Decision-making is a key component of most leadership positions. Yet it can often be the leader’s greatest weakness, especially if they believe their job is to have all of the answers. This is particularly true of law firm leaders, who might believe the whole purpose of their role is to make those calls. Ultimately, a leader must make decisions, but great decision-making is actually a process, not a single event.
Here are some suggestions for a stronger decision-making process for your firm.
- Start with a pathway. I want to disavow law firm leaders of the belief that they can lead without first stating a direction for the firm. Leading implies movement toward something. If we don’t know what we are supposed to be moving toward, how can we assess the value of that action, and that leadership? The entire process must therefore begin with creating a clear vision for the firm to identify purpose and goals. The establishment of goals makes leading so much easier because decisions either support the firm’s goals, or don’t. For example, if the question was whether or not to start a new practice group, I would ask the firm what they are trying to achieve. Is it to hold onto a practitioner by creating an area they enjoy? Is it to expand our relevance to our client base (and if so, is this the right or only way to do it?) Is it to increase our revenue and if so, do we have a business case for how this move will do that? To often, decisions are made based on tolerance for action instead of being based on business goals and strategy. Know where you are aiming (and why) before you fire.
- Consider level of importance. How important will this decision be in the big picture. Is this a small decision that will have very little long-term impact on the firm? Is this a decision that will heavily impact one or two key constituents or practice groups int the firm? Or does this decision have ongoing consequences for all of the firm? The amount of consideration, research, debate and the entire decision-making process should be guided by the level of importance and impact of the decision itself. Another way to consider level of importance of a decision is to ask: what would happen if we got this wrong?
- Problem-solve. For critical decisions, I also encourage firms to take this line of thought further and consider ways that the results of this decision could go sideways, and to strategize solutions for various possible negative outcomes. Create (meaning document) realistic contingencies for each scenario. I would go so far as to pre-commit what the firm would do in each situation. For example, what if we create this practice group for this particular lawyer, and then he leaves the firm after six months?
- Consider issues more broadly. When you are considering issues and possible solutions, try not to cling to your current belief systems. During Covid, people where pretty polarized over the value of masks. But post-Covid research in America found that mask mandates reduced weekly cases by 55, admissions by 11, and deaths by 0.7 per 100,000 citizens. So Florida, which never instituted a mask mandate, unfortunately lost some 89,000 citizens to Covid. What are the belief systems you are holding around an issue and how they could potentially hurt the firm? Are you making assumptions that might not hold up? Think of the possible variables: a change in the economy or political climate, a critical departure from the firm, a problem with IT, etc. Ask yourself: what would have to change for this decision to need to be different?
- Involve more people. The best leaders seek out advice and opinion. It’s not that they aren’t capable of figuring this out themselves. It’s that they want to ensure that they have obtained broader and perhaps even professional perspective (so they can assure their constituents they have done so), and so that they can increase buy-in by members of the firm for implementation.
Like most things, doing this well takes more time than doing it poorly. Decision-making is an important part of the role for most law firm leaders, but that doesn’t mean they are expected to make them by gut feel. Important decisions benefit from a broader process, and tend to lead to better, long-standing results, and increase trust and buy-in of firm members. Which supports the real purpose of a leader, which I believe is to be a trusted caretaker of the firm and its best interests.
Heather Gray-Grant is a business strategist, marketing expert and executive coach for law firms, lawyers and administrators. She can be reached at heather@heathergraygrant.com