Today, I’m joined by Bill Biggs and Dominic Grew to discuss essential strategies for law firm management and business growth. Bill Biggs is one of the world’s leading experts in law firm team culture and leadership, shares insights from his role as a Chief Team and Culture Officer, and his experiences working with top athletes like Johnny Manziel and Larry Fitzgerald. He introduces his Master Plan initiative, designed to help law firms implement best practices quickly, and highlights the importance of building a strong accountability structure within firms. Dominic Grew, the head of Elevate Business Coaching, dives into the practical side of business planning, offering a four-step approach for small law firms to set clear goals and drive efficiency. Together, we explore why strategic planning, clear objectives, and maintaining a positive company culture are critical to law firm success.

Throughout the conversation, we break down the core principles of effective law firm management, including the importance of structured hiring, leadership development, and consistent staff evaluations. Bill emphasizes the role of a functional accountability chart in leadership, while Dominic stresses the value of leveraging technology and data analysis to optimize operations. We also touch on the need for simplicity in planning—following the KISS principle—and the benefits of operating systems like EOS to align objectives, strategies, and tactics.

Key Topics

• 02:26 Outlines the agenda, which includes meeting the experts, discussing planning and strategy, and a Q&A session.
• 04:50 The importance of differentiating between objectives, strategy, and tactics in business planning.
• 05:35 SMART objectives and provides an example of a revenue goal for a law firm.
• 06:07 The difference between objectives, strategies, and tactics, emphasizing that objectives are specific, measurable goals, while strategies are broad approaches to achieving those goals.
• 07:15 An example of a law firm aiming to increase revenue and the strategies they might use, such as improving marketing and client satisfaction.
• 09:09 The importance of having a clear plan and the tools to measure progress, such as KPIs and scorecards.
• 09:35 Introduces the concept of an operating system, specifically EOS, and its benefits for running a business efficiently.
• 10:10 EOS and its impact on his business, including standard operating procedures, weekly meetings, and reduced stress.
• 11:17 The importance of having a scorecard and KPIs to measure performance and focus the team on achieving goals.
• 11:40 Showing how different team members are responsible for specific metrics.
• 12:23 The benefits of having an operating system, including increased efficiency, reduced stress, and improved revenue and performance.
• 18:35 Bill’s experience as a culture officer at a large firm, including building the team, leadership structure, and organizational culture.
• 20:25 Discusses his background in media consulting and writing speeches for athletes and NFL players.
• 21:35 The Master Plan, an event focused on providing best practices and implementation for law firms.
• 23:07 The importance of having the right people at the event to ensure implementation and traction.
• 24:15 Discusses the upcoming Mastermind, a mastermind group for law firms, and its benefits for growth and strategic planning.
• 24:51 The belief in the power of masterminding and encouraging firms to participate in masterminds for growth.
• 26:05 Emphasizing the importance of design in law firms and having a plan and strategy.
• 26:31 The significance of leadership and management in running a successful law firm.
• 30:28 The concept of a functional accountability chart, which focuses on roles rather than individuals.
• 32:05 The importance of culture, core values
• 34:01 The importance of hiring the right people and providing proper onboarding and training. Using a functional accountability and Org charts
• 35:03 The key components of management and leadership, including hiring, onboarding, training, and ongoing coaching.
• 38:05 Building a training plan, to not be wasting time and money.
• 40:00 The importance of evaluating employees based on performance and culture fit.
• 40:30 The concept of the culture performance matrix and the impact of C players on the firm.
• 43:08 Approach to developing leaders within the firm and the importance of having a leadership structure.
• 48:42 The importance of culture as the foundation of a law firm and having a clear purpose and core values.
• 51:06 How core values should guide decision-making and provide a framework for the firm.
• 55:18 The importance of hiring, onboarding, training, and having standard operating procedures.
• 56:55 Experience with EOS and the benefits of having a common terminology and system for the leadership team.
• 1:09:19 Working with small law firms and the challenges they face in managing and growing their businesses.
• 1:12:26 Introduces a simple four-step business planning tool for small law firms.
• 1:13:17 The importance of having a clear vision for the firm and articulating it in writing.
• 1:15:35 The importance of setting three main goals for the year and ensuring they are SMART.
• 1:17:25 The concept of milestones and the importance of identifying stepping stones to achieve the goals.
• 1:19:33 The importance of taking action and working the plan on a weekly basis.
• 1:20:35 Encourages firms to identify specific tasks to accomplish each week to make progress towards their goals.
• 1:21:35 Asking yourself and your team what needs to change.
• 1:23:05 The importance of having data in place.
• 1:28:07 The importance of having a clear plan and focusing on the most important tasks to achieve success.

Resources Mentioned

Books:

1. "Multipliers"by Liz Wiseman

Apps and Tools:

1. Predictive Index
2. DISC Assessment
3. Crystal Knows

Websites:

1. https://elevatebusinesscoaching.com/
2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/billbiggslpdhp 

About Bill Biggs:

Bill Biggs is considered one of the nation’s most innovative thinkers in law firm leadership. His unique perspective on culture and ability to inspire and multiply leaders has created a movement reshaping firms across the country. His distinguished client list includes Heisman Trophy winners, NFL HOFers, NBA champions, Olympians, and many of the top teams in college and professional sports.

About Dominic Grew:

Dominic Grew is the Founder & Owner of Elevate Business Coaching. He founded the firm in 2019 when he saw a need in the marketplace that was not being met. As a former COO and industry outsider, he recognized that lawyers often receive little to no training on how to build, manage, and grow a law firm, yet their professional success is often dependent on mastering those skills. He asked, "How can I help these talented professionals develop the skills necessary to be successful business owners and firm leaders?" The answer was to customize coaching, training, and facilitation services to lawyers (and other highly-skilled professionals) and have them delivered by a team of seasoned, battle-tested business experts.

Prior to launching Elevate Business Coaching, Dominic held a variety of Business Management and Growth roles internationally. He holds a Masters in Management from Cambridge College, MA.

About Jay Berkowitz:

Jay Berkowitz is a digital marketing strategist with decades of experience in the industry. As the CEO of Ten Golden Rules, he has helped countless law firms and businesses harness the power of the internet to achieve remarkable growth and visibility. Jay is also a renowned keynote speaker and author, sharing his expertise at various industry events and publications worldwide.

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