The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/43128
Becoming an Effective Values-Based Leader "Being a values- based leader requires action and courage." in enhanced engagement of our staff and a stronger team focus. It has also meant changes in our administrative team approach –– more autonomy, enhanced communications, more willingness to propose solutions rather than identify problems and, in the end, better results for our internal and external clients. As a result, we are seeing leadership exhibited across the firm and beyond our top administrators. The next step in our work was to focus on the traits and approaches expected of us, individually and as a management team. This exercise helped to promote cohesion and better collaboration among our team. Ultimately, our goal was to understand how we can better operate collectively, where our values are based individually and as a team, and how our approach supports and is interwoven with our projects, initiatives and our firms' values. This was a critical step in the process of "walking the talk" and raising our profile as a cohesive team of leaders. Aligning Strengths with Organizational Values Most, if not all, of our firms have a mission, vision and/or values statement. These statements serve as great tools if they are utilized and woven into the fabric of a firm, and they form the foundation on which a firm's culture is built. But does your firm incorporate discussion of these statements into its firmwide professional development activities and spend time on a regular basis asking "do we walk the talk?" Can you articulate how your daily tasks and responsibilities tie back to your firm values? We often hear references to the "culture" of a firm. But what exactly does the culture of a firm mean, and is it used in the correct context? Culture may be defined as the set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterize an institution, organization or group. We are often challenged as leaders in our firm to confront and deal with operational issues that are contrary to or bend the firm's values. Understanding how your personal strengths or your team's strengths are tied to firm values helps a leader keep the culture of the firm in alignment with the core values. David Maister, a leader in professional service organization management and leadership, notes that values are non- negotiable standards of behavior to which everyone must comply. He defines "values in action" by the willingness to be accountable for progress toward goals and to accept consequences for non-compliance. Maister goes on to state that you must have a system for responding to and eliminating non-compliance, indicating that this can be a progressive approach to either induce compliance in a finite time, or result in withdrawal or termination as the final alternative if compliance is not obtained. Anything short of this is a compromise of the organization values and a failure to "walk the talk." As a leader within your firm or organization, you play an integral role in helping to steer your team toward accountability and compliance. Through self-awareness, education, role modeling and accountability, you can help to ensure that you, those on your team and the collective firm walk the talk. Peer to Peer the quarterly magazine of ILTA 55