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Achieve Success Every Time: Begin with the End in Mind

Too often in the world of complaints, motions, contracts and depositions, we forget that the practice of law is a business. And whether you are part of a non-profit or a for-profit firm, without a clearly defined and well communicated vision of where you are going your practice and your career become stagnant and unsatisfying.

“Would you tell me, please which way I ought to go from here?” she asked.

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” was the reply.

“I don't much care where --” she said.

“Then, it doesn't matter which way you go.”

That excerpt comes from Alice in Wonderland. The scene is when Alice comes to a crossroads and discovers the Cheshire cat perched in a tree. It's a poignant reminder that the path we take will determine our destination. Whether it's the path that we are taking for ourselves, or the one we want to lead our firm on, it really does matter where we want to go.

Let's look at it another way. Every person and every firm travels in time, right? No matter what, you will end up somewhere in the course of the next month or the next year. So where will it be? Well, like Alice, it depends on what path you take. Most lawyers and their firms have places they "want to go." Typically, they want to go to a place where they will have increased income, a productive staff, a steady stream of referral clients, they will "make a difference", etc. These might be considered objectives or goals. But are these goals part of a bigger mission or vision? Sometimes they are, and sometimes they're not. Does it really matter?

I think it does. Let me illustrate. There was a study done at one of the Ivy League institutions back in 1952, and they asked how many people had a written and specific vision for their lives. The answer came back 3%. They followed up with this group 20 years later and found that:

1. Their net worth was greater than the other 97% of the class,
2. They had a lower divorce rate, and
3. They had a wider, more stable circle of friends.

In essence, they determined what they wanted life to look like and they had made life deliver that to them.

A simple and understandable vision is essential since the achievement of your personal, career, and firm objectives depends on a clear understanding of your ultimate destination. And if you are leading a firm, your co-workers depend on a shared understanding of the organizational purpose if they are going to help you reach your destination. A vision should honor the past (all those "places" you and your firm have been before), but prepare for the future (with an eye on where you really want to be when all your dreams come true). Most importantly, a vision must be "lived." If your vision is not "lived" every day in every way, it will be hollow and empty. It will not empower anyone. In fact, it may do more harm than good. And you'll find more often than not, no one wants to join you on your journey. While you are busy trying to go in one direction, your family, co-workers and desirable clients are all taking their own routes to their own destinations. You become frustrated in your purpose and fail in your personal and professional relationships.

Creating an effective vision is no simple task. A vision should be succinct, clear, and exciting. It should guide you, the firm and everyone in it while leaving wide latitude to pursue new opportunities. Whether you have a sole practice, work in a small or large firm, or lead a non-legal organization, achieving the personal and career objectives you dream of will only happen with an inspiring vision, clearly communicated.

Regardless of the size of your firm or the role you play in it, there are always gaps to close; the distance between "where we are" and "where we want to go." Now, let me ask you…do you and your people know exactly where you are trying to go? And how should they know?

One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to shape and communicate the vision to everyone in the firm. Let me share a quote with you from Father Theodore Hesburgh, the former President of Notre Dame University.

“The very essence of leadership is you have to have a vision. It's got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.”

So there are actually two things you must do; first, create the vision, then communicate it effectively so that everyone wants to realize that vision. So exactly what is a good vision statement and how do you create it.

The vision is a statement of potential. It is a statement of what you can become. When your vision is effectively communicated, it should provide a focus and direction. Your vision should be concise and meaningful. It should be derived from examining your values and principles and what you want to be in the future.

Since your vision will guide you into the future, it is critical that it is well crafted and meaningful to everyone with whom you interact. To make it powerful and useful, work hard on editing it down to its bare essentials. In other words, boil it down to what is memorable and poignant.

An effective and "Compelling Vision" will be:

1. Based on an insightful analysis of the present situation
2. A good choice from well-considered options
3. Appealing to your deep desires and those who work within the firm
4. A clear statement of the motivating force that drives you and the firm forward
5. Achievable

Once you've determined your vision, there are six key elements needed to effectively communicate it...and to get your people going in the same direction.

1. Keep it simple. Eliminate trite expressions, techno-gobble, or jargon.
2. Use metaphors, analogies and examples. Paint verbal pictures so everyone can picture and visualize where they are going.
3. Use multiple forums. Utilize big and small meetings, memos, articles, as well as formal and informal interactions.
4. Incorporate repetition. Ideas sink in deeply only after they have been heard many times.
5. Lead by example. Behavior must be consistent with the vision since we believe what we see more than what we hear.
6. Give and take. Two-way communication is always more powerful than one-way communication. Listen and be listened to. By listening, you may find out about a better route, a short cut on your journey.

Once a compelling vision is developed, the next step is to create a mission. The mission is the short-term view of the vision. What can be accomplished in the next year that will support the vision?

From there, you determine the critical success factors. These are usually four to eight key factors that are both necessary and sufficient to realize your company's mission.

Goals are the specific and measurable steps that must be accomplished to achieve the critical success factors. The goals are not limited by number. It's doing whatever it takes to meet the critical success factors. They are SMART; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

These goals are then broken down into action steps that spell how who does what by when.

We've covered two common mistakes that attorneys make with regard to their vision that keep them from reaching their potential. First, they fail to clearly articulate one. Second, they fail to communicate it effectively. When you put as much effort into managing your career and your firm as you put into managing your cases, you will re-discover your purpose and really begin to harvest and appreciate the fruits of your labors.

Mr. Gschwind holds an MBA with 27 years of entrepreneurial business experience. He is currently a 2L at William Mitchell College of Law. His firm, InPursuit Consulting, LLC helps businesses and individuals achieve enormous success. He can be reached at 651-330-0977 or bill.gschwind@inpursuitconsulting.com.

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