Meetings of the Legal Team and Communication Within the Firm
Your legal practice is dependent on clear and concise communication. The majority of team members at a law firm do not operate in silos. In order for them to accomplish a good job, it is necessary for them to be aware of what other people are doing. You, as the manager of the team, need to be aware of what individuals are accomplishing and whether or not they require assistance or support.
In the following chapter, we will discuss the most effective methods for ensuring that all members of the team are on the same page.
Meetings of the Team and Check-Ins
Meetings have a reputation for being unproductive at times. This makes perfect sense. They frequently give the impression of being pointless or a waste of time. However, if they are carried out in the appropriate manner and at the appropriate rhythm, they might become the central pillar of the work that your team does.
The purpose of meetings is to either debate issues and come up with solutions or distribute information. Let's take a look at what this can mean for the staff at your legal practice. The next step is to determine whether the issues at hand call for a regular meeting or a written update, who needs to be involved, and how frequently this should occur.
- Meetings to review the status of the case or the work being done. Now is the moment to talk with your team about the work with the client. It is helpful to look at each situation and determine what is currently going on and what should come next. These discussions have the potential to be beneficial for less experienced members of the team who might not fully comprehend how to take cases ahead.
- Gatherings of the leadership team. This should be a gathering that focuses on taking action. The leaders of the company will meet at this time to discuss and find solutions to any problems that have arisen inside the company. Concerns may arise as a result of team members and the performance they deliver, firm projects, client feedback, casework, or team feedback. Take advantage of this opportunity to think about the key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics that are tracked to determine how well your firm is doing. If a member of the team or a key performance indicator reveals a problem, the team should discuss possible solutions and decide on an alternative course of action.
- Department meetings. The purpose of this meeting is comparable to that of the meeting with the leadership team. Participants, on the other hand, narrow their attention on a certain division or sub-section of the company rather than the business as a whole.
- Check-ins for every single team. It is a manager's responsibility to assist their team in developing priorities for their work. An opportunity to take the team's temperature can be gained through the use of a check-in with the whole group. In this section, you will be able to find out which tasks have been deemed the most important by your team for the day or the week. Find out if they require assistance or any relevant information regarding the logistics of the situation. This may involve saying anything like "I'm going to be out of the office on Friday and need this covered." Here at Lawyerist, we discuss the best personal and business news of the week, as well as how our minds are now feeling.
- Stand-up meetings are held every day. The members of the legal firm's team frequently find themselves in need of assistance. In order to prevent them from continuously bothering their management, instruct them to save their inquiries for a daily stand-up meeting. This gathering is meant to be brief, which is where it gets its name. Participants who are present in person are asked to stand during the meeting because it is only a brief check-in and not a lengthy discussion. Managers are able to monitor the progress of the job, respond to inquiries, and offer direction as required.
- 1:1 Meetings. The best managers also make sure to arrange time on a regular basis to engage with the members of their teams. Investing in the professional growth of a member of the team might be done in this manner. The member of the team should take ownership of the agenda. It is time for them to talk about how things are going for them. Allow them the opportunity to bring up concerns or fresh concepts. Discuss their personal and professional aspirations with them, and consider the ways in which you might be able to assist them in realizing their dreams.
- Free time for the team. Having foundational relationships with the other members of the team helps to build trust. Make sure you schedule some downtime for your staff so that they may socialize and get to know one another better. It becomes less difficult to seek assistance from another person, to offer assistance to another person, or to provide feedback. In addition, it's often beneficial for people to collaborate with those who they care about. It is not frivolous to schedule social time with the team; rather, it is essential to the process of developing a strong culture and a well-functioning team.
The Most Effective Methods for Company-Wide Team Gatherings
In the event that you choose to hold a conventional meeting, ensure that it is productive. Follow these best practices to ensure that the meetings you have with your team are productive:
- Get going promptly. Each additional minute represents a missed chance. In addition, it conveys the incorrect message to your workforce. Always get the meeting started on schedule, and as necessary, restate the purpose of the gathering to help focus attendees' attention.
- Stay focused on the tasks at hand. Make sure you don't get off track by following the schedule you make in advance. If new concerns come up that need to be discussed, you should either call for another meeting or add those topics to the agenda for the following week.
- Create a plan of action that includes the following steps. Before the end of the meeting, you should develop an action plan based on the topics that were covered. Outline the following steps that your team has to take, as well as the individuals accountable for each stage. You should evaluate your success at the next meeting you have.
- Make room in your schedule for questions and concerns. Allow your staff the chance to discuss any immediate highlights or issues the customer may be having. Put the other topics on hold for another discussion.
Conversations Taken Place Outside of Meetings
Outside of the regularly scheduled gatherings, the team at your legal business needs an efficient way to connect with one another. It is imperative that you establish a method for discussing your cases in order to effectively serve your clients. Multiple people are typically involved in the various projects that aim to improve the company. Email communication serves as the standard at many businesses. The trouble with email, though, is that it is frequently ineffectual and disorganized in its delivery. In addition to this, it results in a great deal of diversions throughout the day.
The chat component of Microsoft Teams, which behaves similarly to one found in Slack and is utilized by a number of different businesses, is one such function. Email is typically less efficient than communication platforms that allow for the organization of conversations according to topics and threads.
Be conscious of the fact that distractions can be quite distracting. Research conducted at the University of California, Irvine found that it can take up to 25 minutes to regain focus on an activity after it has been interrupted. You can make an effort to keep this under control by planning out the times at which your team should contact with one another. For instance, during the course of the day, are there predetermined intervals during which it is okay to ping people with inquiries? Could you schedule a "work block" for the entire team each morning, during which everyone gets their concentration on work?
We frequently hear attorneys express concern that their discussions with team members will be interpreted as excessive micromanagement. You must not let this worry prevent you from having productive conversations. When you take on the roles and responsibilities that you have delegated to other members of your team, this is an example of micromanagement. Communication provides the necessary information to comprehend the current state of each team member's job as well as whether or not they require assistance and in what areas.
