How Senior Lawyers can improve team issues without spending hours on managing people

My client, a partner in a law firm,? was sitting in his office very? annoyed? as one member of the? team stormed in complaining that a colleague was continuing to create problems instead of finding solutions and the clients was getting irritated. My client had already had another bad news, one the the senior lawyer was resigning and there were also issues of performance in other member of the teams.

?He was really fed up that instead of looking to increase the practice or producing better quality of work, all these team issues were creating a fundamental problem for the firm affecting also productivity. He felt a bit lost, trying to sort out issues as they came, thus feeling reactive to constant issues with the team?

When you're a senior lawyer or a partner in a law firm, being able to have functioning teams can often seem a mirage, as managing people is by definition a complex affair.

If you are recognizing yourself in my client’s problem or similar problems, would you just leave it the way it is without even trying to find a new way of managing teams in a more efficient and productive way ??

I’m guessing you wouldn’t.

Well I have worked with few senior lawyers and professional exactly in the same situation as you, finding it really difficult to address different personalities in teams, resignation, difficulties in hiring and difficult personalities whilst attending to grow a business and exceeding clients demands.?

But they were able to substantially improve those situations… I will reveal that in a moment…

Before I reveal that to you, you first need to understand there are very few law firms or legal departments where team dynamics are addressed in a timely and healthy way and that very few leaders as well as team members take an honest look at the situations and make aneffort to improve it with a structured plan. Hence it is very normal and frequent for the contrary to happen.

People have different, clashing personalities, competition can also be an unhealthy component of teams, people have a different attitude for work, different skills, hard and soft, and communicate in divergent ways (or prefer not to say much even if there are problems) .

When I work with leaders and teams there were few steps which really helped to move the needle forward and have a more cohesive teams and better performance:

1- identify the problem and don't bury your head in the sand even if it seems easier to ignore issues or blame others;

2- communicate openly: whether is a single person or the issues relates to teams dynamics;

3- foster team work: remind the team of shared goal and objective and the need to collaborate to reach them;

4- seek different perspectives from team members;

5- brainstorm solutions

6- evaluate solutions

7- implement and monitor progress…..

These steps and their nuances are not as easy to implement as one could imagine, and it took me few years of work to refine them and their implementation.

So, I created a 7 steps? Leading a Dream Team System

That allowed my clients to substantially improve team dynamics so that teams are communicating and collaborating, team members are satisfied and? there is a positive proactive climate to work better and serve clients in the best way .

Knowing how to achieve these types of results is critical to your success as a Senior Lawyer, Partner or Senior/ General Counsel or Senior Professional.

Now, remember, and think back to the story on the partner who struggled with team issues and dynamics? Well, even if they thought it was going to take some time in a matter of few weeks they had a much more cohesive team and improved team communication which lead to more collaboration and made the teams more positive and productive- thanks to my? Leading a Dream Team System.

If you're looking to reach the same results and optimise team dynamics message me with the words: "Dream Team" we will will book a call to lay down a structure.

I only have 3 slots available this week, so act now.

Speak soon,

Annelise the Dream Team Coach & Facilitator?