Tips on office sharing and executive suites  (from chapter in ABA/Law Practice Management’s Flying Solo, Edition 4 Publication)

Other questions?  Either leave a comment or email me at nbj@nbjconsulting.com and I will be happy to respond as soon as possible. You may optionally use the Contact Nancy Byerly Jones form.

1. An ongoing effort to improve management and leadership skills including having the most qualified (vs. most senior, etc.) leaders at the helm
2. Creating written action plans, monitoring them regularly and holding everyone timely accountable to do their part
3. Taking the need to market the firm seriously and doing it in ways right for the firm and its goals
4. Treating all employees and partners respectfully at all times (including treating/training/renaming receptionists as your primary “Marketers of First & Last Impression”)
5. Being decisive and avoiding the poisons of sticking our heads in the sand and/or procrastination
6. Offering adequate, timely and quality training, performance and attitude evaluations and coaching wherever needed (e.g. new software/equipment, stress or anger management, organizational skills, associate development, substantive law skills, etc.)
7. Defining success by what’s best/right for firm, its people, goals and culture vs. merely adopting society’s or traditional legal system definitions
8. Treating each client as if they were their only and/or best client & giving them multiple ways to offer their feedback and recommendations
9. Embracing technology with foresight, ethics, resourcefulness, creativity and perseverance for the learning curves
10. Diversification in areas of practice, clients, mindsets and employees

Sampling Characteristics of Not-So- Successful Firms in 2009:

1. Not doing one or more of the top ten success steps above
2. Failing to quickly put an end to office bullying, harassment and other ongoing negative behaviors/attitudes
3. Leaders in name only (e.g. with lousy leadership characteristics and skills)
4. Surviving day by day instead of charting, implementing and sticking with a plan for achieving long range goals
5. Failing to make timely, tough and wise changes needed in light of economic and other changing circumstances
6. Allowing negative attitudes and talking behind backs
7. Poor hiring/interviewing/training skills and systems
8. Lousy risk management systems or a failure to mandate compliance by all employees
9. Lousier stress management and office morale
10. Poor/sloppy client selection

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know low morale = stressed employees = a lower quality of work product including more mistakes are made.  Management and leadership who fail to put a stop to workplace bullying of any sort often bury their heads even further in the sand these employees just happen to be major income producers.

Bottom line is this — if verbal violence and other bullying behaviors are not stopped in their tracks, there is an obvious absence of smart, effective and progressive leadership.  In my opinion, this makes leadership and management as guilty as the actual bullies are for causing the resulting and ongoing widespread negative effects.  Thanks for “listening” as always and let me know if you want me to tell you how I really feel!

All the Best,

Nancy

All the Best,

Nancy

• Rules applied sporadically and unfairly among employees (e.g. starting time, length of lunch breaks, # of vacation days)
• An ongoing frantic pace — day after day — caused primarily by a supervisor’s poor planning and organizational skills … leadership should step in sooner than later to coach, train and/or mentor these folks….of which the legal profession and many others have a costly excess!
• Guilt trips over personal, sick or vacation time taken (see NBJ 2002 Lawyers USA column on how vacation policies …and attitudes… mirror a firm’s culture)
• Thinking that “real” lawyers always work a 60+ hour week and lacking the wisdom to understand that the most productive and satisfied employee lives a balanced and healthy life style (e.g. In addition to encouraging healthy behaviors, consider providing an exercise room for employees — even a small one with one treadmill and an aerobics workout video is better than none — and 10 minutes of exercise can rejuvenate energy levels far better than pouring on the caffeine)
• Frequent start/stops of promised (and needed) changes — too often not completing projects begun
• Allowing tensions or outright conflicts between partners or other employees to go unresolved for an unreasonable length of time (If they refuse to resolve their differences in a timely and responsible manner, firm leadership should mandate a resolution via the use of a firm ombudsman, mediator or the like — Every employee should have access to excellent resources such as Stewart Levine’s 2nd Edition of Getting To Resolution – eye-opening, thought-provoking and packed with simple and wise conflict resolution tips)
• Little or no constructive feedback given to employees in a timely manner
• Assuming staff have no personal plans after normal working hours and that they will always work overtime on short notice (the poison to morale of this culprit escalates in direct relation to poor planning and/or procrastination by supervising personnel)
• Acceptance by leadership of loud, abrasive, demeaning and other bully like behaviors
• A noticeable lack of common courtesies shown to employees (Good Morning greetings, showing appreciation, etc.)
• An absence of well deserved bonuses from cash to creative “Job Well Done” gifts (e.g. childcare fees paid for a week, dinner and other gift certificates, “free” personal days off, firm-wide recognition for achievements, etc.)
• Not holding regular staff meetings and if they are held, failing to give it our full, undivided attention (e.g. no looking at our watches or mobile phones, no shuffling of files around on our desks, etc.)
• Attorneys not taking the time to personally introduce staff members who will be working on the case to new clients
• Expecting top notch work quality produced at a 90 mph pace in spite of outdated equipment and software, unclear instructions, and/or insufficient training
• Romantic relationships between supervisors and subordinates giving the presumption — if not the actuality of –  unfair advantages for the participating employee
• Never (or too rarely) sending employees to appropriate work-related seminars or workshops for training and networking purposes
• Not providing the right kind and adequate amounts of training needed for new software, systems, etc.
• Talking negatively about employees (directly or within earshot) to other employees
• Failing to put an end to an employee’s chronically negative attitude either through mentoring, discipline or termination (firing should, of course, be the last resort after all other reasonable efforts to correct the situation)
• All work 24/7 day after day after day….Never making the time for non-work related group activities (e.g. sporting events, cookouts, community group volunteer projects)

A few Morale Boosters include:

• Not allowing any of the above morale busters or others to exist in your office; and …
• when they or other morale busters do occasionally show up, acting quickly and decisively to rid your office of these progress, morale and productivity thieves

Happy Weekend everyone and I hope you go into work on Monday ready to try out some new morale boosters! We all function far better in a positive environment regardless of our type of work, title or years of service.   As always, thanks for visiting my blog.

Nancy (& Jessie, our resident Tennessee Walker comedian!)

What's Your Brand?

Below are the initial sentences of a succinct and excellent blog post at www.biziboom.com by attorney Scott Gibson.  I encourage all my readers and clients to read and reread this well-written post on such a critical subject for us all.  If you’re on Twitter, don’t miss Mr. Gibson’s great tweets as well (@tradesecretlaw).

Everybody Has a Brand. What’s Yours?

Marketing experts talk about the need to develop your brand.  The process often sounds daunting, and you may wonder whether you should spend the time and money to brand your business.

Wonder no more.  You already have a brand…..(click here for Mr. Gibson’s full blog post…worthwhile reading that you will be glad you did!)

Thanks for stopping by and please give me and our readers the benefit of your comments, ideas and valued input.

All the Best,

Nancy

Far too many business and law firm partnerships go the same route unfortunately.   We must never underestimate the dark side of the greenback (e.g. greed and/or desperation) or longstanding unresolved disputes both of which seem to raise their devastatingly destructive heads even more often in the midst of  tough economic times.  It is indeed tragedy over tragedy when partners or families experience the ugliness and wide-ranging “costs” (financial and otherwise) generated by plain ol’ greed or the failure to timely and civilly settle our disagreements or misunderstandings.

Listed below are a few tips regarding family or partner disputes that are on my mind as I write this late night blog:

(1) if you have an “issue” or disagreement with a partner or family member, talk it over sooner rather than later AND with your imaginary “thick skin” on so as to minimize emotional eruptions and progress stoppers.  In other words, go directly to the source vs. depending on often malicious rumors or incorrect/false information.  Give these discussions your undivided attention and commit to acting with class and respect as you work through the painful issues that must be addressed.

(2) if you don’t have the emotional stability or necessary communication skills to work toward resolution with all concerned parties then hire a third party neutral such as a mediator to help you navigate through the waters of awkwardness, miscommunications, false impressions, the pain of conflict and/or points of strong disagreement; and

(3)if you choose to handle family or partner conflicts disrespectfully, hastily or harshly (without first trying to do really get to the truth of the matter or to resolve things in a fair and respectful manner) then brace yourself.  There will be consequences and fallout for there WILL be long lasting consequences as a result of your choices and actions. many of which you may never have anticipated.

I address this subject from my perspective as a mediator, former practicing attorney, and southern gal who has seen firsthand what runaway greed and unresolved conflicts can do to a  law firm, family or business.  It’s never pretty, always costly and there are no winners.

All the Best,

Nancy

The ABA used to have some good books on mergers and if they’ve been updated recently, that would be one good source.  What’s not written about enough is the effects that mergers have on staff members and how to help your staff transition successfully (pre-merger, actual transition period and post-merger). You’ve probably already discussed this w/your client but if not I’d suggest that one of their primary goals be to keep in close touch w/their employees, get their input regularly re how merger is going for them, what’s working/what’s not, their suggestions on improving whatever needs attention, etc.  Also like to see firm-wide attorney/staff meetings held fairly regularly for a while that are focused solely on “How are we doing w/this merger, what’s needs attention, etc….”  If staff’s given plenty of private and “public” opportunities to share their input and/or concerns, but the partners learn they are nevertheless nay-saying the merger (and/or folks from the “other” firm) behind closed doors, then that too would need to be addressed promptly (and firmly) to avoid the spread of their venom.

My years of experience has shown that too often mergers are entered into haphazardly, too quickly, for the wrong reasons (or expectations) and without the proper preparation being made before the actual merger itself occurs.  When rushed through too quickly there are usually costly repercussions and lots of “clean-up/repair work” to be done office wide.   Mergers can be a very smart thing to do, but only if there’s careful pre-planning done not ony about the financial aspects but also the merging of two different workplace cultures and how to do so respectfully, professionally and successfully!

Let me know if you want me to write more on this subject and as always, thanks for stopping by my ever-evolving new blog!

With smiles & best wishes,

Nancy

I’ve previously blogged about telecommuting in regard to handling in-house employees who may be disgruntled over remote working employees  (http://lawbusinesstips.com/2009/06/24/telecommuting-disgruntled-co-workers/) and experiences shared by other companies (http://lawbusinesstips.com/2009/07/08/telecommuting-cost-savings-cisco/).  Today, I found this blog post that is also worthwhile reading about the management of telecommuters: http://bit.ly/3NxO3N.

In addition to the tips and discussions found in the posts above, I add these suggestions for law firms and businesses that already have employees who telecommute:

(1)  one to three times each year hold events that require employees with shared work goals to meet for continuing education and training, social time and general business sessions.

(2)  If your telecommuters are not far away, have them come into the main office at least once a month (pre-scheduled for the convenience of all!) to touch base with their supervisors and co-workers in person.

(3) Create and maintain a diverse working environment mindset among all employees.  This means management will not tolerate nay-saying or any other negative attitudes to develop toward its telecommuters (and visa versa!).  Supervisors who say or imply anything negative against telecommuters are especially “poisonous” …..their negativity gives all employees implied permission to do the same and it ratifies the destructive act of behind-the-door backstabbing….destructive because it significantly decreases productivity, office morale and a team spirit mindset.

(4) Many things can cause friction between in-house employees and telecommuters including:

• jealousy,
• general distrust of management and/or one’s co-workers,
• a lack of understanding about a telecommuter’s responsibilities,
• a failure by management to make it clear that each and every employee brings value to the team and plays a role in its success stories;  and
• employees (in-house or telecommuters) with a “holier than thou” attitude and/or total lack of empathy for their co-workers’ responsibilities and related on-the-job pressures (most of us have been around the “Poor, poor me” types who think their job involves more stress and their plates are fuller than others!

Stop these poisons in their tracks or beware the rapid spread of negative consequences among the troops and on the quality of services or products.

(5)  Via your internal newsletters or in person at department meetings, etc., regularly share positive comments about employee contributions, their different success stories — big and small, creative ways they’ve helped clients/customers or co-workers, etc.  All too often we only let others hear about what someone hasn’t done or what they’ve done wrong (“When I’m right who remembers and when I’m wrong who FORGETS!”)….it’s important to ensure that we are sharing the positives as well – often and openly.

Telecommuting is becoming more widely accepted and utilized and it can be an extremely successful addition to any workplace IF we give it the planning and management attention needed.  Please share your experiences, tips and other comments about telecommuting my taking a few minutes to submit your comments below.  Many thanks for “listening” and adding to this discussion…wishing everyone a great week ahead!

Nancy

Be on the lookout within the next month or so for a totally new look to my blog. ….going to be getting the polish it desperately needs with the help of folks who are experts when it comes to blogging and who have the time I haven’t had to get it spiffed up for you, my wonderful readers….bottom line is the blog will be much easier to navigate, search, etc.  Once it’s up and running – still down the road a few weeks, please share the benefit of your feedback with me.  I am writing for YOU, my readers for which I am so grateful and want to make it a worthwhile and enjoyable stop during your online time.

On a different subject, many thanks to Vicki Voisin (http://www.paralegalmentorblog.com/), paralegal specialist, author and speaker. She recently blogged about one of my posts (http://bit.ly/ezzGP). It was the one in which I shared my frustrations over the use of the word “non-lawyer” (http://bit.ly/Es6Ye).  Lawyers USA also published my thoughts on their online site (http://bit.ly/MZaEh).  Had a few attorneys and others acknowledge their agreement via their Twitter posts.  As I’ve written and stated previously many times, of course the term is used in many forums with no negative intent whatsoever…I know that.  Still, just don’t “get it” as to why we’re the ONLY profession to use a “non” label when referring to those that don’t have a law license.  More importantly, why can’t we use ANY other word or combination of words (e.g. legal assistant, staff member, paralegal, etc.) instead of “non-lawyer?!?”   What do you think – please take a few minutes to share your thoughts re my concerns over our use of the “N-L” word!?

Thanks again for visiting, let me know any subjects you’d like me to address (more legal staff issues, client rights and appreciation, business smarts, marketing on an hourly basis, effective communications, working with difficult folks, stress management tools, time management/organization, etc.!).  Wishing everyone a great week ahead with many smiles along the way both shared by you and with you!

1. RESPECT IS 24/7 ….. you appreciate, value and genuinely respect employees at all times — even the smallest showing of disrespect negatively affects everyone’s morale, productivity and work quality.  And, removing the memory of manager’s disrespectful actions  is difficult (and in some cases impossible) to achieve.
2. ENTHUSIASM ….. your enthusiasm for your clients, customers, product, service, overall mission never falters and it is highly contagious….as is your lack of enthusiasm for the job to be done!
3. SYNCHRONIZATION ….. your actions are in perfect sync with the professionalism, ethics, work habits and attitudes you expect from your employees  (old Indian proverb….“Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you say.”);
4. PROMISES ….. if you fail to fulfill a promise you made (any promise whether small,big, in-between), you acknowledge it and let employees know if and when you will do what you said you’d do or why you now cannot or will not do as promised;
5. ENGAGEMENT ….. your engagement of employees does not stop upon their initial hiring date…you must make employees a part of finding solutions for problems, hurdles and the like ….. benefit from their perspectives, ideas, concerns by asking for their input and truly listening to what they have to say – - the ongoing, active engagement of your entire employee team is an essential cornerstone in the building of lasting success stories;
6. CLARITY ….. you take the time to clearly communicate your requests and expectations of employees; and
7. TIMELY INFORMATION ….. leadership and management beat the miscommunications and other hazards of the gossip grapevine by keeping employees timely informed re non-confidential changes made or in the works.

Remember – respect means the genuine, consistent showing of your best side …

NOT your “other” side!

What we don’t hear as much about, statistically or otherwise, are the more subtle impairments that many people have. A few root causes of the more subtle impairments to our mental (and physical) health include: chronic workaholism; addictions to our high tech tools; ongoing sleep deprivation; obesity; food allergies and intolerances; irregular or no exercise regiment; sexual or other harassment such as office bullying; burnout; long-term excessive stress loads; and the stubborn denial skills many folks have regarding all of the above.

Thinking right now how lucky you are NOT to have any addictions? Good for you unless of course you’re overlooking being overly attached to your tech “tools”. With brutal honesty, think back to your out of the office hours last night or last weekend. How frequently did you check your mobile phone, Blackberry or PDA for messages? How many work-related text messages or emails did you send? How often do you check for messages while supposedly “listening” to others?

Acknowledging and taking steps to address mental health concerns can be very difficult for many people. Instead, they resort to out-dated mindsets that push these types of problems under the rug, too embarrassing or sensitive to be discussed and certainly not shared with others. That traditional and naïve mode of thought feeds the destructive fires of denial and contributes to the damages caused by ignored mental health addictions and other impairments.

Do you personally have any problems with alcohol, other drug abuse or depression that you are not squarely facing? What about the quality of your diet, exercise regimen and sleep? Are there any exhausting stresses on your plate that have been there for a long time? Do you want those same stresses on your plate this time next year? If not, make a list today (for your eyes only) of what steps you can start taking to ensure they won’t be.

Is there anyone in your office showing signs of an existing mental impairment or at a high risk for developing an addiction? What is being done to help them, to ensure clients are not harmed in any manner, and to protect other employees?

Office Impairment Policies

Do you have a written impairment policy in your office? If so, is it current, followed, known and understood by all attorneys and staff?  How do you hold attorneys and staffs accountable if they fail to comply with your policy?

An effective mental impairment policy includes many basic components. First, it defines the mental impairment issues that the policy addresses. Second, it teaches about and explains the signs of mental impairment. Third, it tells employees how to handle a situation when they suspect or know of a co-worker’s or a client’s addiction or problem. Fourth, an office policy outlines how employees will be held accountable if they fail to report mental impairment incidents which could harm a client’s matter, another employee or do other damage. Fifth, the policy should include what resources, if any, the firm offers to employees with mental impairment challenges along with information on local external resources. Finally, the policy should address the firm’s confidentiality policy regarding these types of matters. Of course, the policy can be much broader than the minimal inclusions discussed above.

A written firm policy on mental impairment raises the awareness level of all employees, reflects the firm’s commitment to maintaining the highest level of legal services and ethics, acknowledges the firm’s intolerance for drug or alcohol abuse and the efforts and resources it offers employees needing assistance with mental impairment issues. Here’s just part of what a well written mental impairment policy says about your law firm: our integrity, commitment to clients and respect for them and our high standards for providing excellent services will not under any circumstances be compromised.

Plentiful Resources

The resources available for help with these matters are plentiful. From bar association programs to private therapists to online help and community outreach options, we have an endless number of resources from which to choose. A good place to start is with your local community, your state’s bar association and the ABA’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (COLAP) at http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/colap/ or by calling 1-800-285-2221, Ext. 5359. Also, ask other attorneys how they handle these issues and if they would share a copy of their firm’s impairment policy.

Two More Reminders …..

(1) Firm leaders should consider making at least a portion of employees’ vacation time mandatory for all employees each year. Likewise, they need to set good examples of the importance of living balanced professional and personal lives.

(2) Firms should hold stress management/quality of life/mental health workshops at least twice a year for all employees or send them to quality programs offered by other groups. The firm will benefit tremendously from providing this type of education to employees (e.g. higher productivity, fewer absences, reduced stress and improved morale to name a few). In addition, your professional liability and medical insurance providers will applaud you and hopefully offer discounts for your efforts. And if not, check out their competition before applying for re-issuances of your policies.

Courage, fortitude, persistence, awareness, initiative, respectfulness and wisdom. By honing these characteristics in our own lives, we can be a part of the solution rather than keeping our heads in the sand or worse, our becoming one of the statistical nightmares.

Only some of our colleagues suffer from the more serious mental health challenges. But “some” is way too many. Each one of us is responsible for protecting ourselves, our employees and our great profession from the dangers of ignored mental health impairments. A great place to start is with the creation and implementation of a well thought out firm policy on mental health impairment. Equally essential is that we all take an honest, complete look in the mirror and that we get busy “fixin” whatever needs attention in our own lives and lifestyles.

An NBJ article on this same subject was published in 2008 by Lawyers USA

RT@TulsaBankruptcy Wishing you a happy & safe 4th of July. How about some Recession Fireworks? http://tinyurl.com/lbzqqo

Great cartoon although the painful truth behind it is sad.  I wish you and yours a 4th of July weekend that’s full of fun, good times with family and friends and a safe one.  Also hope we all take time to reflect on why we celebrate this special day in the history of our great country.  And, as we enjoy the surprise, beauty and excitement of all the firework shows this weekend, I for one am going to make some quiet time to think about any “fireworks” that I may be creating within my office and family….even if they are relatively small ones, I am committed to defusing it (or them) asap.  We can create personal fireworks in as many ways as pyrotechniciams can design exciting firework shows for us.  Some examples would be:

• blowing a gasket before we have all the facts about a situation;
• assuming the worse as only a true drama king or queen knows how to do;
• talking excessively loud in a restaurant or other public place;
• raising a ruckus over a really minor event in the big scheme of things;
• taking the most extreme, formal steps to settle a conflict with a colleague, family member, another individual or entity before trying to resolve the matter via alternative dispute options (e.g. plain old fashion sit down and talk session; mediation, etc.)
• last minute chaos at work or home due to our own lack of planning;
• yelling at our kids or spouses for small “stuff” after being professionally polite all day those certifiably real bullies in our workplace;
• being the office troublemaker….you know the type…they LOVE to keep trouble stirred up among the troops, they relish look for the failings of others and are almost always the ones who are super defensive whenever their mistakes are duly noted;
• publicly reacting to what employees did wrong, but rarely acknowledging all they’ve done right (When I’m right, who remembers and when I’m wrong, who the heck forgets?!); and
• overreacting to any hint of a problem, challenge or unexpected change in plans.

This is, of course, just a starter list off the top of my head so I encourage all of us to make a list of the destructive kind of “fireworks” that we personally may be imposing upon those around us.  If we are being brutally honest with ourselves and discover a few “explosive” habits that could stand some changing, let’s  fix it…..we can’t control a lot of the things that happen in our lives, but we can ensure that the only fireworks in our lives are those we enjoy on the 4th of July, New Year’s Eve, and other international celebrations.

Have a super, safe and fantastic weekend ahead and as always, thanks for stopping in for a few minutes…your comments and input are always welcome and enjoyed!

Nancy

The End(s!)

• (a) jealous;
• (b) always looking for new “stuff” to stir up trouble in the office:
• (c) don’t trust that your are REALLY working at home (often because they wouldn’t be if the situation were reversed!):
• (d) busy bodies since birth; or
• (e) don’t trust leadership to be making good decisions

Of course, there are other reasons co-employees may not like the situation, but if they were helpful, friendly and courteous to you prior to your telecommuting and then attitudes shift south…wellllll, my bet would be it’s directly linked to your new situation. Now keep in mind I am talking about the disgruntled co-worker who is that way in spite of the successful, productive and economically-wise use of telecommuters. I am not talking about co-workers who have legitimate reasons for disliking the acts of a telecommuter who is abusing the situation.

Soooo…how do telecommuters minimize the chances of alienation from in-office co-workers?  First, pre-telecommuting preventive steps are always better than having to fix and repair relationships later.   Here are a few recommendations to get you started:

• Ask your employer how your co-workers will be notified of the change….by your supervisor or should you do it?…;
• Next, once the word is out, I’d discuss (sooner rather than later) the anticipated changes that will occur with fellow employees ….ask them:

• what, if any, concerns they may have about your telecommuting,;
• what you can do to ensure your telecommuting is not a burden on them in any way;
• would they be agreeable to scheduling regular lunches together to help keep all the advantages of in-person communications alive and well?….; and
• make sure you initiate similar conversations down the road as well….someone that may have seemed OK with your telecommuting at the onset may have decided they don’t like it now for an assortment of reasons…the telecommuter should ensure these types of healthy, “how is this working for you” types of discussions occur along with frequent in-person meetings.

The above lists are by no means all-inclusive, but just some of my on-the-fly thoughts about telecommuting opportunities…..I for one am all for them IF structured, monitored and lived in a manner that’s truly good for the whole team.  And, even in spite of the best efforts by a telecommuter, there are always some folks that we just can’t and aren’t going to please no matter what.  Give it a try with them because miracles do happen daily, but don’t take it personally if they are just determined to whine about it (or at least until they have new material to gripe over)!

That’s it for today…it’s hump day and another weekend looms ahead…check out my posts are exploring the treasures in our own backyards and on ensuring we make time for those special things in our lives in the midst of our all-to0-short weekend moments.

Thanks for visiting my blog and I leave you for now with smiles from me and one of our miniature donkeys (Miz Star),

Nancy

Smiles from Our Burro, Miz Star

My distaste for the word goes way back to my years as a legal assistant/paralegal/law office mgr. prior to earning my law degree.  In those times I learned that more than a few attorneys treated support staff disrespectfully and like second class citizens.  And all these years later, I’m still very alert to anything and everything that shows disrespect to our staff support members.  I’ve been out of law school 21 years now, a law office management adviser for almost 20 and have practiced law as well….and yet sadly, I still see evidence in some offices of demeaning and demoralizing behavior toward staff (e.g. a/k/a office bullies).  In my consulting work, legal work, my role as a mediator and in my seminars, any one that knows me knows I have always been an outspoken and strong voice for the proper treatment of legal support personnel…bottom line is that I have been there – done that! And also because of my years as a staff member and because of those with whom I’ve had the pleasure to know and work beside since, I have the utmost respect and appreciation for the enormous roles they play in a lawyers’ and law firm’s success.  I will continue advocating for the respectful and professional treatment of support staff as long as there’s breath in this ol’ body.

The truth is – whether we like it or not – the old two tier structure is indeed alive and well in too many law offices (attorneys who see themselves way up “there” on a pedestal and all the “n-ls” waaaaay down the ladder beneath the lofty esquires and “esquettes”).  It’s in these toxic offices where those in authority falsely begin to think (and act) like they are some how better than their lowly underlings.  This form of arrogance and the “I’m better than you” attitudes wreak havoc for workplace morale, productivity and stability.

When we are talked down to or otherwise treated as inferior, we know it — even if we don’t show it or complain about it.  There’s absolutely no way that a law firm is getting maximum productivity and/or quality work out of employees looked down upon by those in authority.  The most productive, solid, high quality teams are those made up of team members who feel and know they are valued and appreciated by leadership.  It is made clear that every single employee plays a critical role – no matter how small or how low on the totem pole – in the firm’s success stories.

Okay – back to where I started with all this many paragraphs ago…that “n-l” word that irritates the heck out of me…..do we call people non-architects, non-doctors, non-social workers, non-coaches, etc.?!  Of course not so why in the world  is the “n-l” word so frequently used?  And, worst of all, it’s usually legal personnel (e.g. attorneys, staff, State Bar employees,etc.) that use it.  I’ve been guilty of doing so as well in years past because it was the easiest word at the moment to describe a situation…however, a good while back, I vowed to avoid the “n-l” word.  So although it’s certainly not every one who uses the “n-l” word with a negative intent, why use it at all when there are so many other more respectful words from which we can choose (e.g. legal or law office staff members, legal staff personnel, legal assistants, support staff, etc.!)?

So the point of taking the time to share my thoughts on this subject (and thank you for sticking with me!) is to ask you to join me in finding other words that are far more respectful when we are talking about folks who are not licensed to practice law.  Just think of the looks I’d get from the receptionist at an accountant’s office if I were to ask, “Are you the non-CPA?”  Or, when calling my doctor’s office I said, “Hi, I’d like to speak with a non-doctor.”  Then again, it may be serve me well the next time I get a nasty, cold reception from a store or service provider employee as I could say to him or her, “Hello….is there a non-grouch here with whom I could speak?!”

Thanks for “listening” and please share your comments and experiences back at me!

Do you suffer from ’seminar syndrome shame’?

As Republished in: St. Louis Daily Record & St. Louis Countian ,  Oct 9, 2008 by Nancy Byerly Jones

Most of us have suffered from seminar syndrome shame (“SSS”) — the “lost opportunity disease” that occurs when we expend valuable time and money on educational seminars only to accumulate CLE hours and nothing more. But the nation’s current economic environment has forced us to search for new ways to further maximize our hard- earned paychecks.

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What steps does your firm take to ensure the maximization of CLE dollars and time spent? First, make a list of all CLE programs you’ve attended in the past one or two years. Then note beside each program the portions that were most useful and valuable to you and your firm.

The next column should reflect what changes you have implemented (or are still hoping to implement) as a result of attending each CLE program.

The final column is your “catch-all” spot for miscellaneous comments or deadline dates.

Why bother to do this when you’ve made a mental note at a program to make certain changes based on things you learned? To answer that question, we only have to think back to all the seminars we’ve attended throughout our careers, and ask ourselves how often were we motivated by innovative ideas shared by motivating speakers and went back to our offices with every intention of quickly implementing what we learned?

The reality for most of us is that we returned to our offices excited about what we could do differently, put our seminar materials in a safe place and then decided to tackle some of the catch-up work awaiting us before starting work on implementing our planned changes in the very near future.

Unfortunately, the “day in the future” almost never comes. Instead, our countless seminar books sit faithfully in the same spot they were put when we returned from each program.

Before we know it, a month passes, six months, a year — and still we haven’t gotten around to making any changes, and usually we haven’t even shared our ideas with anyone else in the office.

The bottom line: Our best intentions have been laid to rest right alongside our seminar manuals yet again.

So let’s go back to our extremely simple form above. If nothing else, we should use this or a similar “cheat sheet” to make note of changes desired and add a weekly recurring reminder to our computer calendars.

These simple steps will keep us mindful of our seminar enthusiasm and up the odds that we will indeed take steps to make the worthwhile new ideas and planned changes a reality. Otherwise, they remain just good ideas like any of our other good intentions that get lost in the chronic busyness of our days.

What else can we do to maximize the value of time and money spent on CLE programs and materials? Here’s a starter list:

- At least a few days ahead of each CLE program, make a list of questions regarding the topics to be taught. This kind of list helps remind you of the subjects of most interest to you and your firm and allows you to frame more specific (and better quality!) questions for the speakers;

- Take along post-it type self-sticking “flags” to mark key points of interest to you in the handout materials for easy referral post-program;

- When note-taking during the program, include in the right or left margins the relevant page numbers in the handout materials;

- Have a specific, separate place to note your questions or desired clarifications as they arise so that when Q&A moments arise with the various speakers, you will not forget anything;

- Make sure you obtain the speakers’ contact information in case future questions arise about their materials or presentations;

- Within 24 hours of the program, jot down all the highlights from the CLE and the ideas you think may work well in your office (see the simplistic form above);

- Calendar frequent reminders so that your great intentions and ideas don’t fall victim to your 90 mph days;

- Schedule a mini-workshop in-house for appropriate attorneys and/or staff members during which you share what you learned and make your suggestions for specific changes. Plan enough time for a short brainstorming session regarding potential new systems and other changes after you’ve shared the highlights of the CLE program;

- Set target deadlines for implementing ideas that are agreed upon; and

- Monitor your progress and hold yourself and others accountable to do their individual parts to better ensure successful (and lasting!) results.

This list is by no means all-inclusive, but it is a good place to start.

Avoiding the multiple losses caused by SSS is a great way to help maximize your firm’s investment in its people and to broaden and enhance continuing education efforts. I hope you remain “SSS-free” and that you refuse to settle for just CLE hours ever again.

Former practicing lawyer Nancy Byerly Jones is the author of “Easy Self-Audits for the Busy Law Office,” available from the American Bar Association.

Please visit her Web site

at www.nbjconsulting.com.

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