Law firms are often comprised of three generations of personnel. We best serve our clients needs when, rather than assuming generational stereotypes, we use our personal knowledge of each other's personality types and individual experiences to collaborate on projects and provide feedback. This intergenerational communication is the best way to get the most out of each other and promote an inclusive and thriving culture. You can read more about the importance of communicating across generations in my new article in DRI's For the Defense, "Encouraging Words: Feedback, Communication, and Intergenerational Collaboration."
My basement was kind of a disaster. Boxes haphazardly strewn about. Tools and equipment that had not been organized in the last 18 months, despite the best of intentions. Kids toys that had been played with and discarded. A pile of things to take to the landfill. So after months of trying not to notice the mess, I picked up and organized the basement. Now I have a tidy basement. But if I just focus on the result that now I have a clean and well-organized basement, I will turn around in a few months to discover it has devolved...
A few weeks ago, Curt Runger of Attorney Mentors sent me a text message saying that he had been seeing my posts on LinkedIn and that if I would do one thing differently, LinkedIn's algorithm would like me better and increase my visibility. I've known Curt for a while now and trust that when he tells me something, he knows what he's talking about. So I implemented the change. Over the past three years, I have never had particularly good results from sharing my blog posts on LinkedIn. Usually about 140 folks see the post on LinkedIn and a few...
I am near-sighted, which is really only useful for tying knots with fishing line or doing anything else that can be done within 18 inches of my face. I didn’t always know I was near-sighted. It wasn’t until I started driving that we discovered it. My mother was riding with me while I had my learner’s permit. She abruptly turned to me and asked, “Why didn’t you stop at that stop sign?” I replied earnestly, “What stop sign?” She didn’t miss a beat before announcing, “We are going to make you an eye appointment.” It wasn’t until I walked out...
Jake and Paul of the Lawsome Podcast had me back on their weekly show. In addition to discussing my new book, Stop Putting Out Fires, we talked about a variety of topics that included the stress relief of yard work, communication skills, the Enneagram, and law practice management. You can find the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or you can check out the webpage for the interview for an exhaustive list of other places the episode can be found. I last appeared on the Lawsome Podcast in August 2018 to talk about Building a Better Law Practice.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve written a good bit about the importance of lawyers engaging and exploring their creativity. In fact, I've gone so far as to say that when we take time away from work to devote to family, hobbies, and exercise, we will be better lawyers. I can’t understate the importance of using all our gifts, rather than suppressing them for the sake of the billable hour. Your creative expression may take the form of cooking, writing, photography, knitting, or singing; whatever it is, do not forsake it. For a decade, through high school and into...
In early November of 2018, I finalized my 2019 goals. I committed them to paper in the moleskin notebook that I've carried everywhere since August of 2016. But before we jump into talking about 2019, I want to give you evidence that setting goals matters. Looking to the past for evidence of success When I bought my moleskin notebook, two of my earliest entries pertained to goals for my law practice for 2017 and goals for this blog for the last five months of 2016 and for 2017. I had launched the blog in June 2016, and up until August,...
In March 2019, The Alabama Lawyer published my article “Law Firm Marketing Myths.” In the article there are three marketing myths prevalent among lawyers and firms. Marketing means telling people how great you areMarketing is for extroverts“Just do great work” as a core marketing strategy You can find the article here, “Law Firm Marketing Myths.”
Much is made of coaching trees that derive from assistant coaches who have worked for prominent head coaches. The success or failure of the coaches that branch out after having worked under a particular head coach can bear significantly on the legacy of the head coach. Consider the former coach of the Green Bay Packers, Mike Holmgren. Two well regarded head coaches were once assistants under Holmgren: Andy Reid and Jon Gruden. Reid's teams are perennial playoff contenders, and Gruden has won a Super Bowl. Each of those guys also has a coaching tree. John Harbaugh, Ron Rivera, and Doug...
Five Mile Creek is stalked by a yellow crowned night heron. Every morning she fishes there for crawfish, wading its waters looking for a good spot. One morning, I took my camera so I could watch her more closely. This is what I saw. The heron perched on a submerged rock and waited, watching. For long minutes, she stood motionless. Water bugs and leaves floated past her. A school of minnows swam by. Still she stood there, statuesque. Abruptly, she plunged her head through the surface of the creek. Just as quickly she pulled herself upright with a crawfish wriggling...
