Clio Cloud Conference 2014

SEPTEMBER 22 – 23, 2014 · CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

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Building Culture in the Workplace

Unlocking Your Law Firm’s Culture Code

by Chelsey Lambert

@ChelseyLambert

@SmokeballNews

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Company Culture (What we think it means.)

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What Culture Really Means

• Who you are.

• What you believe in.

• Why you started your business.

• Cultivating happiness for your

employees, clients and yourself.

Your brand is your culture.

– Tony Hsieh

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Every interaction is a direct reflection of

your company culture.

CLIENTS

EMPLOYEES

PARTNERS

REFERRALS

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How Culture Applies to Your Law Practice

• Employees understand why clients need your services.

• Each can articulate the reason behind your business.

• All are motivated to help everyone involved succeed.

• Everyone sees value in coming to work.

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Culture begins with

Leadership

• Team Stages

• Employee Empowerment

• Mission Statement & Core Values

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Core Values &

Mission Statement

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Your Mission Statement

• Why does your business exist?

• Who do you serve? (Your niche)

• Where are your clients?

• What service(s) do you provide?

• How do core values guide your

team?

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Famous Mission Statements

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Smokeball Mission & Values

Mission Statement / Purpose

• We change the lives of small law firm owners for the better

Core Values

• 1. Caring is not optional

• 2. Innovate for the customer, not the press release

• 3. Keep Listening, keep learning

• 4. Be real, be honest, be yourself

• 5. Focus is the key to fulfilling our vision

Brand Promise

• Smokeball will reduce the stress and increase the profitability of running a small law firm

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Law Firm Translation

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Defining Your

Core Values?

• 3 – 5 Statements of passion.

• Tied to your Mission Statement

• Actionable

• Part of daily life

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Noteworthy Core Values

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Business Impact

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Client Impact

Engaging the hearts, minds, and

hands of talent is the most

sustainable source of competitive

advantage.

- Greg Harris, Quantum Workplace

Engaged Employees Care

• About clients

• About expenses

• About outcomes

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Does this really work?

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Ownership, Engagement & Your Team

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Common Law Firm Culture Challenges

• Lack of connection to goals

• Lack of mutual role respect

• Lack of focused encouragement

• Lack of clear direction

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Challenge: Lack of connection to goals.

No company, small or large, can

win over the long run without

energized employees who believe

in the mission and understand

how to achieve it. – Jack Welch

Undefined Roles w Goals =

• Distracted employees

• Lack of motivation

• No connection to the client

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Game Plan• Strategic Planning as a Group

• Include the team in business decisions

• Set Team & Individual Goals

• Tie Goals to Metrics

• Team Highlights

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Challenge: Lack of mutual role respect.

• Respect is how to treat everyone,

not just those you want to impress.

– Richard Branson

• Every role contributes to

the firm’s success

• Every person is important

• No one is ‘better’ than an

other teammate

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Game Plan

• Focus on unifying your team

• Kill negative criticism immediately

• Require job shadowing

• Discipline when required

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Challenge: Lack of focused encouragement.

• When you lavish praise on

people, they flourish. Criticize

and they shrivel up. – Richard

Branson

• Yell enough & get ‘yeses’

• Mistakes = opportunities to

learn & grow

• ‘Good Job’ and ‘Thanks’

… for what?

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Game Plan

• Applaud and reward specifics

• Set aside ‘rock star’ money

• Incentivize business wins

• Encourage specific skill sharing

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Challenge: Lack of clear direction.

• What is my job again?

• Where will I be in a year?

• Why should I care?

• When you become a leader

success is all about growing

others. – Jack Welch

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Game Plan

• Realistic Job Description

• Outline of Daily Duties

• Monthly Goal Setting

• Goals Tied to Metrics & Incentives

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Implementation

• Engage Employees in the Process

• Encourage Improvement

• Express Personal Challenges

• Post Mission & Values throughout

the office!

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Culture Boosters• Job Shadowing

• Huddles

• Inclusion in planning / decisions

• Team Outings

• Half day rewards

• In office events & desk decorating

• Office perks (Costco is your friend)

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These all tie back to…

• Mission Statement

• Core Values

• Actions of Leadership

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Lead with Confidence.

Thoughts become things, choose the good

ones. - Mike Dooley, TUT

• Learn how to reset

• Encourage yourself

• Stay positive & avoid self-pity

• Think in the ‘after’

• Be helpful to others

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Recommended Reading

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Find, Follow, Friend!Follow me @ChelseyLambert

Get to know me on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/ChelseyLambert

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Thank you for listening!