How do you really know when your law practice employees are ready to take the next step in their career?  Obviously, their behavior, team efforts and performance markers are indicators you can judge for yourself. But beyond work related achievements, are your team members dropping you subtle (or not so subtle) hints at work? How do you know? Are you tuned into what your employees are asking for or are you starting to pick up on these clues?

What about the state of your law practice? Let’s talk about your firm ecosystem and if it’s time to start promoting from within. Do you have room to expand roles and responsibilities within your practice or are there other challenges to be tackled as a team. Not all firms have multiple positions to use for internal promotions but this doesn’t mean that you cannot recognize employees who excel.

While everyone wants a promotion, not everyone is ready for it. Think your team is ready?  Let’s look at the following characteristics to know if your employees are ready for that promotion.

1.  They are always up for a test. This is the first sign that your employees are ready for a promotion. Do not promote workers who are stagnant in their work or who are never looking for a challenge. It is important that you recognize each of your employee’s strengths. If he or she meets a difficult project with great success and repeats it, this can show you that they are ready to move forward.

2.  They are respectful but not afraid of you. It is crucial that your employees feel comfortable communicating with you and requesting what they want or need. Someone who is honest with you is going to be an unquantifiable benefit to your company. They should have tremendous communication skills that work well for your office, whether it be with you, other employees, or clients.

3.  They do not crumble whenever they fall short and they are honest when they do not succeed.  These are key characteristics of someone who is ready for a promotion. There will be times when your employees are unsuccessful, but it is not the failure that shows who they are, it is how they handle that failure that defines them. Someone who handles defeat with maturity is ready for the next step in their career.

4.  They go the extra mile. There is a huge difference between getting the job done in a mediocre fashion and going above and beyond to get the job done. You want to promote someone who is making it clear that they care about your business. This means that they will do everything in their power to get the job done the right way.

If your employees are showing these characteristics, do not let them go unnoticed. They need to know that you value what they are bringing to the table. Consider giving them a promotion for their efforts, and keep encouraging them to seek new opportunities for growth and success. Need help getting started? Let us know! You can fill out a contact form so we can contact you!

Communication barriers are present every day, whether we acknowledge them or not. Communication has two steps. The first step is the sender transmitting information to the receiver. The second step is the receiver processing that information. A lot of noise happens between these two steps that can distort the true meaning of the conversation.

When communicating with your employees, it is extremely important that you break down these barriers in communication.  You need to communicate with your employees in a way that will lead to a more efficient and well run practice with everyone working on the same goal of making your law practice the best. Need ideas? Here are our three best practice ideas for effective communication in your law practice:

1. If you are the boss, leave the door open to your employees, literally. Your employees need to understand that they may ask questions, make requests, and express what they think. If they do not feel comfortable that they can do these things, your relationship will have a negative framework. It is constructive (and to your advantage) to challenge your employees and allow them to communicate with you. Keep your office door open so that this can occur. Encourage them, though, to schedule check-in meetings with you to teach them not to frequently interrupt you.

1. Use the correct language and tone. Yes, there are words that have the same meanings, but one may have a much harsher tone than another. Choose words and tone that are going to push your employees to excel.  Use positive words that will motivate your employees in their work. This will show them that you appreciate their role in your business. Positive words, the right tone and encouraging corrective action plans are keys to building the law practice team you want.

1. Listen before you speak. 1…2…3…, then speak. This is an underrated method. Everyone should count to three in their mind before they speak, especially in crucial conversations. When you choose to actively listen to others, you will find that your responses will be wildly different than when you act “off-the-cuff”. Try to understand your employees’ messages from their point of view, so that you can answer in a thought provoking and insightful manner.

These tips will bring the communication with your employees to the next level of professionalism and excellence.  This will have a direct effect on the atmosphere in your office. Words are powerful, make sure you use yours to encourage and stimulate your employees to do their absolute best! Have questions? Contact us to ask them!