Lawyer Leader's Most Powerful Tool

Law firm leadership is visual. Teammates do what they see.

Leadership is not about title or position. It is about modeling the behavior that we want duplicated.

The truth about leadership modeling in a law firm is:
1 - The higher up leaders go, the fewer privileges they have--and more weight they must carry.
2 - When the leader engages in bad behavior, the team will amplify that behavior to excess. Conversely, the same is not always true about good behavior.
3 - The leader's relationship with co-workers will change in ways they may not like. They have the added burden of holding teammates accountable. This demands emotional maturity and some social distance.

There are also countless ways leaders undermine their modeling. Here's some common ways:
- Have their own designated parking spot.
- Frequently talk about themselves.
- Show off.
- Gossip about teammates.
- Criticize teammates, or are hurtfully sarcastic.

Despite all the potential landmines and challenges, no leadership tool is more powerful than a good model for teammates to follow.