how to accomplish change in a law firm – and make those efficiency improvements...

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How to accomplish change in a law firm – and make those efficiency

improvements happen

Thursday, July 28, 2016 | 12:00 Noon, Eastern (30 minutes)

http://ambar.org/LPMKnowledge www.kmwebinars.org 2

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Faculty •  Jack Bostelman, Moderator

!  President, KM/JD Consulting LLC, San Francisco !  Former partner, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

[email protected]

•  Anne E. Collier !  Founder & Professional Certified Coach, Arudia. Washington, DC

[email protected] !  Expertise:

•  Dr. Larry Richard !  Founder and Principal Consultant, LawyerBrain LLC. Wayne, PA

[email protected] !  Expertise:

•  Leadership development & coaching •  Team development & transforming behavior •  Personal branding & bus dev coaching •  Associate onboarding retention/engagement

•  Personality assessments & 360° feedback •  Keynote & retreat presentations •  Meeting/conversation facilitation •  Communication/management programs

•  Change Management & Leadership training •  Programs to build lawyer resilience •  Associate retention/engagement programs •  Keynotes & retreat presentations

•  Providing 360° or personality feedback •  Repairing dysfunctional behavior •  Selecting & motivating talent •  Building teamwork & motivation


What we will cover today


How to effect change in a law firm

•  Why law firms are change-resistant environments – the teachings of behavioral science

•  How to use this understanding to overcome lawyers’ resistance

•  Communication techniques for gaining buy-in and cooperation from lawyers

•  Illustrated through a scenario – a checklists project


Behavioral science


Agenda: How to get lawyers to change

•  What not to do

•  3 quick tips

•  The role of personality

•  Win-Win conversation skills

•  Coaching skills

•  Apply


What not to do

•  Didactic approach

•  Coercive approach

•  Incentivizing approach


Why not be didactic?


Why not be coercive?


Why not “incentivize”?


3 Quick tips

1.  Influence early, not at the last minute

2.  Use multiple interventions

3.  Rely on “social proof”

•  For 17 additional tips, see “Accountability 101” at www.lawyerbrainblog.com


Influence early


Mindset: Be patient


Use multiple interventions


Mindset: Be patient


Rely on “social proof”


Help the risk averse


Communication strategies to address lawyer resistance


How to persuade

Recognize The Need To Collaborate


Guidelines for overcoming resistance

Build the relationship

Trust and follow your instincts

Don’t make assumptions; ask

Notice what’s unsaid Don’t step over it


Don’t be on send


Create a Win-Win conversation


Distinguish between goal and strategy


When there is a resistance, avoid blame

Win-Lose Blame

Win-Win Awareness

Self Others


Be self-aware


Recognize that .. .

NO


Opportunity for becoming more . . .

AWARE OF OTHERS


Means recognizing that “no” is . . .

Request for

more information


Coaching model


Use coaching to gain support

Open-ended

questions



Insights Open-ended

questions


80/20 Rule


Mindset: Curious not judgmental


Article with scenario

•  The Tortoise and The Hare •  See http://www.lawpracticetoday.org/article/the-

tortoise-and-the-hare-how-your-preferences-for-change-affect-the-success-of-your-firm/


Scenario to illustrate behavioral and communications tactics


Scenario – a checklists project

•  M&A chair Terry launches a checklists project

•  Partner Jamie, the most senior in the group, strongly objects because !  Lawyers already know how to do deals !  Creating checklists will take time away from billable

work !  The checklist may omit something important !  Malpractice liability risk increases if the checklist isn’t

followed !  The firm will be embarrassed if word gets out they use

checklists to practice law


Scenario – a checklists project (cont’d)

•  Lateral partner Bailey !  supports the checklists project, but !  complains that much more needs to be done to

become more efficient and improve quality, such as matter profiling and other knowledge management initiatives

•  M&A chair Terry struggles to reconcile these two very different reactions and make forward progress


The role of personality

The 6 lawyer traits that are outliers:

•  High autonomy

•  High skepticism

•  High abstract reasoning

•  High urgency

•  Low sociability

•  Low resilience


High autonomy



Insights Open-ended

questions


Transform your advice into suggestions


And, here’s how . . .

Have you thought about trying Strategy A?

When I was in your situation, I tried Strategy A and it worked

Another option is to . . .

I have seen Strategy A work for others


High skepticism


Stay curious

Hmm . . . what’s in here?


Use questions to gain support

Insights Open-ended

questions


Ask “coaching questions" to reduce resistance

Clarify action to remove obstacles

Explore resource needs

State support

Acknowledge feelings and needs


High abstract reasoning


Distinguish facts from analysis

Notice what is purely factual Notice the embedded judgments

WHAT IS MAKING IT MEAN?



Insights Open-ended

questions


High urgency


Show that you understand


Focus on taking steps

COACHINGNEXT STEPS

107



Insights Open-ended

questions


Low sociability


Small talk


Avoid small talk


Win-Win conversation

FOCUS ON COLLEAGUE’S

GOALS


Win-Win conversation

FOCUS ON MUTUAL GOALS


Low resilience


Avoid digressions to blame


Use neutral, non-judgmental statements

Just the facts Like a movie camera Avoid judgment Be concise

“Just the facts, ma’am”


Transform your advice into suggestions


Next steps for you

•  E-mail any of us with questions !  E-mail addresses on slide #3

•  Review our archives and view past webinars •  www.kmwebinars.org/past-webinars

•  Register for new webinars when our schedule for the Fall is announced


Next steps for you (cont’d)

•  Tell your colleagues to listen to the archive of today’s webinar !  E-mail tomorrow will contain link, or go to www.kmwebinars.org !  The e-mail will also contain a link to these slides

•  Join our ABA Knowledge Strategy Interest Group !  For ABA members, $50/year with first year free using this link

(also in tomorrow’s e-mail): http://shop.americanbar.org/eBus/TargetedJoin.aspx?TJoin=Y&committeeId=&productId=110262&ReturnUrl=http://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice.html&Promo=DEP15EDIV2

!  For non-ABA members, follow this link to learn about ABA membership benefits and dues http://www.americanbar.org/membership/benefits_membership.html


Other benefits of joining our Group

•  Members can access our two white papers !  “Top 10 Knowledge Strategies for Larger

Firms” (57 pages), summary available at http://apps.americanbar.org/dch/committee.cfm?com=EP113332

!  “Top 10 Knowledge Strategies for Solo and Smaller Firms” (44 pages), summary available at http://apps.americanbar.org/dch/committee.cfm?com=EP113333

•  You must join our Group to access the full white papers


About Us


About Knowledge Strategy Group

•  Our Group focuses on how lawyers within firms share what they know about !  client work !  clients !  markets for their services !  their firms as businesses

•  We emphasize a knowledge strategy approach, which means starting with people, process and firm leadership, not technology


About Knowledge Strategy Group (cont’d)

•  We seek to !  promote awareness among firm leaders about the

benefits of knowledge strategy !  facilitate exchanges of ideas among lawyers who are

already involved !  educate practicing lawyers who are new to the subject

how to accomplish change in a law firm – and make those efficiency improvements...

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