It doesn’t matter how much money the professions spend on programs to keep their people – good people are still leaving in droves. We need a change of strategy. Professional services attrition rates are atrocious, in two ways. First, far too many professionals leave a firm before or in the early stages of partnership. For [...]
Professionals might not think that high school debaters could teach them anything, but parents know that often, some of our greatest lessons can come from those much younger than us. This past weekend I served as a judge for the Provincial High School Debating Championship, called the Law Foundation Cup. Stakes were high as the [...]
When we propose a strong solution to a commonly agreed upon issue in our firm, it can be a shock to then be faced with resistance to that solution. But a little pushback can be a very good thing. If you’ve ever been to a massage therapist after an injury, you’ve probably experienced the magic of [...]
We know in our gut when we need to make a change; but we don’t always have the guts to make that change. This post offers words of advice for those who need to embrace change. A large component of my executive coaching practice is working with highly intelligent, capable professionals on identifying and overcoming [...]
Lawyer attrition is a reality of our industry. Unfortunately, so is a significant lateral hire failure rate. It doesn’t need to be. There are simply, effective ways to protect your investment. A 2013 American Lawyer/LexisNexis survey found that over 70% of respondents identified lateral hires as part of their talent management strategy over the coming [...]
At this time of year, many of us resolve to make improvements in our life by doing things differently. But determining what actions to take and having the resolve to stick with those actions can be challenging. A coaching tool called “the Mentors’ Corner” can help. People hate change, even when we know it’s good for [...]
I thought I’d start the New Year with a case study and lessons learned. Those who have followed this blog had read countless articles here on the importance of strategic planning, strong implementation, results reporting and analysis. Some readers might not be aware of this but 2014 was actually the first year of my consulting [...]
My last post of the year focuses on how to feel greater personal accomplishment in a way that can also profoundly and positively affect the life of everyone around you. We consider success the achievement of certain goals. Those goals vary, but society tends to assess our success based on financial goals. These are gauged [...]
In the month of December, a professional’s mind often turns to frustration over the lack of accomplishment in the current year, and the desire to be more productive in the New Year. But wishing it better isn’t enough, so here are Heather’s rules for getting more done in life. I’ve been coaching professionals for over [...]
Earlier this year, surprisingly inspirational blogger James Clear made a connection between Sir Isaac Newton’s Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy and the principles of getting things done. With huge kudos to James for the original content, I’ll now translate for law firms. Newton published the three books that comprise this work between 1687 and 1726. The [...]