By Michelle Spencer bio This is the second in my infographics series to help illustrate why good leadership is so important to law firms and how you can create strong leaders on your team. In my earlier infographic, I highlighted the costs of bad management and the important role a boss plays in employee satisfaction. For this infographic, I collected … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Talent and playing to your strengths
Working with lawyers
Are you managing your staff or are you mentoring them?
Good managers manage. If this seems like an obvious statement, consider the many areas of the practice you manage: client scheduling, billing and collections, purchasing and leasing, office technology, and others. You also manage a staff. If this, too, seems obvious, ask yourself a question: Have you ever taken the time to think about what "managing a staff" means? Ideally, … [Read more...] about Are you managing your staff or are you mentoring them?
Like a Boss: The High Cost of Bad Management
By Michelle Spencer bio Bosses have the greatest effect on an employee's satisfaction with their job, and employee turnover incurs considerable hard and soft costs. This has great significance for law firms, where many attorneys lead legal teams, and there is a high percentage of bosses. Management in law offices need to be especially mindful of these webs of unofficial … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: The High Cost of Bad Management
Want to build a creative, innovative, and quality team in your workplace? Columbia Business School study recommends diversity
The current outcry for more diversity in the entertainment industry has fueled interest in how to increase diversity in the workplace. Amidst the ongoing backlash facing the 2016 Oscar awards for a lack of diversity in nominees and voting members, ABC television recently announced that it has promoted the first African-American to oversee a major broadcast network in the United … [Read more...] about Want to build a creative, innovative, and quality team in your workplace? Columbia Business School study recommends diversity
Professionals want work-life balance. Here’s how to help them (and you) achieve it
Will 2016 be the year of work-life balance? According to new research from staffing firm Robert Half, 54 percent of professionals have increased their commitment to their personal life over the last year. Thirty-eight percent of those polled said they are more committed to their career, and 34 percent cited additional dedication to their job. Older professionals are just not … [Read more...] about Professionals want work-life balance. Here’s how to help them (and you) achieve it
How to stop being a “hit and run” supervisor
By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR bio How many times have you left the scene of a hit and run employee accident? Have you dented any employee fenders this month? What did it cost you? When hit and run supervisors spot problem situations, they race to the scene, take fast action and speed away, not realizing they may have left one or more employee casualties in their … [Read more...] about How to stop being a “hit and run” supervisor
Why you need to hire your summer associates right now
The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) recently released its annual Perspectives on 2015 Law Student Recruiting report, painting an encouraging view of law firm recruiting trends this cycle and pointing to signs of recovery in recruiting following the 2008-2009 recession and its aftermath. The data, which were initially presented by NALP Executive Director James … [Read more...] about Why you need to hire your summer associates right now
Survey examines diversity in New Jersey at work and at home
New Jersey is known as a diverse state, but how diverse is the experience of the average New Jersey working adult, at work and at home? How much do employers value diversity? And with heated college campus debates on race relations, and a Presidential campaign replete with provocative rhetoric about immigrants and Muslims, how respectful are language environments at the … [Read more...] about Survey examines diversity in New Jersey at work and at home
A tactical guide to dealing with workplace bullies
Have you ever had a confrontation with an aggressive co-worker where you just got so befuddled that you couldn't find the right words for the moment? Instead, a great comeback occurred to you hours later, probably in the middle of the night, after you replayed the situation over and over in your mind. Don't you wish there was a script you could memorize to help you out in … [Read more...] about A tactical guide to dealing with workplace bullies
How to handle a rude dude
As a manager, you interact with a lot of people. There are staffers, contract workers, clients, sales reps, and lawyers, as well as service technicians, building and maintenance workers, and others. Given that you are in contact with so many people, you are bound to come across a type of person that, unfortunately, is common to the human species: the rude dude. Recognizing … [Read more...] about How to handle a rude dude