Changes in partnerships among attorneys and similar professional groups—such as patent attorneys or auditors—often seem impossible: every partner has their own vision, their own interests, and wants to have a say in everything. The group dynamics of partner meetings add fuel to the fire, frequently resulting in a deep sense of frustration.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
We initiate and support transformation processes that arise from economic, organizational, or social factors. Our REAL TIME CHANGE approach, which we’ve used for over 20 years with firms of all sizes, helps break through mutual blockades. We work as impartial moderators and help partners see the bigger picture. Our deep understanding of the legal market enables us to distinguish what truly matters from what doesn’t. And we position ourselves as advocates for the common interest: only what benefits the whole will ultimately benefit everyone.
This approach changes both the culture of collaboration and the decision-making ability within the partnership. In the end, everyone benefits economically.
Change Lexicon, Entry No. 1: What Does “Change” Really Mean?
We’re often asked what exactly we mean by “change” and what it implies for law firms.
Our view: Change is a learning process.
Change occurs when something new is done, or something is done differently. That means entering unknown territory and being open to the unfamiliar. Successful change requires a willingness to learn, the active use of that willingness, and the ability to translate learning into new behavior.
This is not to be taken for granted.
Effective change processes are characterized by the ability to awaken curiosity, encourage learning, enable that learning (always on a voluntary basis), and finally, make it possible to apply that learning through new actions. In short: successful change means behaving differently than before—for both individuals and organizations.
Organizations like law firms must revise their ingrained routines—exchanging the security of the known for the uncertainty of the new. This is only possible in a safe, structured environment, where the key points of the learning process are clear and all stakeholders are involved in finding the solution.
Organizing the process in a way that makes this possible is at the heart of our consulting work.