Expanding impact with these key lawyer leadership skills

These lawyer leadership skills will help you create a positive firm culture and create more impact in the community as you attract new business.

Most lawyers already have a knack for decoding information and guiding clients through sometimes nebulous cases. However, lawyers who operate independent law firms need some additional skills in business and leadership that stretch beyond law chops.

Some of these key skills include:

Assertiveness and Confidence

Lawyers tend to have these qualities in spades, but they are doubly necessary when running a law firm. As a business owner, you will need strong negotiation and sales skills, coupled with confidence in your abilities.

Communication

Your ability to communicate well with clients, staff and peers in your network will place everyone at ease. Strong, clear and consistent communication builds trust and rapport.

Empathy and Listening Ability

In addition to your ability to speak and write well, there are times when you need to sit quietly and listen.

Law Practice Today expands:

“When the firm’s culture is empathetic and when lawyers build their own empathy skills, those lawyers are not only better colleagues that improve the culture inside the firm, but empathetic attorneys also provide better client service. Empathetic attorneys anticipate client needs, concerns, and frustrations, and they can serve their clients at a deeper level, which increases client loyalty.”

That same article points to empathy’s impact on the bottom line, employee satisfaction and more. It’s truly a superpower skill for any lawyer and business owner.

Integrity

Unfair lawyer stereotypes aside, it goes without saying that a business leader needs to exhibit integrity to build trust and protect their firm’s reputation. If firm leaders

This Forbes contributor writes:

“At the individual level, people with integrity are seen as being more trustworthy and reliable, and this can lead to opportunities for personal and professional growth. For example, individuals who consistently act with integrity are more likely to build strong relationships, both personally and professionally, which can help them to achieve their goals and aspirations.”

As a small law firm owner, those relationships can make or break your firm’s success. It’s vitally important to develop and nurture those strong relationships and to honor your word at every phase of business.

Big-picture Thinking

Great leaders have the ability to see beyond the minutiae of everyday tasks. You need a strong vision and mission to launch and grow a successful law firm.

The big picture for your firm should encompass:

  • Clear values
  • Lofty, but achievable, goals (SMART goals)
  • Financial plans
  • Market analysis (SWOT analysis)
  • Business and personal growth goals for you and your team
  • Firm culture guidelines

A focus on the big picture will help you navigate business challenges and to identify opportunities early.

Ingenuity

A law firm leader who exhibits ingenuity and innovation can help inspire the entire team and keep the firm moving forward. Fast Company writes:

“…it’s common for employees to become easily distracted or disengaged if there is no action plan and nothing to look forward to at work. It can also cause some staff members to feel uninspired until the next big project comes along and the business is back up and running at a normal pace.”

As the firm leader, you might lose momentum at times, but staying in touch with your personal ingenuity will help you keep a fresh perspective and motivation.

While running a law business can sometimes feel like racing to put out fires, it pays to take time for leadership development. At each phase of your small law firm’s growth, you get to set the tone. When you make decisions using the leadership skills above, you can grow a firm that makes you proud and supports your personal goals.

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