http://www.patrickmckenna.com/blog
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Post # 961 Don't Miss Out on Reading One of My Latest Research Based White Papers
At different times during these past two years, I released three three research studies through the kind collaboration efforts of Michael Rynowecer at BTI and the folks at Legal Business World – all of which remain available free for you to download.
Dissecting The Processes of Law Firm Strategic Planning (2024)Please reach out if any of this provokes any questions.
Post # 960 My Most Provocative Rants of 2024 - So Far!
My sincere APPRECIATION to the tens of thousands of you that have graciously viewed my various posts and acknowledged these NINE as your favorites from the 34 articles I have shared thus far, over the last SIX months. I consider many of these as ‘RANTS” because I fully suspect that I am stating both facts and experience-driven observations which some readers may NOT want to hear about – BUT do stay tuned as there is much MORE to come.
Keep Reading >
• How Has Strategic Planning Become So PATHETIC?
https://lnkd.in/gFY6xzEK
• SAD Reality: There is NO Leadership Training in MOST Law Firms!
https://lnkd.in/g_aRyjbe
• END Pathetic Strategic Planning - Let’s Get Real!
https://lnkd.in/gXzr_Pyf
• HOW Do You Lead Partners More SENIOR?
https://lnkd.in/gWMDTSVj
• When A Firm Leader Has to LET GO!
https://lnkd.in/gRpTthhS
• Firm Leader LONELINESS Is NOT A Myth!
https://lnkd.in/gnDYn6Xc
• Is It STRATEGIC Planning OR Simply WISHFUL Thinking?
https://lnkd.in/gF87pxbS
• How Many NEW Revenue Ideas EXIST Amongst Your Partners?
https://lnkd.in/gnq_DYFR
• HALT Mediocrity: Let’s Ask STRATEGIC Questions!
https://lnkd.in/gyY87cNm
I sincerely hope that some of these articles provide WORTHWHILE information and/or prompt you to take some MEANINGFUL action.
Post # 959 Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Toastmasters International. Toastmasters International® celebrates100 years (1924-2024) of serving members in 148 countries. While I am not an official member of TOASTMASTERS, largely because of my onerous travel schedule over the years, I have attended meetings, know numerous members and was asked back in 2008 whether I might agree to contribute by AUTHORING a submission for an upcoming publication intended to educate, inspire and promote important LEADERSHIP LESSONS. “Welcome to the ‘never-ending’ journey and evolving career and focus on personal leadership development. It has been said that ‘Toastmasters gives you the confidence, courage, and skill to overcome any communication and leadership challenges and move forward with SUPERIOR EXECUTION.’” Well, that 2008 publication proved to be highly successful and has NOW been updated, revised and EXPANDED to include 60 recognized leadership experts and is being RELEASED as a 320-page Book, to celebrate the 100thAnniversary of Toastmasters. “IN THE COMPANY OF LEADERS” will provide you with valuable and proven guidance for your own successful leadership adventure. “This is a special offering, intended for fellow Toastmasters, as they continue their leadership JOURNEY in hopes that they will find it helpful as they all enter their 2nd century SERVING their fellow Toastmasters!” Needless to say, I am honored to ONCE AGAIN be included amongst an amazing faculty of 60 leadership experts who have shared their wisdom. Including a number of my OLD FRIENDS and new, you can examine insights from . . . • Marshall Goldsmith; • Nido Qubein; • Marjorie Brody; • Mark Sanborn; • Janet Lapp; • Brian Tracy; • Barbara Glanz; • Joe Calloway; • Jim Cathcart; and Dozens of other contributors. As a participating author, I am making these COMPLIMENTARY copies MY gift to those interested in growing their leadership knowledge and in learning more about Toastmasters. DOWNLOAD your personal copy HERE: “IN THE COMPANY OF LEADERS” https://lnkd.in/g_fB7RkR Personal thanks to my old friend, Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey who conceived of and spearheaded this endeavor, selected the invited authors, and graciously determined that not just one, but TWO of my articles should be included in this publication. This publication marks the 46th international, legal or business book that I have contributed a Chapter to, over the course of my career (since 1990); and the second such book to be released so far this year.
Post # 958 My 2023 Most Popular LinkedIn Posts.
Here are the TOP PERFORMING articles that I posted this past year as judged by YOUR viewership, for which I am most grateful. I hope that some of my rants provided WORTHWHILE information and/or prompted you to take some MEANINGFUL action.
• Here’s to “SLOBIFICATION,” Down with Traditionalists?
“Returning to the office, some have little experience working, socializing and may be unsure about what is APPROPRIATE to wear.”
https://lnkd.in/gVcxDaKC
• Examining The Inner Workings of Law Firm LEADERSHIP.
“ Here are the RESULTS from a survey containing over 35 questions to a group of some 250 law firm leaders.”
https://lnkd.in/gC3dCBXX
• Are You Trending Towards Becoming OBSOLETE?
“I strongly believe that Firm Leaders need to pose 4 SERIOUS QUESTIONS to each colleague in one-on-one (virtual) coaching discussions.”
https://lnkd.in/ggVu9T4D
• Why Law Firm Leaders Are Stepping DOWN?
“Michael Rynowecer and I discovered that 31% of law firm leaders do NOT like their job all that much. Here is what those leaders pointed out to us.”
https://lnkd.in/gsnih2sF
• Some Undeniable TRUTHS About Change.
“If we knew today what we will know by 2028, how would we change how we practice law — what we offer, clients we target, and ways we deliver services?”
https://lnkd.in/gqEikUnb
• A.I. May Prevent Lawyers From Worshipping GOLDEN IDOLS!
“My good friend and colleague David Maister used to say, we are a profession of HEATHENS - people who worship golden idols. The golden idol we worship is the BILLABLE HOUR.”
https://lnkd.in/gFuC9-zD
• Recognizing STAR Potential.
“Before you make a commitment to hiring anyone, here are some performance characteristics to look for . . . in “STAR” candidates.”
https://lnkd.in/gFMsgc56
• Law Firm Leaders: Get the Behavior You TOLERATE.
“You have to constantly be challenging partners to set the example for others and stretch people toward pursuing higher goals.”
https://lnkd.in/g7xmgmDe
• Law Firm Leaders: SECRETS for Staying Grounded?
“A number of firm leaders I’ve known have scheduled time with someone objective; someone outside of the firm, and that they could talk freely to about their agenda.”
https://lnkd.in/gw7mPZGR
• Are You Versed in How AI is CHANGING Your Client Industries?
“The increasing prominence of AI has implications for your practice and your client’s industries. Here's examples.”
https://lnkd.in/gKf5DNbP
Here's to more learning and growth in 2024.
Post # 957 My Latest ARTICLES Written Specifically for BloombergLaw.
LAW FIRM LEADERSHIP COLUMN: Law Firm Leaders: Get the Behavior You Tolerate (Part 1) Welcome to the Law Firm Leadership column. This article discusses the difficult leadership challenge of having to finally confront some partner who is either misbehaving or underperforming. https://aboutblaw.com/7ap A Law Firm Leader Challenge: Staying Strategically Focused. Welcome to the Law Firm Leadership column. This article discusses setting priorities for how you will use your leadership time with suggestions for how to stay strategically focused. https://aboutblaw.com/6J5 Becoming Firm Leader: A Dose of REALITY. Welcome to the Law Firm Leadership column. This article reviews some of the unspoken challenges associated with taking the reins at any significantly sized law firm. https://aboutblaw.com/6r0 BLOOMBERG LAW INSIGHTS: Law Firm Leaders: Get the Most from Your Firm’s Business Development Team. Law firm strategist Patrick McKenna advises law firm leaders on how they can help their business development professionals contribute value to the benefit of the firm and integrate their initiatives with other teams. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-firms-business-development-team-1 If You're a NEW Law Firm Leader: Avoid Making These Mistakes Law firm strategist Patrick McKenna cautions new law firm leaders to sidestep these common mistakes when they inherit a team, and guide partners to the next phase by actively listening and soliciting their input. https://lnkd.in/gyUSSDnb
Post # 955 My LegalEvolution Articles
I’m pleased to share a collection of articles that I’ve written over the past few months, all of which I was grateful to have posted on my friend, Professor Bill Henderson’s excellent LegalEvolution website.
Each of these is intended to be prescriptive in terms of sharing specific steps for how and what action one might take, given various situations concerning issues of law firm leadership or strategy. These all emanate from my observations, research and consulting experiences. I sincerely hope that some of these may be of interest and useful to you:
• Should Firm Leaders Take The Lead on Their Own Performance Review?
It takes a very strong leader to voluntarily initiate having their colleagues give them performance feedback, but the BENEFITS of doing so are enormous.
https://lnkd.in/gzSHf5Xu
• 10 Fatal Traps That Explain Why Law Firm Strategic Plans are D.O.A.
Today if you have any interest in “REAL" strategic planning, I tell leaders that there are a number of fatal traps you need to ensure you don’t fall victim to.
https://lnkd.in/giT5M26h
• Agile Leadership: Navigating the Double-Bind.
I’ve discerned there are a number of what I would label the “Double-Binds” of leadership” – the ongoing dynamics of the job that incumbents WRESTLE with.
https://lnkd.in/gBK7Rj2N
• Ensuring Follow-Through on Partner Promises.
How do you get your partners to actually do what they promised you? I didn’t promise that my approach will always be easy. I only promise that it WORKS.
https://lnkd.in/gxiNCzg7
• The Highest Performing Teams Have Rules.
The best performing teams discovered that to operate effectively, they needed to FORMALIZE what they should specifically be able to expect of each other as members.
https://lnkd.in/gDcUjtqm
• Where Leadership Training Falls Short.
Here are 7 distinct shortcomings where I’ve concluded that leadership training is all too often an unfortunate waste of money – but ALL of them can be corrected.
https://lnkd.in/gwQS_tvW
• Sharing Firm Leadership: Not for The Faint of Heart.
Any notion of having co-leaders may seem attractive, but the REALITY of what can occur is a lot more complicated.
https://lnkd.in/gAcSK9Dx
Post # 954 People Follow Your Example - Make it Meaningful.
In order to be an effective leader you need to make yourself HIGHLY VISIBLE in a myriad of different ways and use that exposure to reinforce what you believe in, what direction you believe your firm or team should be headed, and how you intend to get there. As a leader, you have at your disposal a wide variety of “trivial tools” embedded in your daily message sending and receiving activities that can be used to energize and influence.
SPENDING TIME: Nothing speaks louder about what is important than where and how you choose to spend your time, which is not a matter of chance. You make choices daily about what to do and with whom. From that meeting on business development issues to the selection of which particular performance measures to track on a regular basis, those of your choices made over time, send signals to your colleagues about what you believe to be really important. Start spending 30 to 40% of your time on your most important strategic priority. Book up your calendar for the next quarter with activities that demonstrate your interest in and concern for that priority. AND, consider turning your colleague’s eyes to new horizons with a formal system of “Strategic Forums” designed to formally force regular discussions on key issues facing your team.
BEING HANDS ON: One of the enduring questions, a subject of endless analysis, is how a large firm can best monitor operations spread over many geographical locations. One firm leader I know reduces all of those elaborate mechanisms to plain, old fashion face-to-face contact. He visits each of thirteen offices four times a year, meeting with different groups and support staff. What is your plan for providing hands-on leadership?
GIVING RECOGNITION: Find those professionals who are doing something that you wish more of your people were doing and hold them out as models of moving in the right direction. Let everyone get a clear idea of what behavior you most admire. Effective leadership concentrates on reinforcing and rewarding actions consistent with stated direction. “What receives recognition is clearly what is valued.” People are keenly attuned to what is accorded recognition, even the most trivial manifestations.
AGENDA MANAGEMENT: Every leader holds numerous meetings, and every meeting has an agenda, whether written or unwritten. The cumulative content of these agendas clearly signals priorities and concerns. The conscious management of your agenda, and your input into any group meeting agenda, is another powerful signaling device. Also, those items that get your swift and detailed follow-up will always be perceived by people to be of real value. And do not ever forget that the specific words used and the pattern of questions you ask, have an enormous impact on your team’s focus. You need to manage those patterns. People will just naturally read meaning into them. Why not target for what you want?
Post # 953 Where Leadership Training Falls Short! To be very specific, here are SEVEN distinct shortcomings I hear about and personally observe where I have to conclude that leadership training is all too often, an unfortunate waste of money. Fortunately, all of them can be corrected:
1. Training that has no connection to the job responsibilities
2. Training that’s too theoretical
3. Training not focused on behavior
4. Training that doesn’t address real-world issues participants are facing
5. Training that is only for the newest leaders
6. Training compressed into snack-sized portions
7. Training with no action element
Naturalist William Henry Hudson once observed: “You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.” Along that same theme, I fear that far too many leadership training efforts are theoretical, don’t address or change behavior, with content that is poorly delivered, and WITHOUT an action element integrated into the firm. Read the entire article on Legal Evolution: https://www.legalevolution.org/2022/07/where-leadership-training-falls-short-318/
Post # 952 What Should Industry Team Leaders Be Responsible For?
I received the following query: “I read how a number of law firms have worked hard to brand themselves as having deep industry focus and how ‘it has been enormously successful,’ but how does one determine what specific leadership requirements / factors / defined expectations will help to generate effective industry group results?”
MY RESPONSE: By way of example, here are 10 specifics that I believe should be articulated as performance expectations for every Industry Team Leader:
• Has responsibility for FULL P&L of their group and will be compensated / bonused based on the performance of the current year compared to past results.
• Has developed with the input of all core members, a formal written strategy for growth, including identifying three market niches that the group is or will be actively working upon to become a DOMINANT PLAYER;
• Conducts one monthly meeting with all core members to REVIEW STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, and provides the written minutes (list of actions showing who is working on what) to the Executive Committee;
• Conducts a further monthly meeting specifically for the purposes of monitoring and discussing new developments and INDUSTRY TRENDS that prompt emerging disruptions or potential opportunities; and prepares an information briefing for clients;
• Engages Core Members by conducing ONE-ON-ONE COACHING sessions with each member every month, that results in specific written and agreed upon action plans to build skills and share knowledge;
• Will have identified specific expertise or SKILLS NEEDED within the group and potential lateral candidates to ensure appropriate depth and diversity of experience going forward;
• Shows evidence of active participation in the industry (meets with industry leaders, attends industry events) and has a formally constituted INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD that meets three times a year with the entire industry group;
• Shows evidence of BOARD LEVEL INVOLVEMENT in Industry Organizations and Associations and has identified and mentored at least two other core members to also become involved;
• Displays examples of the group’s collective efforts to help build both the group and the firm’s brand and reputation throughout the industry, including at least a quarterly newsletter, podcast, webinar or other form of timely COMMUNICATIONS;
• Has had published a minimum of three THOUGHT LEADERSHIP articles within recognized industry media and worked to encourage others in the group to also be publishing articles covering proprietary research or new developments within the industry.
YOUR TAKE AWAY: I believe that if it is not specific and not measurable, nothing much is likely to happen. So now, how many of these would your Team Leaders, if I were to ask, tell me that this is indeed an expectation that has been clearly set out for them?
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