Justia Connect Webinars Future-Ready Leadership: How You Can Learn To Be Agile in the Legal Profession

Future-Ready Leadership: How You Can Learn To Be Agile in the Legal Profession

The conundrum is easy to understand, but hard to escape. Legal success, whether as a transactional attorney in a law firm, as in-house counsel, or as a small-firm advisor to businesses, depends on identifying risk and doing everything possible to avoid it.

This fact has had a massive effect on the legal profession’s reputation and the identity of practitioners — and their professional lives both in and out of the office. Risk aversion is part of any good lawyer’s professional makeup. However, when unchecked, it can limit a lawyer’s effectiveness as an organizational, practice, or team leader. It can even limit their ability to manage their career.

Join Scott as he highlights the importance of agility in the legal world. Discover why many attorneys remain risk-averse and receive actionable strategies to overcome rigidity. Equip yourself to meet increasing client demands for flexibility and ensure your firm remains at the forefront.

Learning Objectives:

Analyze the effects of the risk aversion that is an essential part of an attorney’s core skill set and can infect their entire professional modus operandi.

Break down the impact of rigidity and lack of adaptability on an attorney’s career and ability to build a sustainable practice.

Identify how to broaden one’s perception of one's role and identity to set up a more open and agile mindset.

Outline five common leadership skills that, if developed, can heighten a lawyer’s agility.

Recognize the critical elements needed to build a plan supporting those skills.

Differentiate when adaptability is not a virtue.

Address key ethical considerations pertaining to the intersection of agility, leadership, and the practice of law.

Topics covered include:

Professional Development Law Practice

Agenda:

Why This Course (and Agility) Matter
Who This Is For
About the Presenter
Agenda
Developing a More Agile Mindset
Heightening Your Agility in Real Life
- 5 Key Leadership Skills
- Building an Action Plan
Understanding the Limits of Adaptability (Including Ethical Considerations)
Key Takeaways
Questions & Answers

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: January 15, 2025 11:00 AM PT

Webinar Highlights

This webinar is divided into section summaries, which you can scan for key points and then dive into the sections that interest you the most.

00:00 Introduction

Scott emphasizes the importance of agility as a leadership skill for lawyers, noting its challenges. He introduces the concept of the agility conundrum, a challenge faced by lawyers in leadership roles. Scott explains that success in law often involves managing legal mechanics, while leadership requires different skills. He highlights the need for fast decision-making and a business mindset in leadership roles.

05:36 The Agility Conundrum in Legal Leadership

Scott discusses the importance of being a trusted partner in executive decision-making within non-legal organizations. He warns against being perceived as the 'voice of no,' which can exclude lawyers from core decision-making. Scott explains that rapid changes in the external environment require quick adaptation from lawyer leaders. He highlights the conflict between legal imperatives and business needs in leadership roles. Scott emphasizes the importance of aligning with clients' business growth and operating within their framework.

11:08 Developing an Agile Mindset

Scott stresses the importance of developing an agile mindset for professional success. Scott introduces the concept of professional narrative, which influences career trajectory and success. He explains how narratives can drive success or failure based on alignment with one's role. Scott discusses the confusion between role and identity, which can affect personal and professional challenges. He emphasizes the importance of separating role from identity to avoid identity crises and enhance leadership skills.

29:10 Skill Development for Leadership Agility

Scott highlights the importance of skill development for leadership agility, emphasizing five key skills. He discusses the ability to assess upsides and downsides of decisions, crucial for credibility. Scott advises against letting social expectations dictate lawyer behavior and decision-making. He emphasizes the need to catch and replace narratives that resist change, fostering agility. Scott discusses maintaining clarity and focus on organizational needs over personal preferences. He highlights the importance of identifying and managing fear and risk aversion to enhance agility.

51:05 Implementing Change and Avoiding Pitfalls

Scott outlines steps for implementing change and avoiding pitfalls in organizations. He emphasizes the importance of staggered start dates and accountability systems in skill development plans. Scott warns against excessive agility, advocating for alignment with organizational values and ethical standards. He discusses the importance of considering ethical obligations and avoiding compromises in decision-making. Scott summarizes key takeaways, including the need for action plans and accountability systems. He encourages celebrating success.

01:05:45 Fostering a Culture of Adaptability

Scott discusses fostering a culture of adaptability while maintaining professional standards. He emphasizes open communication, leading by example, and providing training and resources. Scott highlights the importance of recognizing and rewarding adaptability within teams. He advises transparent communication and involving teams in the change process to maintain engagement. Scott warns against common pitfalls in implementing change, such as poor communication and lack of support. He encourages leaders to evaluate their adaptability and seek feedback for improvement.

Please note this AI-generated summary provides a general overview of the webinar but may not capture all details, nuances, or the exact words of the speaker. For complete accuracy, please refer to the original webinar recording.

Speaker

Scott Mason Executive Leadership Coach

Scott Mason is the Myth Slayer: an attorney and transformational executive leadership coach for lawyers looking to uplevel their careers or leadership skill — and have a future that is epic. Based on his trailblazing signature framework, Scott will help you or the leaders in your firm/organization become:

More connected to themselves, each other, and your mission.
Creative — leading to innovation and consistent achievement of organizational goals.
Resilient, especially when times are tough.