In this episode, we look back at some of the incredible authors who are changing the game in human understanding. Joey Coleman explains how client experience directly affects the bottom line. When the only way out is through, Ryan Holiday offers sage wisdom on perseverance and resilience. Winning is hard, and Tim Grover reveals the true costs of glory. Caring personally and challenging directly is a false dichotomy that Kim Scott reasons, once overcome, can lead to a stronger workplace.

24/7, 365

Your firm — regardless of size — faces monumental competition. Not from other attorneys or multi-state firms that dominate traditional media. No, your competition is larger: Apple. Amazon. Netflix. The seamless user experience that delivers goods and services on demand has become the standard for quality customer service. 

To help level the playing field, client experience expert Joey Coleman suggests: Make a named partner responsible for the client experience. Weave it into the culture of the firm, and put weight behind it. When you put time and resources behind the initiative, you just might be surprised by how many employees come out of the woodwork to help.

Move Forward

Life is filled with inevitable obstacles, where choice lies is in the response. Perception guides the right action. Renowned media strategist and best-selling author Ryan Holiday has spent decades examining Stoics like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca to understand where the rubber of philosophy meets the road of life — and how we can apply ancient teachings to modern problems. 

When faced with seemingly insurmountable problems, seek clarity through distance. Problems are hard when they are up close and personal. Ask what you would tell a friend in your position. Often, all that is required is the very next choice — a singular action — to move the ball forward.

Triumph

No external motivation can beat the internal drive to win. True competitors understand that the path is hard, unpolished, and often fleeting. At the end of the road, the win is not guaranteed. But as is in litigation and pro-level sports, determination requires internal accountability that can not be purchased. 

This level of intensity is what has set Tim Grover and the athletes he works with apart — legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and hundreds of Olympic athletes. In deciding to break from the pack, pull away, and win — you get to decide what that looks like.

Radical Candor

Praise in public. Criticize in private. How we give and receive feedback has the power to improve the health of our law firm. We often want to avoid the sting of criticism and keep from hurting the feelings of others, but frank conversations on performance and improvement, done with compassion, benefit both the individual and the organization. 

Kim Scott has led teams at Google and Apple. For her, the essence of being a good boss is rooted in being human. Hold a conversation that accounts for the other person's reaction to the feedback.

"Feedback is measured not at your mouth, but at the other person's ear." - Kim Scott

Links & Resources

Author

Michael Mogill, Crisp, Joey Coleman, Ryan Holiday, Tim Grover & Kim Scott