Creating Positive Visibility Within Your Organization

Why does positive visibility have such a material positive impact? Law firms utilize a 'partner grapevine' as a valid communications vehicle. As law firms get larger and more geographically dispersed, the grapevine serves a key role in determining the 'view' of partners not only with regard to your substantive performance, but also with regard to your leadership skills. Visibility activities within the firm provide important additional opportunities for people to form a positive view as to your skills, interpersonal abilities, and judgment. In addition, creating visibility for yourself within your organization outside of your official job responsibilities increases the number of people who have dealt with you directly and gives you an opportunity to develop a reputation across practice areas and offices.

The opportunities to create positive visibility in a law firm context are numerous. This article discusses three of the areas that exist at firms. Most law firms have multiple established firm citizenship opportunities in the form of local and firm-wide committees, affinity groups, task forces, and practice group management activities. Strategic firm functions such as client relationship management, business acquisition efforts, and recruiting provide additional viable opportunities. Finally, the
lack of strict hierarchy in a law firm provides opportunities to create
visibility.