A few weeks ago I received a call from a really outstanding lawyer I coached eleven years ago in 2010 and the call reminded me about what made him outstanding. When I was working with his group, I was caught in an east coast snow storm. It was so intense that there were only a few cars on the streets. When I went to breakfast I asked the two women who greeted me if they had spent the night. They told me they had gotten up at 3 AM and shoveled for a couple of hours to be able to…

Most lawyers I know in private practice have had an outstanding partner or the most promising associate leave their firm. Most have wondered why. I think I may have an answer: The lack of good communication. I’ve enjoyed watching several 30 for 30 shows on ESPN. One of the best was 30 for 30: Marcus Dupree The Best That Never Was. I watched amazed at the talent I saw on the screen. I have never seen a college running back like Marcus Dupree. He was remarkable during his freshman season at University of Oklahoma. Here are some highlights:…

Create a yearly Business Plan-If you need a template for a business plan just ask me. Breakdown Your Plan-Create 90 days or monthly goals (actions). Plan and Schedule Client Development Activities Each Week-Decide what you plan to do, estimate how much time it will take and then schedule it on your calendar. Keep a Client Development Journal-Keeping track makes it more likely you will actually do the activities. Have a Client Development Partner-Like a workout partner, a client development partner makes it more likely you will do the activities. Join Industry and/or Community Associations/Organizations and Seek Leadership Positions-Join just a…

When some of you my age read the title to this blog post, you thought it was going to be about George Carlin’s 1972 monologue Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. No, it’s not George Carlin. It’s a blog post I read several years ago  7 Words That Can Transform Your Business And Life. As you will see when you read it, the 7 words are in a sentence. They are: What can I do to help you? I have seen lawyers use those 7 words in a sentence very effectively. They do it effectively because…

You likely know the Maya Angelou quote. I’ve used it in other blog posts:   Your clients want to feel appreciated. Here are some initial thoughts on how you can do it: Saying to a client: “I want to know more about your company because the more I know the better I will be able to help you.” Or, you might say: “Tell me a little about the history of your company, where you are now and where you are going.” Keeping up with what is going on in your client’s industry, including what its competitors are doing and offering…

When it is considered safe to visit, I recommend you spend a day with your clients with no charge. This is especially important if COVID has kept you from seeing clients in person. I did that frequently as a lawyer and even put associates in my clients’ offices or out on a construction project and did not charge for their time. I remember at least two of my visits were to bridge construction projects like the one pictured here. I thought of this recently when Nancy and I went to Best Buy to buy a new dishwasher. After deciding on…

A law firm leader once asked me if I would suggest questions to ask junior lawyers to determine if they would be the best suited for client development coaching. At the time I didn’t have questions, but at his request I suggested these. What do you believe you will get out of the coaching program? You would consider the coaching program a success if________. What do you want to learn? What client development efforts have you made the past year and how have they worked for you? What are your major client development strengths? What areas in your client development…