Practice Management

During this past week, what did your employees do for you?

By Dan Hull

Value, anyone? If you are "training" them (support staff, paralegals, associates) properly, and giving them meaningful things to do, good for you. Make them part of your client work, and get them to "think like" (a) a client which wants problems solved and (b) you--the owner, shareholder or partner.

And on the latter (Item (b)), are they treating you like a client? What did employees do for you this week? How did they add value? Did they advance things, or hold you back? Are they buying into the ethos of great substantive work, and 24/7-availability client service, like it's a crusade, a religion, and a way of life? After all, you are only asking for the minimum there. Practicing law correctly is hard. Client service is hard.

"Training", to be sure, is likely a myth. Good associates and other support people train themselves, jump into the fray with energy and resolve, and learn by doing. If you have to spend additional time "training" or explaining things to employees, and you still want to keep them, that's fine. Some people take longer than others to "get it". But make them pay your firm for the extras--just as they paid to learn in college or law school.*

*Yes, we're serious about that. Get off your PC knees, please.

Eager new employees.

Full post as published by What About Clients? on November 01, 2008 (boomark / email).