Practice Management

The Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation held its annual Leadership Forum for alumni of their various programs, including Leadership Denver.  United States Senator Michael Bennetspoke on the topic of leadership, calling on his experience in both the private and public sector over the past 20+ years.   Senator Bennet is lawyer, who at one time was an associate for an amlaw 100 firm.  Here is a sample from my notes:

• Know the budget better than anyone else, because the budget is the #1 management tool.  If you can understand the budget, you can control the process.
• Learn the substance of the business before you try to lead the business.  If you are leading a school district, learn the teaching business.  You can't rely on others who know the business if you don't.
• Spend time not in your office, but in other peoples' offices, on porches, in coffee shops and in the field.  Meet with people on the front line.  Build a team so you can work towards a collective goal.
• No job is too small.  Everyone can do anything to get things done. 
• Get measurements right.  Measure the right things that will lead to meeting your goals.
• It is the leader's role to put the organization on the path to continuous improvement.  Get the systems in place to improve.
• "When I interviewed for an associate job in big law firms, I was staggered - utterly staggered - by the lack of diversity in law firms.  And it hasn't changed in 20 years."
• You are not effective when you are trying to do other people's job.  Find people who are great at what they do and empower them to do it.  Focus on what you do best and delegate to your team.
• Leaders need to develop a coherent theory of action and enlist others to make it happen.
• Focus on people.