Questions Every Leader Should Ask

Leaders in today's law firms are so caught up in managing their caseloads, achieving billable hour goals and putting out fires, they rarely stop to consider how well they are leading.

Self-reflection helps to increase awareness, which leads to better results. The following questions do not provide answers. Rather, they serve to create awareness of your own perceptions of yourself as a leader. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, ask these questions to those who report to you and compare your answers to theirs.

Questions one through five focus on you as leader in your current role. Questions six and seven ask you to consider what would happen if you left the firm today. Be honest with yourself and ponder the implications of each of your answers.

Question 1: What Do You Get Paid to Do? Before reading on, consider your immediate answers to this question. If you are like most individuals in the legal profession, your answer inevitably focuses on providing excellent client service, finding and retaining clients, and helping your clients to achieve their legal objectives. But is this all you get paid to do?

How about creating an environment in which your people love coming to work? Do you get paid to retain good associates and staff? Is it a part of your job to help develop your people so that they are more effective? Do you get paid to motivate your people so that they are performing their best?

Your leadership behaviors help drive how successfully you achieve the legal aspects of your role.

Question 2: Are You a Manager and a Leader? Every person with direct reports has two hats: One with the word, “Manager” imprinted on it, the other with the word, “Leader.” The key difference is that managers manage things, while leaders lead people. Both hats are needed for optimal success, but do you wear both of them?

When considering this question, go beyond the results that you and your practice achieve and consider how you go about achieving results. Do you focus short-term or long-term? Do you foster dependent thinking or inspire independent thinkers? Do you influence through power and job title or by “walking the talk” and inspiring people through knowledge and expertise. Do you get results through policies and rules? Or, do you get results through people?

All too often, those in the legal profession focus on matter management and business development at the expense of professional development. They win cases, but lose the commitment of their people.

Is your Manager hat well-worn, while your Leader hat needs some breaking in?

Question 3: What Is the Most Important Thing Your Associates and Staff Members Can Learn from You About Being an Effective Leader? Each of us has positive attributes and competencies that allow us to be effective in our roles. What one skill or behavior have you developed to such a degree that you represent the benchmark for this behavior to the people around you? Maybe it's the way you speak to your clients. Perhaps it's your ability to juggle a large caseload and not miss any of the crucial details.

Given that you have developed these skills, have you made an effort to share your expertise with your associates and staff?

Question 4: Would Your Associates Say That You Love What You Do? We all know that negativity is contagious. We have all seen the impact of the energy vampires ' those folks who suck the life force from the work environment. But the good news is that people with passion can inspire those around them.

Do you embody such passion that you spark excitement in those around you? Would the people around you say that you are a force of nature that makes everyone around you feel motivated and good about themselves? Has anyone ever said to you that they can see that you love your job? Are you the model of an engaged leader that builds morale in all those you encounter? And if not, what behaviors do you need to stop or start?

Question 5: Do You Focus on the Past, the Present or the Future? Effective leaders understand the past, focus on the present, but have their eye on the future? Do you consider past lessons? Do you learn from mistakes and failures? Do you look for patterns in the past and present to forecast the future?

Are you focused on the results that you are achieving today? Do you hold people accountable for what they are doing right now? Do you deal with poor performers and remove obstacles that limit high performance?

Do you know where your team, department, organization and industry are headed? Do you plan for a changing future or do you assume that next year will be just like this year? Do you convey a clear and compelling vision to your staff?

If you asked your coworkers where you focus, would they say the past, the present or the future? And what does that tell you about where you should be looking?

Question 6: If You Left Your Law Firm Today, Would Anyone Want to Go with You? People follow managers because they have to. People follow leaders because they want to. But how far will they follow you? Would the associates in your firm who report to you want to follow you to a different firm? Are they so excited about working with you that they would be willing to leave the security of their role to join you in another law firm?

What is it that makes people want to follow a leader to a new place? Do you demonstrate those behaviors?

Question 7: Knowing What Your Firm Knows About You Now, if You Were a Prospect for Your Current Position, Would They Enthusiastically Rehire You? When you were hired, your law firm selected you based on a variety of criteria. They made assumptions about how well you would perform for your clients and how you would interact with your coworkers. Are you fulfilling those expectations?

Every organization has dead wood. And of course, no one thinks that they would be placed in that category. But are you considered to be a top performer who is valued by your firm? Are you are the example of the perfect candidate for your current role? If not, what do you need to change?

Conclusion

Albert Einstein said that we should never stop questioning. But at some point, we have to start answering and take action. In the end, we only have ourselves to answer to. The most effective leaders understand their strengths and their challenges. They take steps to become better leaders. And they achieve their goals, both personally and professionally.

Remember, you cannot become what you want to be while remaining what you are.

Merrick Rosenberg is a speaker, coach, author, and entrepreneur. He co-founded Team Builders Plus in 1991 and Take Flight Learning in 2012. He is the coauthor of Taking Flight: Master the DISC Styles and Transform Your Career, Your Relationships ' Your Life.

Leaders in today's law firms are so caught up in managing their caseloads, achieving billable hour goals and putting out fires, they rarely stop to consider how well they are leading.

Self-reflection helps to increase awareness, which leads to better results. The following questions do not provide answers. Rather, they serve to create awareness of your own perceptions of yourself as a leader. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, ask these questions to those who report to you and compare your answers to theirs.

Questions one through five focus on you as leader in your current role. Questions six and seven ask you to consider what would happen if you left the firm today. Be honest with yourself and ponder the implications of each of your answers.

Question 1: What Do You Get Paid to Do? Before reading on, consider your immediate answers to this question. If you are like most individuals in the legal profession, your answer inevitably focuses on providing excellent client service, finding and retaining clients, and helping your clients to achieve their legal objectives. But is this all you get paid to do?

How about creating an environment in which your people love coming to work? Do you get paid to retain good associates and staff? Is it a part of your job to help develop your people so that they are more effective? Do you get paid to motivate your people so that they are performing their best?

Your leadership behaviors help drive how successfully you achieve the legal aspects of your role.

Question 2: Are You a Manager and a Leader? Every person with direct reports has two hats: One with the word, “Manager” imprinted on it, the other with the word, “Leader.” The key difference is that managers manage things, while leaders lead people. Both hats are needed for optimal success, but do you wear both of them?

When considering this question, go beyond the results that you and your practice achieve and consider how you go about achieving results. Do you focus short-term or long-term? Do you foster dependent thinking or inspire independent thinkers? Do you influence through power and job title or by “walking the talk” and inspiring people through knowledge and expertise. Do you get results through policies and rules? Or, do you get results through people?

All too often, those in the legal profession focus on matter management and business development at the expense of professional development. They win cases, but lose the commitment of their people.

Is your Manager hat well-worn, while your Leader hat needs some breaking in?

Question 3: What Is the Most Important Thing Your Associates and Staff Members Can Learn from You About Being an Effective Leader? Each of us has positive attributes and competencies that allow us to be effective in our roles. What one skill or behavior have you developed to such a degree that you represent the benchmark for this behavior to the people around you? Maybe it's the way you speak to your clients. Perhaps it's your ability to juggle a large caseload and not miss any of the crucial details.

Given that you have developed these skills, have you made an effort to share your expertise with your associates and staff?

Question 4: Would Your Associates Say That You Love What You Do? We all know that negativity is contagious. We have all seen the impact of the energy vampires ' those folks who suck the life force from the work environment. But the good news is that people with passion can inspire those around them.

Do you embody such passion that you spark excitement in those around you? Would the people around you say that you are a force of nature that makes everyone around you feel motivated and good about themselves? Has anyone ever said to you that they can see that you love your job? Are you the model of an engaged leader that builds morale in all those you encounter? And if not, what behaviors do you need to stop or start?

Question 5: Do You Focus on the Past, the Present or the Future? Effective leaders understand the past, focus on the present, but have their eye on the future? Do you consider past lessons? Do you learn from mistakes and failures? Do you look for patterns in the past and present to forecast the future?

Are you focused on the results that you are achieving today? Do you hold people accountable for what they are doing right now? Do you deal with poor performers and remove obstacles that limit high performance?

Do you know where your team, department, organization and industry are headed? Do you plan for a changing future or do you assume that next year will be just like this year? Do you convey a clear and compelling vision to your staff?

If you asked your coworkers where you focus, would they say the past, the present or the future? And what does that tell you about where you should be looking?

Question 6: If You Left Your Law Firm Today, Would Anyone Want to Go with You? People follow managers because they have to. People follow leaders because they want to. But how far will they follow you? Would the associates in your firm who report to you want to follow you to a different firm? Are they so excited about working with you that they would be willing to leave the security of their role to join you in another law firm?

What is it that makes people want to follow a leader to a new place? Do you demonstrate those behaviors?

Question 7: Knowing What Your Firm Knows About You Now, if You Were a Prospect for Your Current Position, Would They Enthusiastically Rehire You? When you were hired, your law firm selected you based on a variety of criteria. They made assumptions about how well you would perform for your clients and how you would interact with your coworkers. Are you fulfilling those expectations?

Every organization has dead wood. And of course, no one thinks that they would be placed in that category. But are you considered to be a top performer who is valued by your firm? Are you are the example of the perfect candidate for your current role? If not, what do you need to change?

Conclusion

Albert Einstein said that we should never stop questioning. But at some point, we have to start answering and take action. In the end, we only have ourselves to answer to. The most effective leaders understand their strengths and their challenges. They take steps to become better leaders. And they achieve their goals, both personally and professionally.

Remember, you cannot become what you want to be while remaining what you are.

Merrick Rosenberg is a speaker, coach, author, and entrepreneur. He co-founded Team Builders Plus in 1991 and Take Flight Learning in 2012. He is the coauthor of Taking Flight: Master the DISC Styles and Transform Your Career, Your Relationships ' Your Life.