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Leadership

by with One Comment Systems & ProcessesTeam Building

The term “leadership” is all the rage on social media these days – and it is definitely on most entrepreneurs’ wish lists. Yet when I ask people what leadership means to them, I often hear some multifaceted variation that’s equivalent to dismissing the need for relationship. In this day and age I have actually heard, “People today should be thankful they have a job in this economy.” I can assure you, in no way, shape or form is this leadership.

Bigstock-Leadership-concept-image-with--53690437In my experience, leadership is charting or changing the course to take a stand for unity. It’s so much more about finding leadership within that will get the work out and the consistent cash flow in. And fast. It is Mindfulness + Self Awareness + Social Awareness + Self Management.

Self-Awareness is showing up on time with empowering energy, and general concern for everyone’s time and experience while they are with you. Social Awareness is supporting your team, showing up focused and present, keeping your word and taking full responsibility for how you show up in the world. Self-Management is showing up prepared, projecting onward motion, without an unstable tone combined with tension demands. Even though most leaders are active, you don’t want to come off harsh, with a self-serving need to push your own agenda. The minute you become disengaged and start pointing at them, you resign from being a leader.

Leadership is not strength or force.  It is not based on “old school” thinking that smart is good enough and that great leaders are tough and can always muscle through – no one can sustain continuous strain. It is not survival of the fittest. Leadership does not manage from a place of control – team has to go along to get along and must stay in the box built. It is not from a place of personal position – sway whichever way, defer decisions or create fear based on authority.

Every great leader touches your head to make you think, touches your heart to make you feel and always gives you something to carry with you later, a walk-away message. The way I see leadership, here are some of the key tenets:

  • Never dehumanizes, but fills up, guides, includes and creates
  • Tend and befriend vs. command and control
    • Willing to live the examined life, a spiritual seeker
    • How we do what we do is just as important as what we do
    • Emotional intelligence
    • Power is used to bring wisdom and clarity for others
    • Not forced, common practice
    • In order to empower, you have to give up your power
    • Of the people, for the people while honoring them for their conviction

Leaders have an ability to get people behind one another and bring out the best in each of them. They identify their own weaknesses, and provide solutions to increase efficiency and productivity. Never “Here’s what’s wrong, now solve it or we’ll be having a different conversation.” They are very much “part of.” They have the ability to be the manager and make sure that tasks are getting completed, with an empowering leadership element in that. It usually is very difficult to be manager/leader at the same time, but true leaders can accomplish this at all times. They can verbalize the “hard” things to say, even when it hurts, because they are accurate and necessary for the growth and success of the company and the individuals in the company – even when they can’t see it. 

A leader is loyal and committed, with a reassuring way that permits people to let go of panic and trust in themselves to accomplish their goals.  A leader has the ability to help individuals sort through a tremendous amount of information and put them on a path of clarity and direction, with specific short-term steps that lead to long-term success.

You know you have great leadership when you have engaged employees who are innovative and empowered to get the job done while never being afraid to use their voice!

Molly L. Hall, Co-Founder, Lawyers with Purpose, LLC, and author of Don’t Be a Yes Chick: How to Stop Babysitting Your Boss, Transform Your Job and Work with a Dream Team Without Losing Your Sanity or Your Spirit in the Process.

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Building vs. Growing

by with No Comment Coaching & ImplementationSystems & ProcessesTeam Building

“The tools that got you out of Egypt are not the same tools that will get you to the Promised Land.” ~ Dan Sullivan

Bigstock-wood-textured-backgrounds-in-a-54493616There is an inherent difference between what it takes to build vs. grow a business.  I see people buying into building when they need growing, and people buying into growing when they need building. In the law firm diagnostic calls I do, I see about 1% of entrepreneurs who need growth. I my personal opinion, those percentages should be more balanced, but buyers haven’t identified the status of the business prior to purchasing, so they just buy from everywhere. I can guarantee you when you call LWP, our sole commitment is to determine where attorneys stand, first and foremost, so we can determine what help they need.

When you’re in the infancy stage of your business, you need to build. Here’s what that looks like:

Building:

  1. Time/focus management
  2. Revenue Focuser
  3. Goal-setting with SMRs
  4. Project Focusers
  5. Team development, training and implementation
  6. Systems and processes
  7. Weekly cash flow tracking and reporting
  8. Lead generation and lead conversion systems
  9. Lead generation and lead conversion tracking
  10. Companywide communication skills that are consistent from initial contact to the closing of the file

Choosing just one of the above will not work long-term. Each piece is very much part of the global puzzle. In my experience, purchasing a lead-generation system is not going to be the magic bullet. Great, maybe it got your phone ringing, but if you don’t have a system to convert  those leads into paying customers, you’ll be quickly saying, “I bought that marketing guru’s X that she was guaranteeing would do A, B and C. And it didn’t. I didn’t get one person to hire me. It was garbage. She’s a crook.” Well, that statement may not be accurate; the product probably did get your phone to ring. But it wouldn’t matter without a system to process, track, follow up with and measure the lead. Where did the initial contact come from? What did we guide the client to do next? (Clients are calling for your guidance on what to do next; you must always have something to enroll them in that will give them that guidance.)

If you’re like most solopreneurs, you need to get money in the door before you can even think of purchasing a system for your client services coordinator, or putting in a time management system. “I’ll look into that after I have cash flow,” you think. So you may purchase a killer “Generate $10,000 a day in 3 easy steps” system. You generate your first $10K, but you pulled a few later nights, not realizing that the extra work is actually the “system” that it’s going to take to make the $10K a day.  Sure, this one piece of the puzzle that you purchased did produce what it promised, but at what cost? If you calculate your hourly rate, your team’s hourly rate and the possibility of shutting down other areas of your business to get this done, you would probably be horrified. (For the fun of it, email me if you would like our “what are you worth” exercise. Send me your completed exercise and I’ll lead a 30-minute analysis call to review your results. Consider it a gift.)

By now, you’re getting the picture. I have attorneys calling me daily saying, “I don’t need all that; I am just getting started and need to build my business first. I just need X.” Sadly, they come back a few months later (hopefully) or years later (more accurate) in a worse spot, with frustrated stories of how they bought this, did this program and “none of them produced what was promised.” This most often is not the complete picture.

What was missing for them was that they didn’t invest the time to lay out the big picture of what it takes to build a business. It is never one precise tool; it is very much an all-encompassing “and.” The “and” is a process that hits all areas of determining your monthly revenue goal and what it’s going to take to get there (how many appointments, what appointments are paying), time management (which days are money days, which are production days, which are project days),  lead generation, relationship management, system,  a team-centric approach to reach goal, etc. You get the point. In my experience, when your business is in the personal services industry, it is next to impossible to build a business without a widespread approach.

Building a business means implementing some or all of the items listed above. The pieces are up and running, on a consistent basis. There are not peaks and pits in your leads, referrals or paying clients. You’ve removed the revolving door at the entrance to your office for employees. Your business is systematized, with all areas automated and integrated. It is 80% team-led, freeing up the entrepreneur to spend 80% of their time in front of people (synergy referral meetings, existing and prospective client meetings and leveraged speaking events).

Once you’ve built your business, then you start to address the following growth components.

Growing

  1. Actuary referral and client statistics to create target marketing
  2. Elevation offerings for your existing clients
  3. Professional and client advisory boards
  4. Client and referral appreciation programs
  5. Team empowerment and leadership programs
  6. A  three-pronged marketing approach to double your revenue, year after year (and it’s only dependent on you as the business owner)
  7. Tri-annual practice enhancement retreats facilitated by professionals
  8. An annual maintenance program that allows you to be your own bank
  9. An internal lead system that relieves the business owner from operations, team training and law firm management
  10. Operating all areas of your business from an automated knowledge, workflow and CRM program that allows your business to be dependent on reporting and tracking instead of human familiarity
  11. A system for creating an exit strategy for a saleable practice (when you’re ready)

When you’re striving to generate monthly revenue – and that includes keeping the lights on and paying yourself each month, not taking what may be left over – you shouldn’t be in the market for a robust CRM program that will hand you leads that you can’t even follow up with. You need a building a business plan. You need such a plan when you’re striving to remove yourself from day-to-day operations because you have complete confidence that your business is systematized and generating consistent everything. You need it when you’re ready to move on to your next chapter of making certain the profit margin grows each year, but it’s not solely dependent on you to get the work done.

That is what I am most proud of with LWP: our members. So many of them had the presence to see the difference between the two; they had the patience to get through the building phase and the shrewdness to consciously move into the CONTROLLED growth phase (our motto is, do not blow everything up for the sake of growth). I am honored to be on this journey with them.  

Molly L. Hall, Co-Founder, Lawyers with Purpose, LLC, and author of Don’t Be a Yes Chick: How to Stop Babysitting Your Boss, Transform Your Job and Work with a Dream Team Without Losing Your Sanity or Your Spirit in the Process.

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What Your Team Really Sees

by with No Comment Systems & ProcessesTeam Building

Don’t you just wish your team would tell you what they really see day in and day out on the front lines? The opportunities they see that your firm’s not slowing down enough to make a path and plan for. The new additions, 2 mm shifts and prospective pools they easily witness but are hesitant to create more work for you, and the team, so they let the chances pass.

Bigstock-black-glasses-on-a-white-backg-40705117“Business as usual” will not work anymore…Take control and position your company for the future!

Do you need to find a way to get money in the door? Your phone to ring more? Build your team? Actually finish a project from ideation to completion?

A major outcome of Intentional Planning is enhanced strategic thinking and massive mindset shifts. Some of the things you will walk away with from Thursday October 23rd of the Practice Enhancement Retreat:

  • Generating of new ideas—ideas that, otherwise, would not be considered.
  • Going beyond the status quo—beyond one’s competitors.
  • Bringing new perspectives and approaches together—and combining them in realistic ways.
  • Identification of critical, high payoff strategies and the prioritization of team efforts accordingly.

Firm Retreats ensure that your Big Ideas and Plans will no longer rest on the shelf or be dependent on solely you as the business owner—teach, show, do, go…grow.

In our experience, it is very difficult (impossible) to carve out time to really work ON the business when the phones are ringing and its business as usual.

Register TODAY as you don’t want to miss out on this strategic planning “Money Plan” day led by Dave Zumpano on Thursday October 23rd at the LWP Practice Enhancement Tri-Annual Practice Enhancement Retreat. Contact Marci Otts at motts@lawyerswithpurpose.com to register TODAY! 

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More Than Your KOLBE

by with No Comment Coaching & ImplementationTeam Building

I’m a Fact Finder, which makes it a sure bet that I’m fascinated by all things KOLBE and how a KOLBE A index can predict levels of success in any given position.  As a CC&I Implementation Coach, I review KOLBE scores with teams on a regular basis.  I’m always particularly interested (and generally amused) when I have a husband and wife working together and review their KOLBEs. 

Bigstock-Success-target-16975154Occasionally I have a business owner tell me that they’ve had to let a team member go, and in several instances, we’ve found that the team member simply did not live up to the expectations the KOLBE index had indicated.

For example, a Client Services Coordinator with a high Follow Through was found to be trashing prospect contact information because she ran short of time to enter the information into the firm database.   Her attorney totally depended upon her Follow Through and her sense of integrity to get the job done.

What does it mean when a team member … or an attorney … doesn’t get the job done?

Unfortunately, I’ve been hearing from a number of frustrated attorneys who went on vacation this summer, only to return and find their team had dropped the ball in their absence. 

Just to keep the record straight – I’ve also heard from frustrated team members as well.

It was summer.  A time when we’d like to slow down just a bit and stop and smell the roses.  Play with the kids while they’re out of school, or feel the need to tackle some of those home improvement projects that went left undone when you were so focused on the business.

The good news is the kids are back in school, summer is over, and it’s time to focus on making up for lost time.

The bad news is that this issue may not just be seasonal. 

Enter the Strength Finder.

The Strength Finder is an additional tool that can supplement what the KOLBE tells us.  It measures 34 different areas to identify and rank your top strengths.    The results can be enlightening and life changing.

For example, I discovered that while my KOLBE Follow Through is not incredibly high, my Strength Finder lists one of my top strengths to be “FIXER.”  I am literally driven to “FIX” or complete what is incomplete.  My “FIXER” strength boosts my unimpressive KOLBE Follow Through.

The Strength Finder, when coupled with the KOLBE and the Language of Appreciation, provide great insight into talents, strengths, willingness and passions.

You can discover your strengths, free of charge – click here.  You can discover your Language of Appreciation, free of charge here.  The KOLBE A retails for $49.95 (click here) but a $10 discount is currently offered at http://www.kolbe.com/pages/special-partner/jkw/.

I must warn you that using these tools is no substitute for holding each other accountable in your office.  One way to “check in” and be held accountable is through the Weekly Team Meeting.  A Weekly Team Meeting, led by the Client Services Coordinator, with an agenda that promotes the accountability of each team member in front of the team, including the attorney, is a way to systematically inspect the moving parts that operate your business.  Internally publishing notes with dated assignments is also an accountability tool.

If you would like to schedule a team evaluation using the KOLBE A, Strength Finder and Language of Appreciation, please contact me at ncatale@lawyerswithpurpose.com.

There are still a few days left to register for our Practice With Purpose Program in October.  If you want to grow your business with Medicaid, VA & Asset Protection by year end, show up!  You can see the full agenda and register here.

Nedra Catale – Coaching, Consulting & Implementation, Lawyers With Purpose

 

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I’m Sick Of Finding Myself Repeating The Same Things & Feeling Unheard

by with No Comment Team Building

I’m sick of repeating the same things over and over to my team! I feel like they don’t know what to do!  Sound familiar?

Bigstock-Many-colorful-speech-bubbles-w-17121674Does your team truly know their role day in and day out? Is it clearly defined? Clearly defining roles must be step one to an engaged employee. Why? Because it helps them plan for the work anticipated and more importantly for the work NOT anticipated. The nature of the beast in most law firms.

If you’re personally experiencing any of the below symptoms register for the 90 minute focus session “You've Defined Roles…Now What?”

  • Blaming others for the job not getting done
  • Out of balance workloads
  • Lack of action because of ineffective communication
  • A “not sure” so “take no action” attitude
  • A reactive work environment
  • Poor morale
  • Multiple stops needed to find an answer

During our time together we’ll look at each role in the firm and work on a recipe for success owning roles in your practice. To attend the 90 Minute break-out session at the LWP Tri-Annual Practice Enhancement Retreat, “You've Defined Roles…Now What?”

Contact Marci Otts at motts@lawyerswithpurpose.com to reserve your seat. All registration closes September 29th, 2014.

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Rules of Vacation

by with No Comment Coaching & ImplementationSystems & ProcessesTeam Building

I’ve had a few implementation calls with a team that is 100% committed to reaching their revenue goal.  They’ve got all they need in their pipeline, marketing is producing leads, workshops are getting filled, production is keeping up as much as possible with the growth, etc.  They have such determination to reach goal that it’s been inspiring to participate in their conversations, anchor them to the LWP tools and support them.

Bigstock-Happy-couple-on-the-beach-of-s-49742783At this point, the key to their success lies in creating and committing to the old 40-40-20 time split.  You know, the “40% lead generation/lead conversion, 40% revenue-producing activity, 20% firm development” ratio.  The hardest part is the reality of making it happen AND holding each other accountable that they are doing what they committed to on their time template.  So, to make sure they were on the same page, communicating and setting standards and ensuring that their intentions were set in stone, they created their firm's “Rules of Engagement.” 

This had such an impact on the team that they decided to take their rules a step further.  When talking together and planning for the upcoming vacation for the attorney, the team created some “Rules of Vacation” to make sure he took some much-needed time away without having to worry about the office during his absence.    

What’s great about it is they had fun, but they also set standards for what will and will not take place on vacation.  They gave permission to check in with the office, but only at certain times and for specific reasons, and that leads to boundaries and standards.  The rules also make certain that he is present with his family during the time away.  My favorites are #’s 7 & 8:

ATTORNEY RULES OF VACATION 

  1. Vacation means vacation – trust your team – you have the right people in the right places – they have your back when you are in the office at all times – they will have your back when you are out of the office at all times!!!
  2. Vacation begins at 5:01 P.M. on ________, 2014.  Your spouse has permission to call at 5:02 P.M. to make sure you are on your way home.  You have permission to work until 9:00 P.M.  on the day prior to your vacation starting, if you choose, in order to “clear the decks.”
  3. Attorney may not call the office unless it is in response to a 911 text, email or voicemail from the team.
  4. Attorney may check and respond to emails at assigned times approved by spouse once in the morning and once in the evening so that they don’t have anxiety about it throughout the day. 
  5. Attorney MUST at all times be on vacation.A
  6. ttorney MUST at all times have fun.
  7. Attorney MUST at all times be present to the family.
  8. The family MUST make attorney put on either Mickey Mouse ears or a princess crown and send that picture to the team for future blackmail and accountability purposes.
  9. Attorney MUST tell himself or herself every day that this vacation will not be a repeat of any dreaded prior vacations and remember what a great workplace we have created to permit such a vacation. 
  10. Attorney MUST not call the office 100 times a day!
  11. The family MUST hold attorney accountable for any deviation from items 1 through 10 and attorney MUST be willing to accept and suffer the consequences for breaking any of the rules.  (The team suggests letting the grandchildren make grandpa into their favorite princess, including putting on make-up, and sending those pictures to the team to provide ample incentive to obey rules 1 to 9.)
  12. Attorney MUST get the initials of family members as proof that they  went over the Rules of Vacation together and had fun doing it.

I, _________________, acknowledge that I have read and understand the above Rules of Vacation. 

Attorney signature ______________________________

I know we are winding down vacation season and headed back to school and then quickly into the holidays. But grab onto these rules and make them your own and empower your team to communicate so you can power down on that next get away – whenever it is!

If you want to learn more about Lawyers With Purpose and how we can help you take your next vacation AND generate revenue, join us October 20-22nd in Phoenix, AZ, for our Practice With Purpose Program. Click here to register today!  Seats are filling fast and October is right around the corner so grab your seat now.  If you're a member and would like to come to the Practice With Purpose Program, please contact Angela directly at acrowther@lawyerswithpurpose.com.

Roslyn Drotar – Coaching, Consulting & Implementation, Lawyers With Purpose

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Speeding Through Life

by with No Comment Team Building

So, this morning on the way to work I got a speeding ticket and as I sit and think about my actions it is bringing much to mind.  How often do we speed through life…through our days…going from one thing to the next?  We rush into our days, through our days, and then back home to rush through our evenings and our time spent with family and/or friends.  

Bigstock-the-light-trails-on-the-steet--40546429We say yes…we say no…But are we really giving the questions the proper thought, time and energy?  Are we asking the right questions to ensure that what is being asked of us is going to be carried out in the best way possible and we are the best person to be doing so?  Are we being present in our jobs…during our meetings….at home during dinner with our loved ones…putting our children to bed…or are we just passing through the fastest way possible to get to the next thing that has to be done?  Are we "checking out" and driving in the fast lane with no absolute destination and not giving attention to all the beautiful little moments in between that really mean so much?

Amazing the thoughts that one (not so) little speeding ticket can bring to mind!  We all need to remind ourselves of the value we bring every day…in taking the time to do every little item in our days with intent, purpose and our true being.  Driving in the fast lane is not all it's cracked up to be…you miss so much…you lose so much…you can even lose yourself.

Being present in the moment is what is calling to me right now…in life…in work…in my family.  Be present and be true…and don't let the temptation of the fast lane pull you in…there is so much you will miss along the way.

I challenge you all to take stock…look at your life, your loves, your work, your passions.  Make sure you are present to what is happening every day…make decisions based on knowledge, asking the right questions, and the all-important "gut check".  Become the owner of your life and your decisions…don't be that driver speeding by just trying to get to the next checkpoint the quickest way possible.

If you are interested in learning more about Lawyers With Purpose and want to experience first hand the impact it can have on your estate or elder law practice, join us in Phoenix October 20-22nd for our Practice With Purpose Program.  If you're an existing member and want to attend, please contact Angela at acrowther@lawyerswithpurpose.com.

Marci Otts – Director of Operations, Lawyers With Purpose

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I Have No Clue What She Does All Day

by with No Comment Coaching & ImplementationTeam Building

How many of you have truthfully cried out, “I have no idea what she does all day” about your Director of First Impressions as you juggle client appointments, synergy meetings, internal meetings, document reviews and “emergency” calls with your teenage kids while on summer break? I personally hear this no fewer than 20 times a week from entrepreneurs across the map.

Bigstock-beautiful-businesswoman-asleep-16933931Such unfortunate hallway comments are not meant to be a criticism or judgment about the employee. The intent is not to imply that the employer believes she/he is messing around on Facebook all day. The truth of the matter is that when a business owner has that feeling of “I don’t know what she does all day,” it is indicative of a business that is not operating with an organizational structure that relies on job descriptions with weekly tracking and accountability. It’s actually because the business owner is behind closed doors all day in back-to-back meetings, painfully aware of the insane schedule, with little hope of addressing a growling stomach, an overloaded inbox and pressing family obligations.

If you have that sinking feeling about any of your team members, chances are it is not the person but a training and communication matter. Fortunately, this is a very easy fix. And within 30 days you will know if it is actually a case of wrong person, wrong role and how to course-correct. Your CC & I coach can help you create a path and plan to review the employee’s job description, the CC & I suggested 90-Day Training Plan and how to track and measure for weekly effectiveness, all in one hour. Together, you will also conduct a communication analysis to compare each person on your team’s Kolbe, Strength Finder and Languages of Appreciation to determine how to establish consistent, effective communication to ensure you never have that sinking feeling again.

So, if you’ve found yourself saying, “I have no clue what she does all day,” contact ncatale@lawyerswithpurpose.com to schedule your LWP CC & I member call to support your communications efforts.

If you want to learn more about Lawyers With Purpose and what we have to offer, please join us in Phoenix October 20th – 22nd for our Asset Protection, Medicaid and VA Practice With Purpose Program.  Register today, seats fill up fast!

Molly L. Hall, Co-Founder, Lawyers with Purpose, LLC, and author of Don’t Be a Yes Chick: How to Stop Babysitting Your Boss, Transform Your Job and Work with a Dream Team Without Losing Your Sanity or Your Spirit in the Process 

Moynihan and Lyons

Congratulations To Terry Moynihan, LWP Member Of The Month

by with No Comment Systems & ProcessesTeam Building

What is the greatest success you’ve had since joining LWP? 

Our greatest success to date is implementation of the workshop system.  The public is responding to our "7 Threats" advertising campaign and we appreciate that LWP has provided high quality presentation and promotional materials.  These have allowed us to get up and running with the workshops pretty quickly.

Moynihan and LyonsWe also value the well-developed procedures for workshop set-up, presentation and follow-up.  With each workshop we present, the entire process becomes more efficient and we become more confident that this system will be a key component of our growth and prosperity.

 

What is your favorite LWP tool?

Our favorite LWP tools are the Pipeline and Cash Flow Focusers.

 

How has being part of LWP impacted your team and your practice? 

 The biggest impact from being part of LWP came out of our attendance at the June Retreat, in Chicago.  Using the tools provided, we have been able to unify our team around well-defined processes and specific goals.  We now have a clearer idea of where we are going and what we need to do to achieve practice goals.

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The Weight Of The World … Or Opportunity?

by with No Comment Coaching & ImplementationLegal MarketingTeam Building

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.” ― Charles R. Swindoll

After being gone from my daily yoga practice for 1 week while in Chicago at the LWP Tri-Annual Retreat I eagerly returned to my 5:45 a.m. Monday morning practice, exhausted after getting on average of 5 hours of sleep a night. As I shuffled into the studio, squawking about how tired I was our teacher began our 102 degree practice with the above quote. Needless to say, my attitude shifted. Quickly, intensely.

The entire class was about how we perceive all the “stuff” that happens to us, day in and day out. It brought me immediately back to and thinking about the 40 national law firms that shut down their practices, team in tow, for 3 solid BUSINESS days, like they do Tri-Annually, to work ON their businesses and lives.

Bigstock-Close-up-of-human-hand-breakin-54368582We launch our retreats with personal shares of what has occurred in your practice since the last retreat, 4 months prior. The shares consisted of; losing team, moving offices (while losing team), personal illnesses, family illnesses, losing parents, employee embezzlement, and so on.   But the absolute magnificence was there wasn’t a trace of defeat or heaviness in that ballroom. Only recognition and appreciation for the opportunities that were waiting on the other side. Each and every firm truly embodied the attitude of “behind every breakdown is a breakthrough.”

The themes swirling through the room; we are lean and mean, were a team of interdependence versus codependency, less is more, intentional focus, short term suffering, eyes wide open. And firms were sharing they had their best quarter EVER…after going from a team of 7 to 3. Or, going on our 9th Client Services Coordinator, but that’s o.k., not tolerating anything but superstar status!

The honest, vulnerable sharing about life isn’t always about hugs & cookies but its what you choose to see when it feels like bread and water….for a blink of a moment. Until you can anchor yourself to what you know to be true. When they got over the tragedy of their worlds crashing down they anchored to the skills and tools they need to have a 2mm shift, and recourse. The Money Plan, job descriptions, time templates, whose doing what to reach goal, The Revenue focuser. They knew for those that were having to double up on roles, there were the Tri-Annual Retreat Focus Sessions waiting for them right outside the door on, Marketing, Client Services, What’s Happening Behind the Conference Room Doors, Medicaid and VA Qualification and Application, IPugs vs. LLCs, How to Plan With IRAs, Communication Skills, Power In Partnership, Annual Client Maintenance Program, How To Have An Empowered Team, Getting Financial Advisors To Do Their Homework, Client & Financial Advisory Boards, Becoming 360 – personal development coaching day, your future focuser…and so, so much more. All right at their fingertips. Like a strategically placed safety net. And the coolest part is that every single firm that shared their weight of the worlds/opportunities over the past four months did it all on their own. They hunkered down and regrouped. I have to admit, there was a small part of me that felt irrelevant. Off they go. 

What shows up in your world is solely based on your perspective of what is “happening” to you.  Do you see the challenges you face as a business owner (and human) like carrying the weight of the world or endless opportunities? It may sound “hokey” but there is no mistake that you open up any periodical, social media application and/or blog and there is a universal shift around “you manifest what you think.” You keep telling yourself that carrying the weight of the world “comes with the territory” you will continue to attract big monster cinder blocks of “troubles” to carry around versus “there is a lesson in this and I am grateful that I am open to discovering it. I need not only make the best of it but make the better of it. What do I need to do first?”  See the difference?

The Weight of the World…or opportunity?

Molly L. Hall, Co-Founder, Lawyers with Purpose, LLC, and author of Don’t Be a Yes Chick: How to Stop Babysitting Your Boss, Transform Your Job and Work with a Dream Team Without Losing Your Sanity or Your Spirit in the Process.