What are the most effective ways to show your commitment to Practice Management when seeking a promotion?

In my experience, sharing your best practices, lessons learned, and challenges overcome with your peers and managers not only fosters a culture of transparency and continuous improvement but also reinforces your dedication to driving positive outcomes. This can be done by organizing inhouse learning sessions. I started off the Business Services Learning Series (BSLS) in my organization with the aim to improve job satisfaction, streamline our operations, showcase some of our results and to demonstrate our commitment to the practice. In addition, accept opportunities to present your approach and results at industry conferences and practice management seminars. Doing this brings much recognition and mentorship opportinities

Early in my career I learnt how to brace up, walk into my supervisor's office and request for feedback on my performance rather than waiting for the dreaded annual performance evaluation. I find the annual performance evaluation ritual retrogresive like a postmortem or medicine after death. Feedback is best served "hot" and with kindness of course. I recall conducting the first 360 degree feedback for our firm. Implementing a performance survey of supervisors by team members was quite revealing. It unveiled our supervisors leadership quotient and staff overall experience under their leadership.. Over several months, we tried to track improvements, highlighting specific areas where changes were made based on feedback.

Just ask!! So often we are wondering "What would it take to get a promotion?" or "What are they looking for from this role?" or "Where should I start focusing more?" All we really need to do is ask. Ask our bosses, mentors, colleagues, team members and get some perspectives. Not only does this help provide direction, but it also gives real concrete areas of focus that you can follow up on in performance reviews and development conversations. This is not to say that you just follow what feedback you get blindly. Have some thoughts of where you feel like you need to develop and focus more energy and bring that into these conversations.

I believe that in today's digital age, leveraging technology and automation tools can significantly enhance practice management efficiency and effectiveness. Some instances would include: implementing software solutions for scheduling, client management, billing, and data analysis. By embracing technology, practitioners can streamline workflows, reduce administrative burdens, and free up time for more strategic tasks. Also, by staying abreast of technological advancements and seeking opportunities to integrate them into daily activities, one demonstrates a commitment to innovation and staying competitive in the evolving landscape of professional services.

One thing I have found useful is to begin a professional association or cohort. In 2011 I started one with a handful of law firm practice managers and managing partners. By forming an association or cohort, we created a structured platform where continuous learning is not only encouraged but prioritized. Through collaborative efforts, members are able to leverage their knowledge, share experiences, and collectively explore new ideas and solutions. Members are motivated to push boundaries and think creatively to address common challenges. Moreover, joining an association or cohort provides access to a diverse range of resources, industry-specific research and networking opportunities that are instrumental to enhancing our practice.

One of the most important aspects of career planning is ensuring that you are on the right path. Often times, individuals who have a specific career goal lose track when they jump to a new & slightly off path job. Throughout my career, I have talked to many leaders, who aspire to have a job they are not prepared for. It was always a shock to them when you explained that you “cannot get to your goal from where you are today”! One of the keys of career planning, is to talk to people who have achieved the job you want & research the path they took. So we know that skills, knowledge, & experience are important but without a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI)these things won’t matter. Leadership failure is often due to a lack of EI.