Posts tagged - communication

Treat your clients’ money as if it were your own

Posted on: November 05, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So my firm has a unique culture, as do all businesses. But the difference at my firm is that we have captured the essence of our firm in 21 fundamentals we call The JW Way (http://www.jaburgwilk.com/mission-statement). These are the foundation of our business and inform how we operate from how we deal with clients to who we hire, whether attorneys or staff.

Today I am focusing on one fundamental: Treat clients’ money as if it were your own. Yes, I know this makes sense, but doing it is not always the obvious choice. The easiest example of this in my world involves litigation. A partner of mine is known to say: We can ride to court in a Honda or a Cadillac. In some situations a client may only be able to afford the Honda. Of course this means having difficult conversation at the front end to determine what your client or customer can afford and how that relates to what they want to do.

If that is the case, you then have to figure out whether it is possible to provide outstanding legal advice and service that will meet your client’s expectations going to court in the Honda. If not, or if a potential client is looking for a luxury ride they cannot afford, the best thing I can do is decline the representation because odds are I cannot realistically meet their expectations.

For me, when a client is on a litigation budget, that means thinking about overall costs for a representation and what can be done to try and work within a given client’s budget or financial limitations. For example, it could mean taking a close look at larger litigation expenses such as depositions and only taking some, but not all possible, depositions. Or, on smaller expenses it may mean sending a demand by snail mail and email, but not having it hand delivered or served.

I am sure there are ways in your business to shave both smaller and larger amounts from what you are doing for your clients or customers on a specific deal or project. Or maybe it is looking at administrative expense and overhead in your business. Maybe there is a bigger picture change you can make that will result in savings you can pass on.

The fact is that by treating our clients’ money as if it were our own, as well as following the other fundamentals of The JW Way for a number of years, it has lead my firm to great overall business decisions and great hiring decisions regarding people who fit into our culture, as well great and continuing success. This in turn has resulted in my firm being able to meet and exceed the goals of our clients and avoid sending invoices that provide sticker shock; Your client doesn’t want the invoice for the Cadillac if you discussed the Honda.

No Comments

You must take action to expand your network and control your destiny

Posted on: October 07, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So my question to you is are you green and growing or ripe and rotting? No, you are not a vegetable or a piece of fruit, but you either are taking action to improve yourself and your business or you are not. The difference is like that between talk and action. Knowing what to do and doing it are not the same.

You also need to think about whether whatever your doing is achieving your desired results. If not, why do you keep doing it?

If all I can do is write about what to do, but not do it, that is to my detriment. Sure, I like writing on these type of topics, which is why you are reading this today. But my goal is not to be a writer, but an attorney who is constantly trying to expand his network and develop meaningful relationships with the people I deal with. By doing so I have better control over my professional path and create opportunities.

One of the things I like best about what I do is meeting and working with all different types of people including other attorneys (really), accountants and other professionals, business owners, and many others. The diversity in the people I deal with keeps me engaged, interested and energized to keep networking. It keeps me trying new things in my effort to expand my network and develop interesting work for me and my colleagues. I always say if we were all the same the world would be a boring place, which I truly believe.

So are you the ripening banana looking better day by day or the old one on the counter no one wants to touch? It may only be a  metaphor, but it is true that you either are improving yourself or not. If you do not do so you are destined to the life of the worker bee, which is not necessarily a bad place to be. But if you want to be higher up the food chain, no matter if it is in your profession, your company, or your industry, start by expanding your network and see where it can take you.

No Comments

You must have substance because reputation matters in the long run

Posted on: September 28, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You might be able to baffle people with you know what initially, but it won’t last if you are all flash and no substance.  If you make a sale by saying the right things, but don’t have the employees or equipment to correctly and timely get the job done, it will be the last time you work for that customer, or anyone that customer tells of your failure. You likely will lose business you will never know you lost. That is how reputation works.

Substance comes a number of ways. It can be through experience, or learning, or building on past successes. But every step you take forward will be lost if you are all smoke and mirrors. The point is not to mislead people about what you can do or your experience.  You may get away with it once in a while, but it will hurt you in the long run.

And therefore you will hurt your reputation. Once your reputation is tarnished, it will follow you for a long time.

So respect yourself. Respect the hard work it takes to become a person of substance. If you do, you are heading in the right direction, and have or are building substance.

 

 

No Comments

What will be done eventually should be done immediately. Organize yourself!

Posted on: September 10, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Don’t be a sloth! Delay rarely helps in any situation. We know disorganization leads to disaster. It not only can make you late on your commitments, it can adversely affect your business and personal life.

We live in a “what have you done for me lately” world that demands that expectations not just to be met, but exceeded. You can do this by setting expectations you know you can meet and hopefully exceed, because you are the one in charge of setting the expectations. Don’t meet them and your clients, co-workers, your boss, will see it as a negative. Why isn’t it done yet? What did you not get to because of your delay on one project?

So how do you do this? It depends on you. Will lists and calendaring items keep you on track to meet or exceed expectations? Do you need another person, an accountability partner, to help keep you on track? There are many tools to better organize and keep on task. You have to know yourself well enough to know what will and won’t work for you. Of course, you then have to put what will work in motion and commit to it.

So what can you do today, this week, this month, to better organize yourself and set yourself up for success on meeting and, hopefully, exceeding expectations? Answer this question, work it and see how it benefits you in business and generally.

If you are not sure where to start, I suggest you find someone you know who is successful and organized and see if they will formally or informally serve as a mentor for you. For insight on mentoring, I suggest you review my recent blog post “Why Mentoring Matters?” https://69.16.209.165/~businesslawguy/2015/08/26/why-mentoring-matters/

 

No Comments

Why Mentoring Matters

Posted on: August 26, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , ,

Most of us had a formal or informal mentor, or maybe even more than one, over the years, who helped us along the way. What you learned may have related to your professional life, or to more general life issues, or both. But either way, the importance of a good mentor mentee relationship cannot be ignored.

The basis of the mentor mentee relationship is support and trust. It is an exercise in listening for the mentor because a mentor is more of a facilitator or guide, not simply an instructor. And it is not only the mentee who benefits from the relationship. This relationship helps both parties with their own self-awareness and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. By participating in such a relationship, you evolve in many ways that benefit both parties in the long run.

So, depending on where you are professionally or in life, seek out a mentoring relationship now. It will help you grow as a person and, whether you are the mentor or mentee, allow you to play an important role in another’s story.

If you are not sure where to start, feel free to reach out to me.

No Comments

Why commitment matters

Posted on: August 17, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , ,

You have to do what you say you are going to do. Period. If you don’t, people you deal with will not trust what you say and probably not bring you their business or deal with you in the future.

Part of commitment is trust. Are you overselling just to get the job? What are the odds that if you do, you have any chance to succeed? The answer is simple, slim to none. And once you lose someone’s trust, all is lost.

This doesn’t mean you always will be able to meet your commitments. Once you know you may have a problem meeting a commitment, Let the other party know right away. Things happen. Reset expectations. It really is a situation where honesty is the best policy. It will earn you respect even if the other party doesn’t like the change in schedule or expectations. They will know you are a straight shooter.

But try not to let it happen often, or you run the risk of having the people you deal with doubt the commitments you make.

An example is that I committed, when I started this blog, not to overwhelm your inbox with emails posts. I believe I have stuck to that.

This is my first blog post in a few months. In Arizona, everything seems to slow down during the summer until early to mid-August, when school starts. By then, a lot of people are back from vacation, focused and ready for a good run to the end of the year.

I hope you have had a great summer! Here is to a productive Fall 2015!

No Comments

Why it is time for an annual “checkup” for you and your company

Posted on: December 16, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The end of the year is always a good time to take stock of where you are personally and professionally.  This can be checking in with your personal accountant to make sure you have withheld/paid enough taxes during the year or planning for deductions to planning for large corporate expenditures on things such as upcoming projects, planned corporate initiatives or planned equipment purchases.  But the one thing that is a constant is that we all should be doing this.

In the past I have mentioned why it is good to sit down with various professionals you or your company work with just to check-in, be they attorneys, accountants, insurance professionals, financial planners, investment professionals, etc.  The list depends on you and your business.

This does not have to be a formal appointment unless you think that is appropriate depending on the nature of the planned conversation. Instead, it can be you offering to buy them lunch or a drink.  The point is the better the professionals you work with know you, the more they are able to make recommendations aimed to benefit you or your company.

So don’t wait, start making plans today to meet with these people this year, or at least first thing next year. We all are busy this time of year, but if you take these actions it will help you now and in the future.

No Comments

Why you shouldn’t put your cell phone on the table at lunch or let it kill your creativity!

Posted on: December 04, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Putting your phone on the table at a meal sends the wrong message whether you are dining with someone you are looking to connect or network with, or when you are with your spouse or kids. It is the equivalent of telling whoever you are with that the people who text, email or call you are potentially and likely more important than they are.  If not, why would you leave open the possibility of having your phone interrupt the conversation and meal?

And yes, I acknowledge that phones and other devices have most of us hooked. We all are addicts. You know the feeling or thought: “Yes, I just checked for new emails and texts two minutes ago, but I may have missed one…I just can’t help myself.”

It really is all of us just filling any empty time by checking our phones or other devices. In the past we would have had to do things such as think, daydream, or stare out of the car window.  Now, I have a child who is a teen and barely knows directions because his face is buried in his phone anytime he is in a car.  Observing teens and their friends leads to the conclusion that they do not know how to enjoy a moment of quiet.

I have read what others think we should do. Don’t bring your phone into a business meeting. Turn off your phone at night. Makes rules about its use at the dinner table. Don’t check work email after a certain time. Great ideas, but hard to actually do.

That is why I am trying to follow my new, self-instituted rule of not placing my phone on the table when I am dining with someone.  It may seem like a small step, but you have to start somewhere.  And as a big believer in paying attention to those you are dining with, it definitely makes sense.

If any of you have ideas or rules that work and result in better face to face communication in your offices or homes, I would like to hear about them.

 

No Comments

Why you always must be prepared

Posted on: November 04, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , , ,

In my world preparation is everything, whether for trial, a transaction, oral argument or the first meeting with a new client.  In your world there are equivalents where you can win or lose business based on your preparation or lack thereof.

I am heading into a trial in a few weeks and am in the process of preparing. While I think my client has a great chance of success at the trial based on the facts and evidence, I know that my level of preparation can greatly affect those chances and the ultimate outcome.  My goal always is to be as prepared as possible because it not only gives me the best chance for success, but also the best chance to not miss something that can help win the day.

In this situation with the trial my preparation is compensated, but in many situations I am preparing by spending my uncompensated time.  Why?  Because the more prepared you are the better the possible outcome.  If you think you are the only one your potential client, customer, etc. is speaking with, you are being naïve.  And even if they are not talking to someone else, the confidence you instill in them because of your preparation will give you a better opportunity to reach the outcome you seek.

Plus, it can turn those people into your cheerleaders too, which never hurts.

No Comments

What is the correct way? Why you need to find what works for you.

Posted on: October 28, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , ,

People have opinions.  And sometimes they actually are good to hear. Really.

It can be a good idea to bounce issues, ideas, etc. off of someone, whether a mentor, colleague, spouse.  But just because they tell you what works for them, or what they think will work, the best response is “Thanks, I am going to think about that.”  The reason for this is what works for one person may not work for another.

It can be simple things.  I use Outlook’s Calendar features to keep track of meeting, deadlines and anything else.  Others in my firm or who I know swear by the Tasks function.  You say tomato, I say tomato. I think you get the picture.

At the same time, ideas or processes from others can be helpful. I always am looking to create efficiencies or do things in a more organized or better way.  It is better to always be open to new idea and thoughts, but at the end of the day you have to think for yourself.

No Comments

← Older posts
Newer posts →