The immediacy of their action today will demonstrate they are truly serving their people in the here and now. This means bringing more heart and empathy into their leadership and give people the opportunity to share their concerns and feel like they can eventually have some control over their lives and future. The sooner the better.

But it is not just up to the leaders to take action.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to be more courageous, compassionate and caring – first to themselves and then to each other.

Not easy, right? And it is probably not something you bargained for at this stage of your life. But then again, who would sign up for this at any stage of life, right? But here we all are. Signed up, or not, single or not, employed or not, secure or not. For the first time in history the world is synchronous in its experience. And while we may be in the same boat we are certainly in the same storm.

And if you’re wondering how you can continue to stay strong, resilient and emerge stronger perhaps the words of a five year old may be the words you need to hear right now so you can emerge stronger. Here’s what I learnt from my five year old grandson.

A while back in Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, Sammy and I watched in delight as big kids effortlessly glided from bar to bar with ease and confidence. I knew he was imagining what it would be like for him and by the look on his face I knew it wouldn’t be long before he mustered up the courage to try. I didn’t expect it to be so immediate, though I got to tell you!

Now if you are someone who loved the monkey bars as a child you will probably remember how exciting it was for you to feel strong and free.

However if you were more like me and associated monkey bars with burning arm pits, tan bark knees, chin and blistered palms you will understand how I felt when I watched him climb the ladder for the first time to ‘cross the crocodile river’. I instinctively knew he didn’t know how to swing or drop and given his small stature would probably not be easy for him to reach the bars.  It was like holding my breath underwater for far too long, and when I couldn’t hold my tongue and called out ‘I’LL HELP YOU! DON’T WORRY, Mr Independent replied with surprising tenacity in a voice I had not heard before “No Nana, I can do it – Trust me  –  I’ll be ok.” And if I fall, I will just get right back up and try again – Don’t worry about me, go and sit down and have your coffee”..

Ouch. That hurt.

I had wanted to rescue him from ‘my childhood memory’ of pain and see him safely across to the other side. But it was not to be.

More breath holding…. More coffee drinking…

And he was ok. In his time. In his way. Not mine. Not my experience. His.

Now as we are in the second half of 2020, I feel like we are all somewhere on those monkey bars, don’t you?

Some of us are still holding on with both hands to cold steel bars preferring the devil we know rather than face unearthing new ways to work or live. Not yet courageous to face dealing with fears or uncertainty with others outside our family. Perhaps this is a good time to seek help and let go of trying to manage or work through fears on your own.

Some of us have learnt to loosen our grip a little, have fallen, got up again, fallen, gotten up again and are holding new opportunities in our hands with palpable excitement or fear, looking back a little but focussing on next steps with caution and care

And some of us are already swinging more confidently between bars grateful for the support from those who nourish us financially, emotionally, spiritually and in kindness even in isolation.

And there are some of us who are in the delicate space in-between, like being suspended in mid air. It relishes the freedom of routine and rigour of yesterday and is not yet tomorrow. Ambiguity at its best… or worst.

So, here’s my message to you today.

Wherever you are on the monkey bars right now remember the words of a five year old who didn’t look down and say to yourself

“I can do it, trust me, I’ll be ok”

In these times we have to learn to trust ourselves to dig deep into our resilience bank and take out small sums of strength to use in different situations and even different days. The new normal has not yet landed and living in ambiguous times is equally challenging if not darn right scary. We must trust ourselves to make haste slowly and not catastrophise the future.

We need to give voice to our passions, convictions and do it with courage even when we feel our most vulnerable. We are saying that we constantly evolve, become more nimble, responsive and adaptive. And yes, we are also saying it’s not easy. Perhaps it never was. But one thing for sure, things have changed. So have we, so have our families, friends and customers. And we have no time to lose.

As Winston Churchill said…“Never let a good crisis go to waste” so it’s the best time in the world right now to take action of some kind and be prepared to emerge stronger by being courageous, compassionate and caring.

The post Courage compassion and care in uncertain times appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

As we now look forward into the second half of the year, building and converting contacts into client contracts will require a whole set of new skills – which has far more to do with sales than with law.

We know that selling skills are not high priority on the law school curriculum, yet going forward perhaps they need to be. Many lawyers believe ‘sales’ is above or below their pay grade, is not part of the job description or just belongs with the BD department. Perhaps you can identify with one or more of those sentiments? After all, you didn’t spend all those years, weekends, and all-nighters labouring over complex matters against unrealistic deadlines to end up ‘selling yourself and the firm’ in tough times. But here you are. In tough times. With everyone from Graduate to Partner charged with a new fiscal responsibility that no one saw coming.

Set out below are 5 New Laws that will help you commercialise your conversations, keep your clients close and profits intact.

1. The New Law of Client Centricity 

Focus on the new world (dis)order of your client – what is their emotional, financial, physical and operational status today and how has this changed? Spend time thinking about these four zones from your client’s perspective. This might give you some insight into where their priorities currently rest, and where you can add value and comfort. Enquire relentlessly about what your clients want to achieve or do in the short and long term. Remember the 3 C’s – Clarify, Confirm, Curiosity. As clients are now more likely to be in a heightened state of anxiety, frustration, fear, impatience or anger, your job is to be client-centric and stay in the moment. This is your time to truly listen to their issues, and guide them safely through their challenges.

Key take away: Plant seeds in client conversations which set the scene for further discussions. Ask questions and refrain from telling. Demonstrate you have a clear understanding of their challenges and that you can be a reliable support to them in navigating through.

2. The New Law of Understanding 

According to Alan Weiss Summit Consulting USA, clients or prospects fit into one of four categories at the moment – Ideal, Hesitant, Intimidated or Hunkered down. Discover which category your client fits into and understand with whom you are dealing with; you can then match your communication to the style and personality of your client. There is no better way to commercialise your conversations than by leveraging and understanding the power of 4 quadrant sales cycle in conjunction with the emotional state of the client.

1. Discover your clients’ needs. Question, challenge and disturb with evidence, statistics, case studies or examples.
2. Project your clients’ future so they see themselves in the picture
3. Build Rapport steadily – focus on mirroring pace, pitch, tone, body language. If you are working from home, remember most people are more humble in their habitat – so a more informal stance is better. Be insatiably curious about your client’s past, present and future aspirations and current needs. Empathise not eulogise. Listen more speak less. Reiterate, reflect and review and resist the temptation to jump into solution mode too quickly. If you do, you may miss uncovering the current or even next opportunity.
4. Offer solutions that showcase the strength of your teams, knowledge and skill but not the work – just the value that goes behind the work and relationship. Provide value. The objective of your conversation is to get them to say “So, what do you think I should do now? – I’m keen to hear your advice.” 

Key take away: Stop talking before others stop listening. Remember to listen for client buying signals that include pausing, changes in body language, pitch and pace. If you can recognize clients’ buying signals early and often, you can ensure the work will land on your desk, not another firms.

3. The New Law of the Constant Sale

One of the biggest mistakes most people make is asking for the sale at theend of a project or matter and expecting it to convert. Successful sales people know that the ‘next sale’ is often seeded within a short time of the first conversation/meeting. Based on feeling and intuition, people make their minds up very quickly about whether they want to work with people or not and the likely scope of the interaction or relationship.

The way to build desire is through constant and confirmation of facts, agreements in understanding and continuous dialogue. Messaging should be framed to highlight an understanding of client motivations (traditional and aesthetic).

Key take away: Stay connected to clients – even when the work is not flowing. You want to be front of mind when the need arises or keep conversations open where you might identify new opportunities for work.

4. The New Law of Talking Money 

The biggest challenge regarding pricing is not the price itself – but rather how the value of the work you do is portrayed. Another challenge is not knowing enough about the person or scope of a project before providing a fee estimate.

Here are three options to use when the conversation gets to talking about money.

• Let’s talk about what you’re trying to accomplish first and then we’ll work out some pricing options based on that.
• Is it OK to talk about money at this early point in our discussion?
• Until I have a better idea of what you want and whether or not we can help – any number I give you is going to be too high, would it be ok if we spend a few minutes discussing your enquiry? Then if I can help, I’ll get you the pricing options you need. If we can’t help, I’ll be happy to refer you to other great resources that do things we don’t. Fair enough?

Key take away: Find your own natural way of talking money but be transparent to avoid surprises. Clients won’t come back if they get a surprising bill when you close a matter or deal.

Reminder: If others don’t know what you sell, they can’t buy. Ask yourself if your clients really know what you do. The chances are that most people only really understand a small proportion of the work you actually do. Don’t assume they know what your team or other departments can support them with.

5. The New Law of Client Referrals 

For many people, asking for referrals can be extremely challenging – for most of us it doesn’t feel comfortable. Learning when to ask and how to ask could dramatically help your practice now and in the future. Here are some great examples which will help you bring in new business and existing opportunities.

• John, I ask some of my close clients for referrals to their contacts. Given the great results we achieved here, would you be open to refer me and the team to some of your contacts?
• Anne, I understand from your connections that you’re connected to xxx. If you would be open to it, I would really appreciate an introduction to him/her as you have mentioned they are part of your regular business network.
• It’s great you have been happy with the results we have achieved for you. I’ve been interested too in hearing about the challenges your colleague xxx. I’d like the opportunity to meet with xxx too to see how we can help him. I would highly value your recommendation.
• I think I could be a great resource and advisor to other industry leaders like you. How do you feel about referring or recommending me within the[insert] industry?
• What advice would you give me on whom I should be speaking to at [insert company name] – I would love to do work with them.

Conclusion

We each have an opportunity to take advantage of this moment – to reflect and adjust the way we interact with our networks and clients. Take time to rethink your selling strategy. Deliberate and smart choices now regarding how you interact with clients will see your relationships and legal practice emerge stronger.

The post How to commercialise conversations to win more work appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

But Melbourne based marketing agency Versa flipped their thinking about how they can help their staff meet their deadlines, improve their wellbeing and create great work that clients love. So while counterintuitive (or mad) to some, they gave their staff a midweek ‘day off’ – a day for them to refresh, review and revive. Their belief being that when people are energised their mental attitude and results improve. And they were right!

So now Wednesdays is a no-work day. Staff don’t come to work in the office but can work on their own personal health, projects, family or whatever they want! Curiously the more time off has proved more work gets done on the other four days of the week. Dramatically.

Not only are they able to complete jobs more efficiently their work is better quality. Not only are they managing deadlines they are managing relationships with greater care. Not only are they happier, but their bottom line is too. Dramatically. Now that’s a nice to have!

Ricky Nowak’s discussion with Head of Project Management, Stephen Clarke highlights why this fabulous initiative is paying off in all ways for Versa. What’s great about them is that they championed this knowing intuitively that people will lift the bar when they feel healthier.

What do you think you can champion that will lift the bar? Need help? We can help you find a fresh approach to business that you may find hard to do on your own. That’s what Ricky loves to do best!

By taking a breakthrough approach to some of the challenges your people are facing, you can lift the performance of your people dramatically.

But it does take a leap of faith and belief that what you are doing is right, timely and will solve a problem bigger than the workload or pressure you or your people are under.

In Ricky’s work as a leadership consultant and coach she often hears people bemoaning the fact that they don’t have the opportunity to think things through properly or that they are constantly interrupted. In some cases, this is absolutely true but anecdotal evidence suggests that most people are chronically tired and therefore take longer to think things through. What about you? Are you likely to make more mistakes when you are under the pump? When tired or stressed, are you or your staff more likely to interrupt others, ask for more help and often go over things a hundred times in case there could be a better answer.

By standing back from the madding crowd and looking at some of the blockers of productivity we can see at a glance that the winners are those that:

1. take time to have time to think without fear of judgement
2. enjoy finding ways to refresh and review their work by standing back
3. break work habits that are determined by the clock
4. implement ground rules around distractions and disruptions

If you would like to know more about how to handle those that need you too often or distract you from completing your tasks, read this article with loads of tips and ideas on how to get more work done, more effectively. If you would like to discuss how we can help you implement some of these strategies into your workplace so you can increase communication and results, we assist in improving productivity.

Over the next three months, we will be helping clients build business development strategies for greater overall success and improved bottom lines.

Talk to us today about how we can help you win more business, convert contacts into contracts and commercialise your conversations!

The post Midweek madness proves profitable! appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

This premise may have been ok in the past but in today’s world, it’s far from the best truth. Going forward, while the desire to sprout knowledge is commendable, the need to increase communication is critical.

However without training in the art of how to keep things simple, many lawyers suffer the legal condition known as ‘premature exasperation’ – whereby they get frustrated, bored or impatient with clients or staff who in their view fall tragically short of their expectations.

This view creates a whole new series of problems as the client of old is certainly not the client of today or tomorrow.

Today’s clients want and expect a dynamic relationship and ongoing exchange with the lawyer and firm they engage. They want the legal jargon and formality dropped and replaced with conversations that are more inclusive, more engaging and open. They want their lawyer to listen carefully to what they say as much as they want them to listen out for what is not being said.

Clients want experiences that make them ‘feel’ like their lawyer truly has their back not just their wallet.

So much so that clients are now controlling the relationship and communication is the new Law. Break it and you’re a click away from obsolescence.

However it’s not that easy for lawyers or practitioners who have never had to rely on building and caring for relationships or communication to be successful. Clients use to come to the firm, now the firms have to go to the clients.

Many are suddenly finding themselves lost for words as clients are no longer interested in their brilliant banter and more interested in why they should do business with you.

Take the real-life example of how poor communication and an even poorer attitude gave one very experienced lawyer an experience he didn’t expect nor understood until it was too late.

Harvey, a 52-year-old Partner in a mid-tier firm specialising in M&A was approached by his good buddy Geoff asking him to meet with Matt, a young entrepreneur who had launched a new start-up and was looking to engage a firm to ensure its legal obligations and position.

Harvey reluctantly agreed to see him but felt it a waste of his expertise and it would be something for one of the Associates in the firm. In the first 10 minutes of the meeting, Harvey gave off an air of arrogance, didn’t listen well (which proved fatal ) and was just about to refer him on when Matt showed him the balance sheet and projections for the next 3 years. Harvey took a double-take, recognised what he was seeing had tremendous potential and switched his focus more intently on converting him to a client. He told Matt he would be happy to look after him and counted on his consent.

However what he didn’t count on was his reply saying “I didn’t come here to give you my business, I came here to find out why I should – and from what you have told me so far I don’t feel you have communicated anything to me that validates that”.

Harvey was lost for words. He didn’t have an answer that Matt found compelling or even of value and as a consequence of poor communication and unfavourable bias a lot of money was left on the table that day.

Upon reflection, Harvey conceded he missed opportunities and lost deals in the past and this was an uncomfortable truth.

If Harvey had used simple communication skills – including respect and acknowledgment he could have brought in a brilliant new client.

If you want to win more corporate business and build better relationships it is not too late to learn communication and behavioural skills. So the next time you ‘pooh-pooh’ a course in communication that comes your way, just think about Harvey and invest in yourself and your firm.

Interested to learn more? Start now by contacting us to discover how we customise our leadership and communication programs for legal firms.

The post The new laws of communication appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

The key to taking control is to put control around the problem itself and decide what needs to change, when and by whom. By failing to do this one step our work and time will risk being continually hijacked elsewhere. The most important thing is to bring the elephant into the room and discuss the financial and mental cost of interruption and what steps can be taken to ensure distractions are minimized and output is maximised.

But it begs the question to ask if we equally are a distraction or a disruption to others? It’s often easy to blame or recognise when others are getting in the way, but often we too can be guilty of the same behaviour. If you have ever said ‘Oh, have you got a minute.. just wanted to ask you to…..? or “I need you to do this for me as soon as possible because I have to have it by 3.00pm today – it’s urgent..” then you too may have failed to consider the impact and cost of the distraction on the current task they may be doing.
The key to handling distractions is about setting some boundaries and identify what is getting in the way of completing tasks that have a deadline or that have multiple responsibilities all requiring attention. The simple rule of communicate before advocate not only makes for good results but makes good business sense.

Here’s a few tips on how to go from overwhelmed to over the moon and get things done!

1. If someone repeatedly distracts or disrupts you (whether it’s convenient for you or not), don’t have the conversation when they may be under pressure to have something done. Find a place outside the busy-ness, and advise them of how you feel when unexpected pressures arise, the stress of re-prioritizing your work for you and for others, as well as the challenge of competing tasks that may all require attention.

2. While you may want to say to the interrupter…”You’re the real reason why things don’t get done here!, flip it over and say, “We all have to complete certain work in certain times, and there are certainly some areas that we are all struggling with. Some of the challenges that I’ve been facing lately is not being able to complete some work, and I’m trying to get a grip on how to manage that. I’m wondering if I can have a chat with you perhaps about some of the things that we are doing, that would help me get stuff done! It might also help you.”

This way there’s no heat in the conversation. It also means that we don’t begrudgingly take on another task at the expense of something else. It means we are clear. It means we can stay focussed on a task. The good thing is we can also ask others the same sort of question on the reverse, such as, “Is there anything in what I’m doing that may disrupt or distract you when you’re working on tasks?” Give the other party permission to give feedback. It might be salient feedback. At the very least it will be an eye opener, and at the very best, it will open up opportunities to work smarter.

Here is another consideration to be mindful of: Distractions can also take people away from their peak performance time. In business today the diverse age groups, cultures, styles, values, personalities mean the workplace has people with their own unique set of needs.Some people are at their peak mid-morning to early afternoons. Others come in gung-ho at 7 a.m. in the morning. Then there are those who are snoozing at their desk at three o’clock but fire up again after 9.30 that evening. Because of these differences, it is all the more important we consider if the distraction may be coming at a time when that person is at their peak and if so, is the distractions or disruption likely to interrupt their results.
So the next time you are thinking of momentarily interrupting someone for a moment of their time consider if the interruption is worth distracting their concentration at that particular time for it may cost you more than you think.

Recent stats in business today, show that it can take 15-20 minutes to bring back full focus after a distraction or interruption. Multiply that over that over the week, and it works out to be a third of our time. That’s a pretty hefty figure, if you look at that in dollars and cents.
Encourage courageous conversations so people know what is happening is not working for them and ways to improve their communication at appropriate times so that they will help decrease unnecessary disruptions and interruptions and eliminate costs or wastage.

The post Handling distractions and disruptions at work appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

Why do we struggle with audacious leadership?

Part of the reason is that more traditional businesses resist standing up and standing out than those willing to lead with the positive audacity of learning new ways and be willing to get it wrong. Yes, making mistakes is hard when we are scrutinised for it. Yes, being a student and not being a master is even harder – especially when we are used to being known as an expert. And most of all, being committed to learning and exploring options takes time and as the clock ticks over 6 minutes it’s easy to default and use money as an excuse for not extending themselves ‘right now’.

The word on the street is that the legal industry feels this where it hurts most – the financial side of business. Largely traditional, risk averse and conservative, many firms seem stuck between the legacy of the past and breaking through to the future way of working. The additional problem is young talent is already thinking as futurists and wants to bring in new advances in communication and engagement. So perhaps it’s time for the traditionalists to shift slightly off the dance floor and onto the balcony and mentor future audacious leaders to ensure their firms remain in business and keep their staff before they become someone else’s.

However, easier said than done and my belief is that many people find it difficult to let go of things like hierarchy in favour of a more inclusive style of leadership – perhaps the fear of losing their foothold Perhaps people are largely unwilling to stretch their thinking and behaviour outside

the traditional or they don’t feel the industry or clients will support them and resist doing business with them.

As such they go with what has worked in the past and hope things will be OK. But hope is not a strategy. It is a four-letter word that often ends badly.

Herein lies a deeper problem.

Is new talent the answer?

Young talent coming into legal firms today do not want to simply hope they will have a career trajectory but rather strive to make their mark. No different from anyone else who aspired to grow their career, right? Even us back in the day… right?

One could say the traditional pecking order now is like a precarious deck of cards – one that may look strong to your clients or outside world but the foundations may not be so firm, as young talent take to their keyboards rather than the key boardrooms!

But before we shift off our seats a little in favour or upcoming talent, we need to ask if they have the capability to lead with an unwavering sense of purpose and as experienced leaders, how can we equip them with the competence to lead as audacious lawyers not just confident lawyers. That’s our role – irrespective of whatever our jobs are: we as audacious leaders must give them more than knowledge on the job and provide them with exceptional experiences not just explanations.

What’s the key to building audacious leaders?

The key to this is around mindset where no ambiguity exists in thought or behaviour, and we show our commitment to them and our clients. This mindset is around total focus and is resilient enough to withstand and work through criticism, complacency or external or internal influences that may try and sabotage our vision.

Audacious leaders must demonstrate through stronger negotiation, communication and influence techniques that their passion is not hot air, and their intent is purposeful not fanciful. We either get good or get going.

We are saying we need to stretch our capacity and capability outside the typical transactions we do every day.  We are saying we need to give voice to our passions, convictions and do it with courage even when we feel our most vulnerable.

We are saying that we constantly evolve, become more nimble, responsive and adaptive. And yes, we are also saying it’s not easy. Perhaps it never was. But one thing for sure, things have changed.

So have we, so have our clients and so have our staff.

Today and tomorrow’s leaders will lead best by being audacious. In the positive sense. In a timely sense, and in a way that is uniquely yours.

The post Audacious Leadership – what’s holding your firm back? appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

As Research Professor Brene Brown said “The core of authenticity is the courage to be imperfect, vulnerable and to set boundaries.” It is indeed time to take heed of these wise and simple words before promises are made that create unrealistic demands on staff or where people are intimidated or blamed for making errors.

While good leaders work alongside their people and let them know why they and the work that they do are valuable, audacious leaders involve their people in problem solving and opportunity making without trying to take the credit for everything themselves. In fact, audacious leaders ask others to be insatiably curious, seek alternatives and find new pathways of thinking for solving old problems. It’s not accommodating a new generation of young lawyers, it’s opening the doors to a new way of thinking.

The intent of audacious leadership is not fanciful, but purposeful.  Audacious leaders are open to getting the best results through honest collaboration and compromise. To do this, they exercise humility to allow communal success and network growth.

True, not easy when personalities and egos compete. True, not easy when the pressures are on and the clock is ticking and true when autocratic or long-standing leaders have run things for years in the same way and have been successful. But this is what we now know for sure. Whatever got those firms to be successful in the past will not guarantee them to be successful in the future.

Audacious leadership is not a passive experience. Those days are over.

How does AI impact on audacious leadership?
As lawyers face the new and already existing threat of technology out-performing them in many tasks, it seems that the gateway to keeping clients and staff will depend on them stepping up as energetic and intuitive audacious leaders. They will have to demonstrate they are seizing every chance to develop themselves and their teams in ways that provide exceptional experiences rather than complex explanations. They will have to move at a fast pace and improve their mentoring and networking – things that AI can not yet provide. Note the word “yet”.

It makes perfect sense to predict that we may well be headed fast and furiously toward an AI revolution in the same way we had an IT revolution.

How does audacious leadership affect your firm’s brand?

In preparation for the imminent changes in all professions, it is not surprising that many successful Australian companies are spending millions of dollars and hours every year in leveraging their profile and brand. Law firms too will need to immediately step up their marketing and branding efforts in a more visible and audacious manner if they wish to demonstrate they are breakthrough thinkers and initiators.

Clients and prospects are looking for their professional services providers, legal or otherwise, not only to have the sharpest professional skillset, but also be the sharpest in intuitively responding to current trends, preparing them for the future and keeping them ahead of the game.

Audacious leaders must work through current criticism, old ways of doing things, complacency and internal or external influences and come out wiser, more compassionate and more connected to local and global networks. This must be demonstrated through harnessing the collective energy and knowledge of other leaders in all areas of business and being more prepared to share and document their knowledge.

In summary having conviction and the courage to take a stand, while demonstrating compassion along the way is Audacious Leadership. Of course, there are those who may be happy with settling as a good leader and that’s ultimately up to them, but they may miss the fact that being audacious is what makes good leaders great.

The post Are you an Audacious Leader? appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

Yet if I make a slight move towards a sneaker or sock he springs to life like a puppy on red lemonade and bounds to the door crying in delicious anticipation of an early morning walk.

What is amazing to me is that he learnt the simple cues and meaning without words, without gestures or without rewards as a pup. And he has continued to learn just by observing. For example, if I’m working happily at my desk he will sit on my feet and wait patiently for a rub behind the ears and know he will get lots of love.

If I’m in a cranky mood he sits at the door watching me from afar – probably thinking now is not the time to ask for a treat… And yes, he’s right.

Timing is everything when it comes to communication. Knowing when to ask, what to ask, when to listen, when to talk, when to refrain, and when to go deeper. And of course, looking for the cues to support us in knowing timing is right is equally important. Sadly in today’s crazy busy world we don’t always have the luxury of getting our timing right as we are busy trying to keep our head above water and the competitors from creeping in on our turf. And in our busyness, we can often inadvertently miss the meaning behind subtle cues or gestures that may leave others feeling hurt, disappointed, embarrassed or frustrated. What we know is it’s not always the big behaviours or words that create confusion but rather the innuendos or suggestive behaviours that can equally contribute to miscommunication, but it’s hard to get it right all the time when the pressure is on.

Yet good leaders know they are being observed all the time and recognise that even the smallest gesture or signal can mean something that may be misinterpreted or taken too personally– so much depends on existing relationships and patterns of behaviour. Our responses are often predicated on past and current relationships and by trusting others. We have to work with what is real not perceived and this sometimes take courage to address it. But it is worth it.

By recognising the cues we give and clarifying the cues we receive, we can make communication more positive and help get the results we want. We have choices in how we communicate and therefore by making all cues deliberate and totally intentional, we can avoid the stress and cost of misunderstanding.

And if you try these things and you still don’t get the communication responses you want  –  don’t turn upside down like Hugo and go back to sleep, continue doing something about it!

Book for any of my popular programs for your staff such as Emotional Intelligence, Communication is Everyone’s Responsibility or Preparing for Leadership.

Make the call now and book in for 2020.

The post My Dog Hugo appeared first on Ricky Nowak.

If that’s not proof enough, then your firm may have a bigger problem.

For businesses who adopt the new way of working they will definitely achieve a distinctive competitive edge, reduce turnover, boost company culture, encourage engagement and creativity and stay relevant. They will become known as business partners and advisors rather than ‘law firms’ and respond to the needs of their internal customers with the same commitment as it does to its external customer. By virtue of their open-mindedness, they will empower staff to be innovative and creative giving clients the confidence they are dealing with cutting edge thinkers and solution providers more agile than ever. For those businesses who don’t adopt the new way of working in a diverse and inclusive way, they will reach a use-by date faster than a carton of A2 milk and the results will not be pleasant.

Research also shows that in Australia, workers in inclusive teams are 10 times more likely to be highly effective than workers in non-inclusive teams, and five times more likely to provide excellent customer/client service. So we really need to understand what diversity and inclusion is in order to get these best results. Yet let’s be careful not to confuse the terms and expect diverse teams on their own to be inclusive. That’s because businesses can be diverse but not truly inclusive. For example; yes, we hire a diverse range of people – we’re legally bound to. And we hire them expecting that they’ll be team players – that they’ll fit in with the rest of the crew. To cover ourselves, we give them a three-month trial period and leave them to it – and if they don’t settle in or we find they are not ‘like us’, well, sorry, “unfortunately it hasn’t worked out.” Is that inclusive? No, it isn’t. Strange, we hire them to think and be different and when they are we can find that unsettling.

Perhaps a more inclusive way, for example, would be to have both the employee and the business on a three-month trial, coming together at the end to mutually discuss the outcomes. It would support the new employee from day one, not just show them the ropes, the computer systems, and the OH&S policy, but really drilling down, connecting and communicating with them across all business channels. It would buddy them up, take them through the business strategy, and ask them for their input. It would ask them for what their version of ‘best practice’ is compared to what we currently do; it would be looking for ways to improve existing operations through new eyes and experiences.

As legal-preneurs and professional advisors it is our job to find out what makes others tick, what value will we bring to the table and what we can do to help us add more diversity into our operations. Most businesses now have a workplace diversity and inclusion policy in place of sorts but many may be just paying lip service to it without really understanding its true potential. Why? Because it is often a static policy and one that employees do not have the opportunity to add to as things change. Yet we know that encouragement and the opportunity to engage and keep engaging fosters growth. We also know that by encouraging staff to put forward their ideas, build the policy further and drive it across the business is continuous but it will result in greater loyalty as people feel more connected to their employer. And loyalty is something that AI can’t replace.
In conclusion, the Australian legal industry among other professional services is now swept up in this dynamic wave of new thinking and teams are becoming interdependent eco-systems that rely on candid opinion and radical transparency. And it’s working.

But are you doing your bit to ensure you have the right balance of Diversity and Inclusion in your workplace? And if not, what are you doing to rectify it?

If you want to reap the rewards of a diverse and inclusive workplace reach out now to Ricky Nowak on 0419 839 994 or ricky@rickynowak.com. She specialises in working with successful leaders and businesses in professional services across the APAC region as a leadership speaker, facilitator, and executive coach.

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