firms that Motivate Consultants
The most exciting law firms to work with have some or many of the following attributes: 1) they have
leaders that are willing to lead and are not simply trying to avoid criticism from those who elected them; 2) they
are imaginative, and delight in thinking of new practice areas and industry configurations aligned to the changing
needs of their marketplaces; and 3) they try. It is impossible to help an athlete who remains slumped in a chair…
The athlete has to try and try again and again. This affords a good consultant the opportunity to fine-tune the
performance and help the athlete attain great results. Lawyers are athletes, too…
An Acknowledgment to the Sophisticated
Many of the largest firms in the world, including those founded in the United Kingdom, have
extraordinary internal management resources and deploy them brilliantly. In fact, my own view is that it is because
of them that the legal profession has to raise its game and become far more sophisticated in a great hurry. I have
the privilege of serving some of these amazing firms, and I'm very grateful to them for allowing me to help, but
also for what I learn from them in the process.
144
