<i>Professional Development</i>: Training Effectiveness

Imagine that your firm has just appointed you the Professional Development Partner, and you have been told that business development training for partners is the top priority. The next day, responding to your urgent request, the Professional Development Director gives you websites and brochures for 10 business development training consultants. That evening, late at your desk, you try to sort out which of these bewildering offerings might be the best investment. As you scroll through the last website, you drift off to sleep.

In a cloud, the business development training genie appears and offers you the standard three wishes. The genie also agrees to a conversation about implementing your wishes.

To fulfill your new role in the firm, what might you wish for? You might try something like this.

Wish #1: I wish for the business development training that will produce the best return on investment for my firm.

Genie: “I can grant that wish if you will bear with me for a moment. If you want to have better net results after a period of time (a year, for example), I assume that you will want to see more work from existing clients and more new clients ' all giving us measurably higher profits. Here's the problem ' we don't know how to measure easily what training contributes to those results. Perhaps an existing client had a huge spike in defending litigation. Maybe a new lateral brought in work that was cross-sold across several groups. But hey, take credit for the training contribution!

Changing Lawyers' Behavior

To isolate training as a major contributor to better results, we do know this. The best training programs produce desired behavior change in lawyers. If they were not comfortable with asking for new work before, now they are. If they never created a business development plan and followed it, now most of them will. Behavior counts more than intentions.

How do we get behavior change? That depends on the skill or competency you are trying to develop. Some competencies are primarily new skill development. Others are applied content and can be developed with existing skills. An example of an applied content competency is “writing an effective annual business development plan.” Lawyers at the partner level know how to write and how to follow templates. Therefore, we can use large-group training and materials, perhaps even webinars, to teach them the contents of an effective plan and how to complete a proven template. If the leadership requires the plans of everyone and supports plans in annual evaluations, this type of training will produce the behavior you want.

However, getting the lawyers to implement that plan (and attain measurable results) will often require more leadership and resources, such as coaching (a topic beyond the scope of the genie's comments today). Nevertheless, you can get plans in place at relatively low cost. Most business development competencies involve skills, however, and large group training will not produce skills such as client development conversations or skills in converting a prospect into a new client. Skills like this require small group training to get behavior change.

“But wait a minute, genie!” you protest. “Many of these consultants are saying that they can create skillful partners in a half-day or a day of inexpensive large group training. I wish I could pick one of those.” “Careful,” says the genie, “you are going to blow your second wish.”

Skills

We know from long experience dealing with legal skills like advocacy and negotiation, or for that matter, your tennis backhand, that skills training requires small groups and this cycle:

• A set of criteria for what defines competency (for example, in making an effective pitch at a client meeting).
• A demonstration of that competency, and chance to discuss the demonstration.
• Individual practice, in simulations and on the job.
• Individual feedback from a skilled feedback provider, following the skill criteria.
• More practice and more feedback.

To convince you of this, imagine paying $200 for a one-hour large-group webinar on how to improve your tennis backhand, the week before your club tournament. Would you get measurably equal or better results compared with practicing with a coach and using video replays for an hour?

The best in the business development consulting world adhere to this cycle in skill training. They typically offer coaching to support small-group training as well. They seek the same thing you want for the firm ' behavior change for better results.

Tracy LaLonde of the Akina Group advocates groups of eight to 10 people, noting that one or two often drop out. She uses small-group coaching to get behavior change and peer support for ongoing skill development. Asked for evidence of a return on training investment, Tracy says,

“In one small group coaching situation I facilitated, two members in different practice groups realized they had a shared target market. Person A had a prospect that needed help from someone like Person B. Over a couple of conversations with the prospect, they ended up securing work in Person B's area of expertise.”

The WJF Institute, led by Bill Flannery, recommends groups of 12 to 16 for skills training in sales. The Institute's four-day course is a significant investment of time and money. To get to smaller groups, they divide into two sets of six to eight attorneys, with each preparing and presenting a pitch to former general counsel.

Mike White, a fellow principal, with this author, at Edge International, introduces his training and coaching at large group events, then follows up with small groups of three to five lawyers for intensive training and coaching. He uses monthly “touches” with everyone to keep them on mission. Mike says,

“While lawyers are great at adopting logical methods and concepts intellectually, they tend to look for any escape hatch to avoid putting into action such methods particularly if they represent new priorities.”

He notes that lawyers are risk-averse, and see their relationship base (and expanding it) as deeply personal. Mike sees his mission this way: “If I want them to engage in more hand to hand combat in their market, they are expecting me to engage in hand to hand combat with them.”

In conclusion, my wishful friend, the best business development training is resource intensive, time consuming and more expensive than you may have thought.

Wish #2: I wish for the right “screening questions” to ask these consultants, so that I make a good investment choice.

Genie: “Happy to oblige. Here are some that should work. Steal this list.”

Screening Questions for Training Consultants

• Do you describe your training in terms of the outcomes that lawyers will attain as a result of this training?
• Do you have past examples of lawyers achieving those outcomes both in and after training? How did you measure that?
• Do you have a set of written, proven criteria for performance for every skill that you want to teach? If not, how will lawyers know what effective performance looks like?
• Do you use a skills training cycle (see above) and small instructor-participant ratios to ensure plenty of expert feedback?
• What follow-up suggestions do you leave for the firm to continue on-the-job skill development and measurement?
• Will you leave the firm with ways to measure return on investment besides the post-program evaluation form?

“Thanks, genie,” you reply. “I can see how to cut six of 10 from my consultant list.”

Wish #3: Since I am not convinced that training alone will meet this challenge, I wish for some other ways to change lawyer business development behavior.

“You are pushing beyond your three wishes, but here are some headlines,” says the genie:

Changing Business Dev Behavior in Lawyers

• Give Permission.
• Reward Efforts.
• Reward Results.
• Leadership.
• Give Permission

Most firms have at least one time-keeping category for business development. Lawyers are encouraged to log non-billable time in that category. The genie prefers to call it “investment time” and promote several sub-categories, such as writing, speaking, RFP preparation, team pitches, etc. This prevents the single category from being a “dumping ground” that does not give us actionable information. Instead, if we have categories such as RFP and pitch participation, we can track follow up on training. Did hours increase in those categories after training?

Reward Efforts

Should a firm reward business development efforts or only results? Firms that emphasize origination credits would say “results.” But those who have moved away from origination still want to incentivize business development efforts. This often leads to a subjective category in annual evaluations for business development efforts. The theory is that the right kind of individual and collective efforts will produce more client business. This can make sense if the efforts are targeted, purposeful and relevant to the practice. For example in international IP practice, a strong attendance at the signature annual conference (INTA) is a “must” for serious IP players. For an M&A group, there are multiple conferences and no one event may be target-rich enough. To reward efforts effectively, each practice group has to define priority activities that will receive attention and weight at year-end.

Reward Results

Expanding the book of business is every firm's goal. But is it going to be “my book” or the “firm's book”? To reward results that are consistent with training, you should be looking both at individual “wins” and team achievements. This can be done by in a subjective compensation category, plus a revenue figure, plus a “team factor” in assessing the individual.

Leadership

Although you are just the lowly Professional Development Partner, the genie can make you shine if you engage senior leaders and practice group leaders to support training. The easy steps are to get e-mail messages from leaders or their personal introductions for key programs. Some law firm leaders make training investment worthwhile by protecting associates who go to the programs. No partner is allowed to take an associate out of training without permission of the practice group leader. Another best practice: When new, costly programs are launched, we often see top leaders at the front tables, and they stay for the duration.

Conclusion

There you have it. In a puff of smoke, the genie disappears, and our Professional Development Partner returns to the hard reality of the assigned challenge ' better equipped to choose and deliver on effective business development training.

David Cruickshank, of Edge International, trains partners and senior associates in leadership, project management and management skills.

Imagine that your firm has just appointed you the Professional Development Partner, and you have been told that business development training for partners is the top priority. The next day, responding to your urgent request, the Professional Development Director gives you websites and brochures for 10 business development training consultants. That evening, late at your desk, you try to sort out which of these bewildering offerings might be the best investment. As you scroll through the last website, you drift off to sleep.

In a cloud, the business development training genie appears and offers you the standard three wishes. The genie also agrees to a conversation about implementing your wishes.

To fulfill your new role in the firm, what might you wish for? You might try something like this.

Wish #1: I wish for the business development training that will produce the best return on investment for my firm.

Genie: “I can grant that wish if you will bear with me for a moment. If you want to have better net results after a period of time (a year, for example), I assume that you will want to see more work from existing clients and more new clients ' all giving us measurably higher profits. Here's the problem ' we don't know how to measure easily what training contributes to those results. Perhaps an existing client had a huge spike in defending litigation. Maybe a new lateral brought in work that was cross-sold across several groups. But hey, take credit for the training contribution!

Changing Lawyers' Behavior

To isolate training as a major contributor to better results, we do know this. The best training programs produce desired behavior change in lawyers. If they were not comfortable with asking for new work before, now they are. If they never created a business development plan and followed it, now most of them will. Behavior counts more than intentions.

How do we get behavior change? That depends on the skill or competency you are trying to develop. Some competencies are primarily new skill development. Others are applied content and can be developed with existing skills. An example of an applied content competency is “writing an effective annual business development plan.” Lawyers at the partner level know how to write and how to follow templates. Therefore, we can use large-group training and materials, perhaps even webinars, to teach them the contents of an effective plan and how to complete a proven template. If the leadership requires the plans of everyone and supports plans in annual evaluations, this type of training will produce the behavior you want.

However, getting the lawyers to implement that plan (and attain measurable results) will often require more leadership and resources, such as coaching (a topic beyond the scope of the genie's comments today). Nevertheless, you can get plans in place at relatively low cost. Most business development competencies involve skills, however, and large group training will not produce skills such as client development conversations or skills in converting a prospect into a new client. Skills like this require small group training to get behavior change.

“But wait a minute, genie!” you protest. “Many of these consultants are saying that they can create skillful partners in a half-day or a day of inexpensive large group training. I wish I could pick one of those.” “Careful,” says the genie, “you are going to blow your second wish.”

Skills

We know from long experience dealing with legal skills like advocacy and negotiation, or for that matter, your tennis backhand, that skills training requires small groups and this cycle:

• A set of criteria for what defines competency (for example, in making an effective pitch at a client meeting).
• A demonstration of that competency, and chance to discuss the demonstration.
• Individual practice, in simulations and on the job.
• Individual feedback from a skilled feedback provider, following the skill criteria.
• More practice and more feedback.

To convince you of this, imagine paying $200 for a one-hour large-group webinar on how to improve your tennis backhand, the week before your club tournament. Would you get measurably equal or better results compared with practicing with a coach and using video replays for an hour?

The best in the business development consulting world adhere to this cycle in skill training. They typically offer coaching to support small-group training as well. They seek the same thing you want for the firm ' behavior change for better results.

Tracy LaLonde of the Akina Group advocates groups of eight to 10 people, noting that one or two often drop out. She uses small-group coaching to get behavior change and peer support for ongoing skill development. Asked for evidence of a return on training investment, Tracy says,

“In one small group coaching situation I facilitated, two members in different practice groups realized they had a shared target market. Person A had a prospect that needed help from someone like Person B. Over a couple of conversations with the prospect, they ended up securing work in Person B's area of expertise.”

The WJF Institute, led by Bill Flannery, recommends groups of 12 to 16 for skills training in sales. The Institute's four-day course is a significant investment of time and money. To get to smaller groups, they divide into two sets of six to eight attorneys, with each preparing and presenting a pitch to former general counsel.

Mike White, a fellow principal, with this author, at Edge International, introduces his training and coaching at large group events, then follows up with small groups of three to five lawyers for intensive training and coaching. He uses monthly “touches” with everyone to keep them on mission. Mike says,

“While lawyers are great at adopting logical methods and concepts intellectually, they tend to look for any escape hatch to avoid putting into action such methods particularly if they represent new priorities.”

He notes that lawyers are risk-averse, and see their relationship base (and expanding it) as deeply personal. Mike sees his mission this way: “If I want them to engage in more hand to hand combat in their market, they are expecting me to engage in hand to hand combat with them.”

In conclusion, my wishful friend, the best business development training is resource intensive, time consuming and more expensive than you may have thought.

Wish #2: I wish for the right “screening questions” to ask these consultants, so that I make a good investment choice.

Genie: “Happy to oblige. Here are some that should work. Steal this list.”

Screening Questions for Training Consultants

• Do you describe your training in terms of the outcomes that lawyers will attain as a result of this training?
• Do you have past examples of lawyers achieving those outcomes both in and after training? How did you measure that?
• Do you have a set of written, proven criteria for performance for every skill that you want to teach? If not, how will lawyers know what effective performance looks like?
• Do you use a skills training cycle (see above) and small instructor-participant ratios to ensure plenty of expert feedback?
• What follow-up suggestions do you leave for the firm to continue on-the-job skill development and measurement?
• Will you leave the firm with ways to measure return on investment besides the post-program evaluation form?

“Thanks, genie,” you reply. “I can see how to cut six of 10 from my consultant list.”

Wish #3: Since I am not convinced that training alone will meet this challenge, I wish for some other ways to change lawyer business development behavior.

“You are pushing beyond your three wishes, but here are some headlines,” says the genie:

Changing Business Dev Behavior in Lawyers

• Give Permission.
• Reward Efforts.
• Reward Results.
• Leadership.
• Give Permission

Most firms have at least one time-keeping category for business development. Lawyers are encouraged to log non-billable time in that category. The genie prefers to call it “investment time” and promote several sub-categories, such as writing, speaking, RFP preparation, team pitches, etc. This prevents the single category from being a “dumping ground” that does not give us actionable information. Instead, if we have categories such as RFP and pitch participation, we can track follow up on training. Did hours increase in those categories after training?

Reward Efforts

Should a firm reward business development efforts or only results? Firms that emphasize origination credits would say “results.” But those who have moved away from origination still want to incentivize business development efforts. This often leads to a subjective category in annual evaluations for business development efforts. The theory is that the right kind of individual and collective efforts will produce more client business. This can make sense if the efforts are targeted, purposeful and relevant to the practice. For example in international IP practice, a strong attendance at the signature annual conference (INTA) is a “must” for serious IP players. For an M&A group, there are multiple conferences and no one event may be target-rich enough. To reward efforts effectively, each practice group has to define priority activities that will receive attention and weight at year-end.

Reward Results

Expanding the book of business is every firm's goal. But is it going to be “my book” or the “firm's book”? To reward results that are consistent with training, you should be looking both at individual “wins” and team achievements. This can be done by in a subjective compensation category, plus a revenue figure, plus a “team factor” in assessing the individual.

Leadership

Although you are just the lowly Professional Development Partner, the genie can make you shine if you engage senior leaders and practice group leaders to support training. The easy steps are to get e-mail messages from leaders or their personal introductions for key programs. Some law firm leaders make training investment worthwhile by protecting associates who go to the programs. No partner is allowed to take an associate out of training without permission of the practice group leader. Another best practice: When new, costly programs are launched, we often see top leaders at the front tables, and they stay for the duration.

Conclusion

There you have it. In a puff of smoke, the genie disappears, and our Professional Development Partner returns to the hard reality of the assigned challenge ' better equipped to choose and deliver on effective business development training.

David Cruickshank, of Edge International, trains partners and senior associates in leadership, project management and management skills.