Editor’s note: Phyllis Weiss Haserot is the author of The Rainmaking Machine and The Marketer’s Handbook of Tips and Checklists, published by West. She often writes about generational trends affecting professional and personal interactions.
The technology use gap among the generations is closing rapidly. There may be no better example that hits home than Michael Winerup’s Generation B (for Boomer) column in the New York Times (January 17, 2010), “On Vacation and Looking for Wi-Fi.”
We all are touched; most of us are trapped by the psychological effect of being accessible 24/7 and the desire to keep on top of the deluge of messages and data coming in unstoppable torrents. (more…)
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Editor’s note: Phyllis Weiss Haserot is the author of The Rainmaking Machine and The Marketer’s Handbook of Tips and Checklists, published by West.
One trait thought to be essential for successful leaders - in law firms and elsewhere – today and in the future is “resilience,” defined as tough-mindedness and the ability to accept criticism.
A study (released in mid-2006) of more than 2,000 employees at the managerial and professional levels by PsMax Solutions, a human capital assessment firm, provides some intriguing findings. Ranked highest of all groups was the middle-managers’ resilience score. CEOs and company presidents ranked lowest in resiliency, followed by executives and professional employees. (more…)
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Education | In Practice |
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Is age diversity causing a disconnect between you or your colleagues and your clients? In tough times firms scrutinize many significant aspects of practice they (unfortunately) overlook in better times. The impact of generational differences should be prominently on that list of items.
Firms have felt tensions among the different generations in the workplace for a while – and typically have done little to achieve better harmony beyond sending HR, professional development, and marketing professionals to seminars and conferences to learn about the differences. But when it affects client relationships, then it gets attention!
In this time of urgent need to hold on to all profitable clients, waiting for complaints in not an option. That’s too late and a competitor will win them away. The savvier and safer route is to anticipate potential problems and develop strategies and training to avoid problematic situations from arising.
What, generationally speaking, do firms and individual lawyers need to look at in order to develop and maintain the best client/counsel relationships? Here are a few things to consider:
• Are your client teams multi-generational, and is there an effort to make sure relationships are built at every level of seniority?
• Have tensions or difficulties arisen that could be traced to generational differences and world views? For example, are communication styles and media used causing friction between counsel and client? Are there different views on accessibility and flexibility? On the level of formality the client is comfortable with?
• How and how often is reporting done and feedback given?
• Do younger attorney understand the importance of interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence to client confidence, loyalty and trust?
• Are older attorneys making an effort to stretch their comfort level with younger clients’ use of technology as an extension of themselves? Are they using social networking tools with their clients?
Age diversity is a key component of the diversity puzzle. Understanding how to capitalize on it rather than be encumbered with negative energy from generational differences that can fairly easily be resolved will give a boost and competitive edge to your practice.
Phyllis Weiss Haserot
Editor’s note: Phyllis Weiss Haserot will lead a webcast titled Communicating and Working with Clients of a Different Generation on Thursday, July 30 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on West LegalEdCenter.
She is the president of Practice Development Counsel, consulting and coaching, an inter-generational relations expert and West Key Author of The Rainmaking Machine and The Marketer’s Handbook of Tips and Checklists. For more information, visit her website, pdcounsel.com, or her blog, Next Generation, Next Destination.
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Education | In Practice |
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The U.S. Constitution is one of the most powerful and impactful documents in existence. It literally touches every American’s life, and has since its creation in 1787. Recently, I had the opportunity to view the document first-hand as part of a new exhibit, “We the People: The First Official Printing of the U.S. Constitution,” sponsored [...]
Earlier this week, we released our 2011 Annual Report in an interactive format available online at thomsonreuters.com. Along with information on the company’s financial performance as well as business unit overviews, this year’s annual report contains a variety of dynamic content including interviews with our new business leaders as well as stories of how we [...]
We’ve got a great episode for you this month, kicking off with our “Chaos in the Courts” segment that, believe it or not, is yet another story about the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. Since our March podcast, another person has fallen victim to the establishment’s trademark bypass burger.
Then in our “On the Blawgs” [...]
