January 1st comes only once per year - Advent Day 2

Plan the New Year right by starting now. If you have specific clients you'd like to land, certain people you'd like to meet or skills you'd like to hone, start mapping your course now. That way, you'll be ready to start the work of achieving your goal when the New Year rolls around. Shel Silverstein sums it up:

Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda

All the woulda-coulda-shouldas
Layin’ in the sun,
Talkin’ ‘bout the things
They woulda-coulda-shouldas done …
But those woulda-coulda-shouldas
All ran away and hid
From one little did.

Don't Get Buzzed- Create Buzz. Advent Calendar- Day 1

In honor of all those little doors being opened to reveal chocolate treasures for good girls and boys this month, here is a similar version for the business development focused attorneys amongst us.

DAY ONE: Don't use Holiday Parties to Get Buzzed, use them to CREATE BUZZ

By all means, share in the good cheer and attend holiday parties thrown by your firm, clients and associations you frequent. But this year, attend the party with business development, and only business development in mind. You wouldn't accept a drink at a job interview, so don't make a bee-line for the bar at holiday parties. If you do, opt for a sparkling water or soda in lieu of a libation. Think about the person, or people you want to meet at these events before you attend and seek them out, sober and ready to talk business. Make the buzz about you and your practice. Think of it this way: a good business development buzz lasts longer than one night!

A Modest Proposal

Citi Private Bank Law Firm Group released its Midyear Report which found that Law Firm expenses are outpacing revenue gains (178 surveyed of which 134 are AmLaw 200) . Reasons for expenses varied, "Some firms increased their operating expenses because they commenced long-overdue infrastructure projects. Many saw a notable increase in compensation expenses, due to spring bonuses.

This approach (spring bonuses in the face of a mediocre economy) contrasts with the every-man article, "How to Make Money When Economy is Failing" in which a man takes the rentrepreneurial approach to shoring up his finances, exchanging time with pieces of his life for money. He rents out his home, appliances, even his dog to. "...make a little extra scratch on the side for our daughter’s college savings, or a remote-control pool shark".

While the running a large business and running a single-family home are vastly different in complexity, it's interesting to consider how differently firms might be run if economic austerity were taken to heart. For example, this is a holiday weekend and many law offices are locked up tight  and vacant. How much money could a major law firm rack up by renting their conference room art to a wealthy family whose home is in a little need of sprucing up? Or that leather couch sitting unused in the lobby? Or the reception area with the killer view as the site of a small private event?

One foot in front of the other

Here is an inspirational story of an everyday person who woke up one day, recognized that his life could be better and made immediate steps toward change. The cool part about the story, and the applicable law firm angle, is the step-by-step guide he provides  to tackling his issue on the about page of his blog- from recognizing the issue to making a change.

Social media, attending more networking events, submitting proposals for speaking engagements, signing up for alumni newsletters, taking a colleague to coffee, calling a client, sending holiday card.....it is easy to become overwhelmed by the mountain of things you might do to develop more business. Be careful not to miss the forest for the trees.

Rock by Rock

I could attach their names to a time and concept in American History, but otherwise I had very little understanding of Merriwether Lewis and William Clark before embarking on I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company. "Lewis and Clark" was more like a good old American brand-name: for solid exploration power, choose Lewis and Clark.
The monotony of their daily challenges is striking. Their lives came at them minute by minute, by stream, valley, almost rock by rock as they charted unknown territory. While aware and perhaps enamored by the heroism and fortune that could befall them the work of their journey was still work.

Beware! Life will Mute your Muse

Ideas are rotting in so many places throughout my life- my draft folder in Outlook, down the drain with the last bit of my morning coffee, on a note abandoned in the glove compartment of my commuter car. The more I investigate this phenomenon, the more overwhelmed I am by the stench of the once ripe and abundant inspirational juices, now rank and unsalvageable.

Nike's Just Do It campaign resonates so well in moments like these. So do it. Take the next lightning flash of inspiration and sprint to the finish. Drop the errand you were about to run and the next mundane task that begs completion and heed your higher calling instead, listen and respond to your muse. Her voice grows softer with each passing second.

The Challenge of Defining Value: "It's $ 6 a month. It's a Latte."

To Steve Swasey, Netflix vice president of corporate communications, the $6 increase facing existing customers is an economic decision. I agree that Netflix, in his words "...went from being an ultra-extremely good value to an extremely good value," with the announcement of an increase for existing customers to continue receiving DVDs on-demand and by mail. His response, however, misses the emotional connection of many early-adopters who've been singing the praises of Netflix over the last ten years. These subscribers have generated an immeasurable amount of free publicity and, more valuable, personal referrals to the Netflix brand. Was an economic model that grandfathered these early-adopters or broke it to them more gently even on the table? Perhaps it would have averted the movement to drop the service altogether inspiring articles like, The Best Netflix Alternatives.

The Netflix saga underscores the last word in ACC's journey to define value in professional services, they don't call it the ACC Value CHALLENGE because of the way it rolls of the tongue.

Work: it's what happens when you're busy making other plans

For me, the New Year looked like this:

Begin a Brand New Job + End the life of our elderly cat

As the vet was packing his bag to leave he said, "Life is a precious thing. It's over in a second".

This is just a fact. No analysis or debate required. So, what are you doing to make yourself happy through work? For me, right now, it seems clear that I work to sustain my family and, more importantly, I need to leave them every morning and come home to them every night in a good mood. Does your work support this effort? How can you optimize your happiness?

I think the best way to handle death, is to out LIVE it.