<b><i>Leadership:</i></b> Accelerate New Business Now

So, why isn't everyone in business living in an “accelerator zone”? A primary reason is that most people don't know what ingredients are necessary for acceleration. 36ixty Inc. has actually identified 12 essential practices that lead business leaders to new business success. These are branding, leadership, strategy, communication, team, value creation, core story, marketing, sales, customer experience, revenue and systems to manage all of these.

These 12 are not an end-all, cure-all or a series of magic pills. What they are equates to marketing and sales leadership success. They are especially applicable to law firms that are most often managed by consensus or collegiality. Practicing them and including senior partners, PICs, marketing partners and practice group leaders will lead to more clarity, focus and execution.

Note that these practices break down into three manageable groups; how people work; how processes work; and systems to integrate and manage them all. We call them “impact areas,” where clients focus on bottom-line results. And, in order to define these, we start with having senior firm management answer these questions as a group.

• What do I need to do more of?
• What do I need to do less of?
• What do I need to start doing?
• What do I need to stop doing?

The right questions are designed to focus on what is really important to the business and internal aspects necessary for success. The answers become the foundation that might lead to refinement, transformation in effectiveness and profits. They are the keys to growing new business. What then follows is the strategic planning process.

Turn Strategy into Action

Strategic planning is the process by which an organization's leaders define and implement the strategy needed to achieve the firm's fundamental purpose ' successfully solving problems and preventing them in the future. The output is a set of high-level objectives [we identify them as "critical improvement areas"] and initiatives [specific actions] to achieve these objectives. In other words, turn strategy into action.

And since most “plans” sit on a shelf gathering dust, we propose starting out with a one-page strategic plan ' yes, one page! State the purpose, identify the anticipated profit, set the priorities, measure the performance and track the progress. Ensure that firm members all understand what is happening, anticipate how their roles are critical to success, and build it into your firm's culture.

Fatal Mistakes

It is stunning how many lawyers treat all leads alike, and market to the wrong prospects. Another major firm leadership mistake is asking “closers” to get out and prospect. This is analogous to teaching pigs how to fly. It would be far better to determine where each attorney needs the most business development support.

• Are they comfortable building rapport with new prospects?
• Do they know how to qualify the buyer/user?
• Will they build real value for clients?
• Can they create the desire to buy?
• How do they overcome objections?
• Do they close???

'90% of This Game Is Half Mental!'

This famous Yogi Berra quote addresses the most important aspect of accelerating new business: your team. Ultimately, it is the attorneys and paralegals who will drive the firm into the “accelerator zone.” For firm management, understanding how to support and drive their people by using the one-page strategic plan becomes the road to success. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman observed a four-phase path that teams need to follow on their way to high performance ' “forming, storming, norming and performing.”

In the “forming” stage, many team members are positive and polite. Some are anxious, as they do not fully understand what work they will be doing. As the leader, you play a dominant role at this stage, because roles and responsibilities are not clear. Be aware that this stage can last for some time, as people begin working together and making an effort to get to know their colleagues. The so-called attorney “silo” operational set is still all too present and prevents early acknowledgement of entering the “accelerator zone.”

When “storming,” people start to push against the firm's cultural boundaries that are identified in the forming stage. This is often the stage where many teams fail and firm management may give up. Storming frequently begins where there is a conflict between team members' natural working styles. But if these working styles cause unforeseen problems, the individuals may become frustrated and lose the proximity to the “accelerator zone.” Other storming situations may occur if team members challenge your authority or jockey for position as their roles are clarified. Some may question the goals and resist taking on tasks.

Gradually, if you don't quit, “norming” becomes the third stage leading to high performance. People begin resolving their differences, appreciate colleagues' strengths, and show respect for you, the leader. Team members who have gotten to know each other better may begin to socialize, and are therefore able to ask each other for help. In turn, this generates a stronger commitment to the goal set out on the one-page strategic plan. Often, there is an overlap between the norming and storming phases because as new tasks arise, the team may lapse back into the storming phase.

The team will reach the “performing” stage when hard work leads, without friction, to achieving the goal set by firm management. Structures and processes are working. As the leader, more work can be delegated allowing you to spend more time developing the team members.

Last, many teams ultimately reach the “adjourning” phase. For example, some teams are assembled for a specific project and when that is accomplished, they adjourn. This phase may become difficult for many participants since they have built great working relationships and don't want to lose them. But if you have shown them the value of being in the “accelerator zone,” they will contribute more in the future to the firm's culture.

Sustainable Revenue Growth

Those refinements, new effectiveness and revenue growth projected by firm management in the earliest stages of entering the “accelerator zone” are now realized. Sustaining them becomes the objective into the future. Periodically starting a new cycle with a new one-page strategic plan becomes a key leadership tool for firm management.

As practice areas, offices, and cross-specialty groups build this approach into their culture, they will open and then close multiple new business opportunities. And, acceleration becomes a highly recognized and respected key to your firm's success.

Dr. Allan Colman, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is CEO of The Closers Group, Torrance, CA.