Each year I host outstanding women lawyers I have coached or know. This year the group will gather in Fort Worth, the 16th largest city in the US, on June 6-7. (I suspect there may be a trip to BillyBob’s Texas on Friday evening.)
On Saturday morning, our program will include a workshop on Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Are you wondering what drawing has to do with practicing law? Everything: It is not learning how to draw. Instead, it is learning how to see relationships many lawyers miss. See this blog post: Lawyering on the Right Side of the Brain. I wrote about it earlier this year: What Skills Can You Work on in 2014?
Last year I posted a blog with the highlights from the event. I wanted to share that post with you again.
As you know from my blog: I recently hosted the second annual Outstanding Women’s Lawyers’ Roundtable. It was great fun for me and for Nancy, and thanks to Cindy Pladziewicz for working with me and thanks to Joyce for making it all come together. I recently received an email from Tricia DeLeon with her takeaways. I asked Tricia if I could share it because the ideas are good for any lawyer to consider.
Thank you for another great roundtable this year. I get energized just being in the same room with so many inspiring and accomplished women. It was also nice to see some familiar faces from last year. I look forward to expanding the program next year. TexMex with the Canadians would be fun the night before the program. I also would keep the golf clinic on the agenda. Nancy set us up with a wonderful and patient teacher!
In order to hold myself accountable to act on what I learned, I wanted to tell you what my takeaways were.
- Review my business plan. Say “no” to projects and invitations which don’t fit into the plan.
- There are two types of goals: end goals and detailed, action goals. Make the latter to accomplish the former.
- I must hold myself accountable to achieve my goals. Just like a fitness partner, get an accountability partner to discuss business development goals and check-in with her every 30 days.
- Read “Nine Things Successful People Do Differently.”
- Repurpose my articles into presentations and then into webinars and then into guides.
- Continue to keep a daily journal on client development activities.
- Before a presentation “work the room before the room is assembled.” If you have participants’ e-mails, send them a survey monkey and show them the results. Let them think the presentation is theirs.
- Don’t be a victim and focus on your problems (i.e. “that partner hoards cases and that’s why I don’t have as much work”) Be a creator; focus on solutions.
- Don’t apologize for having to leave work early to do something for you/family. Men rarely make excuses or explain. Clients probably appreciate knowing you are human. As Vanessa Grant said “This is me. This is the whole package.”
- When blogging or writing, identify a problem or opportunity before the client knows it’s a problem. This requires a lot of reading and keeping up with your clients’ industries.
- Be visible. Consider using YouTube. No more than 5 minute presentations are best. Put presentations in slideshare and upload to LinkedIn profile.
- Subscribe to Seth Godin’s blog [DONE]
- Connect with all roundtable women on LinkedIn [DONE]
- See what clients and their competitors are saying on Twitter. Read their recent tweets before you go to a pitch or meeting with them. This may have been one of the best takeaways of the day—I never did this, but will now.
I appreciate you both. Cordell, I’ll see you in two weeks for a coaching session!
Tricia
Tricia recently shared her thoughts about the conference:
The outstanding women lawyers’ conference is one of the best conferences I have attended. The group size is perfect and allows you to make some deep connections with women who practice all over the US (and a few in-house lawyers attend too).I just returned from a national bankruptcy conference in DC where I spent time with two women who have attended Cordell’s conference: Lisa Epps Dade in Kansas City and Selene Kraemer in West Virginia. I would have never known these women but for Cordell’s introduction! Lisa and I have referred business to each other’s firms, and Leila and I have done that too. It’s a great investment of your time—you’ll have fun, learn a lot and make some friends. We’d love to have you in Dallas-Fort Worth!
I hope you will consider coming to our 2014 conference, where you will have the chance to meet other US and Canadian lawyers with whom I have enjoyed working. The energy is contagious. Contact jflo@cordellparvin.com to learn more.