Talks

Leadership in a VUCA World

Dealing with a global pandemic is only one of many dynamic forces leaders are facing today. In this talk, Mark outlines six forces that are impacting law firms and four strategic imperatives for future success and sustainability.  Finally, we’ll look at several leadership skills and competencies required to  navigate change in the future.

Leading Change in Law Firms and Legal Departments

Lawyers approach change differently than other professions and industries.  Based on a decade of research, Mark illustrates the unique challenges and opportunities for law firms to lead change to create a better client experience, innovative solutions, and a sustainable law firm.

Innovation and Design Thinking for Legal

In this workshop, participants will gain a deeper understanding for the strategic imperative for innovation, as well as mindsets, tools and process for using Design Thinking to drive innovation in a legal context. Participants will compete in a ‘hackathon’, where they will use the Design Thinking process to solve a “wicked” problem.

Leadership for Lawyers

Why are lawyers difficult to lead? What are the characteristics of strong leaders?  What are some of the key leadership skills and mindsets that can have the most impact on productivity, team effectiveness, individual engagement and retention?  What do other professional service firms do to develop leaders?  We’ll look at all of these questions in this leadership overview keynote talk.

 

Project Management/Process Improvement

Lawyers and professional staff leaders are asked every day to find new and better ways of doing things.  In this workshop, we will introduce the basic tools of project management and process improvement.  Participants will have an opportunity to map an existing process and find ways to reduce waste and improve efficiency, speed and profitability.  

Giving Feedback

Developmental feedback is one of the key factors in building effective teams, and one of the most important things younger professionals look for at work.  In this workshop, participants will learn the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model of giving feedback and practice giving structured feedback – both postive and negative – in role playing exercises.

Building High Performance Teams in a Remote/Hybrid Environment

Building a strong team – whether it is a deal or litigation team, industry group, or firm committee – is challenging in any law firm.  But to lead teams that are working in a remote/hybrid environment is an added challenge.  In this workshop, we look at several practical models, strategies and tactics to help leaders build effective remote/hybrid teams, focusing on how to engage all team members to improve retention and job satisfaction.

Leading Across Generations

Each generation brings a different set of expectations, values, and experiences to the office, sometimes resulting in problems with communication, performance and teamwork.  In this workshop, we’ll better understand the five (or six) generations in firms today, and explore ways leaders can engage, motivate, and collaborate across generational differences.

The Future of Professional Development in Law Firms

Over the past few years, Leadership for Lawyers and Cote Consultants (UK) have surveyed Chief Learning Officers from law firms around the world.  In this keynote, Mark outlines the major learning modalities, topics, and technologies in use in firms today, and emerging trends that predict the future of professional development in law firms.

Leading Across Personality Differences Using Assessments

Using highly valid and reliable assessments such as DiSC and MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), participants gain a clearer understanding of their personality preferences and how they are perceived by others.  Using assessments gives us insights into how we can change our communication style, problem solving approach and persuasion strategies to be more effective with people who have styles that are different from ourself.  Mark is certified to administer the MBTI, DiSC, and many other assessments.

Smart Collaboration Accelerator (SCA)

Based on the research by Harvard professor Heidi Gardner, Ph.D. on collaboration in professional service firms, the SCA Assessment provides a framework for improving collaboration within teams, and across groups, resulting in improved client service, business development, teamwork, inclusion and profitability.  This workshop is highly interactive and insightful.  Mark is certified to administer the Smart Collaboration Accelerator and lead SCA workshops.

 

Mentor/Mentee Training

The global pandemic and subsequent “Great Resignation” has put a spotlight on the acute need for effective mentorship.  We provide training, coaching and consultation to firms who are either launching or reinforcing a mentorship program.  Mentor training gives mentors a framework for planning and executing effective conversations, as well as a chance to role-play through various situations. Mentee training helps younger professionals take responsibility for their mentorship and career direction.

 

Communication, Influence & Persuasion

Being able to manage difficult conversations, understand body language, and effectively influence others are critical leadership skills.  In this workshop we will introduce several models, practical tips, and skills to help leaders be more effective in these areas.  Participants will practice various forms of influence and persuasion, including NLP, SCARF  and corporate storytelling.

Vision

One of the areas of leadership that lawyers struggle with the most is in the area of developing a clear, compelling and challenging vision of the future, and engaging others in that vision.  In this workshop, this critical leadership skill is developed by helping participants envision an attractive, positive, future-oriented vision and developing a strategy to engage others to work hard to achieve it.

 

ESG & Ethical Leadership

ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) policies, mindsets and activities are an important part of leading an organization today.  Clients are also looking for outside firms who have a strong ESG orientation.  In this workshop, we will look at the role of the leader to initiate and support ESG initiatives.  We will also look at several aspects of Ethical Leadership, and practical ways to make ethical decisions and create a culture of ethical and ESG conscious behavior.

 

New Partner Academy

We work with you to develop a bespoke leadership development curriculum that provides tools and development opportunities for new and lateral partners. Topics often include assessments, communication skills, leading teams, delegation, mentoring, leading across generations, high performance teams, resiliency and dealing with stress, inclusion and equity, emotional intelligence, feedback, mentoring, leading across boundaries (generational, geographical, etc.) ethical leadership, leading change, decision making,  project management, process improvement and other topics.

Senior and Mid-Level Associate Academy

Successful associates sometimes struggle with leadership and management responsibilities when they are charged with leading a project or matter team early in their career.  We work with you to develop a bespoke curriculum that fits into your culture.  Topics often include assessments, “leading from the middle”, feedback, high performance teams, leading remote/hybrid teams, delegation, accountability, communication skills, influence skills, resiliency, DEI, project management and process improvement.

 

Emerging Leader Academy

Some firms create a  leadership pipeline by providing intense training, coaching, enhanced responsibility and other resources to “emerging” leaders in the firm, to prepare them to eventually take a leadership role, such as an industry or practice group leader or office managing partner role.  We work with you to develop a bespoke program design that supports these emerging leaders.  Emerging leader academies often include assessments (including 360 leadership assessments), coaching and training in a wide range of topics including team development, communication skills, emotional intelligence, resiliency, feedback, high performing teams, decision making, ethical leadership, ESG, DEI, project management, process improvement, innovation/design thinking, strategy development, advanced business development, leading across boundaries, and vision.

 

Mark is an excellent speaker and I loved how interactive he was. We should have him back again next year.

– US Law Firm Partner

This was one of the best, most interesting presentations I have seen in a long time. Thank you for this one - very timely and engaging!

– Partner, US Law Firm 

Mark was fabulous - included lots of resources, great stories and excellent guests.

Workshop Participant

Mark is very experienced and knowledgable on law firm marketing and leadership. His presentation on this topic was easy to follow, used good examples and was presented in a manner to which the audience could relate.

Partner – Law Firm