THE ADMINISTRATOR'S ADVANTAGE—MARCH/APRIL 2010
From Languishing to Leadership through Effective Delegation and Feedback
The Essence of Leadership
Think of someone who has been a positive leader in your life. What leadership qualities does he/she demonstrate that you most value and appreciate? Some common leadership traits that many admire include the ability to communicate a clear vision, set clear expectations, inspire commitment, and give and receive feedback.
What is leadership? Does it require a certain personality style to be effective? In its most basic terms, leadership is the ability to get yourself and others from where you are to where you want to be. It is about getting things done through and with other people. Leadership is shown when people follow you because they want to - not because they have to. The most effective leaders utilize influence and coaching, not authority or coercion, to get positive results.
Read the full article on the website of The National Law Review »
THE ADMINISTRATOR'S ADVANTAGE—JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
How to Motivate Attorneys to Market
The Essence of Motivation
Consider that what lies at the heart of many motivational techniques is often a proverbial "carrot" or a "stick," presented by a person of authority in an effort to coerce behavior to a desired outcome. The "carrot-stick" continuum often manifests within law firms through monetary rewards (or not), plum assignments (or not), invitation to partnership (or not), and a measure of "protection" that ebbs and flows with the rising (or falling) tides of the marketplace. The biggest challenge for sustained motivation and momentum with the "carrot-stick" continuum is that it relies largely on managers to keep the motivators present consistently and to be consistent in the reward or consequence. In essence, "carrot-stick" is a highly management-dependent motivational technique.
A more effective motivation technique is one that emphasizes reflective, intrinsic motivators and places accountability for sustained motivation and momentum on the individual.
THE WOMAN ADVOCATE—WINTER 2010
How Women Lawyers Can Win New Business by Being Themselves
In these turbulent times, rainmakers can rest in comfort and confidence knowing that their success is not beholden to the ups and downs of the marketplace. This is because getting a client to hire you is the natural outcome of an authentic relationship centered on providing solutions to someone’s problem, even if you have to temporarily suspend your own self-interest to get it done. Many women think that successful marketing is all about “hard closing” the business. This misperception often evokes fear, discomfort—even nausea—that you have to morph your personality into something it’s not in an effort to pressure people to hire you.
This article identifies the 10 best practices for the authentic rainmaking woman. These practices can distinguish you and your firm and help you gain a competitive sales advantage.
This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or downloaded or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.
IN THE LOOP: THE NEWSLETTER OF LMA CHICAGO—SUMMER 2009
LMA Q&A: Meet Deborah Knupp
Since 2001, LMA member Deborah Knupp has been a Managing Partner in Chicago for Akina Corporation, a coaching and training firm that helps law firms rethink relationships, relevance, and revenue generation to win in any economy. Deb has worked globally with CEOs, executives, managing partners, and attorneys as a coach and business executive for over 20 years. She is known to LMA members nationwide for her engaging and thought-provoking presentations.
Q: Deb, before you became one of Akina’s founding partners in 2001, you held key positions of increasing responsibility at five different corporations. How did your career path lead you to your current work with Akina?
DK: My greatest professional passion has been helping organizations be places where clients want to buy, employees want to work, and leaders want to serve bigger purposes in their communities.
Read the full article (PDF; see p.2) »
CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS—FEBRUARY 26, 2006
From lawyers to super salespeople
It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it
Thad Felton wrote one name, then another and another. College buddies, neighbors, parents of his kids’ classmates, that friend of his in-laws. The list grew. Then Mr. Felton, a partner with Arnstein & Lehr LLP in Chicago, got down to business.
Who needs a lawyer? Who knows someone who needs a lawyer? Were colleagues in other professions interested in teaming up to cross-sell services? Was anyone hosting an event that would give him a chance to meet new people?
The exercise, part of a sales training session, was enlightening, and not just because Mr. Felton hadn’t realized how many people he knew.
Like many lawyers, Mr. Felton, 39, a litigator, was skeptical that anyone could teach him to think and act like a sales guy. But competition and savvy consumers mean that being a lawyer today is a lot like selling any other service.
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