publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/550988
ILTA WHITE PAPER: JULY 2015 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 22 SUCCESSFULLY INTRODUCE NEW PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGY Pointing to the results of several personality studies he conducted, Richard has demonstrated that lawyers are different from the general public. Regarding interpersonal sensitivity, lawyers on average tend to be lower than the broader population. They can be excitable or volatile under stress and thin-skinned, making them more reserved and emotionally detached. On average, they are neither resilient nor quick to bounce back from something that does not work. They also have a tendency to worry about things that have gone wrong. According to Richard's Myers-Briggs study of over 3,000 lawyers in the U.S., they are more introverted, intuitive, thinking and judging (INTJ) than the general population. On the positive side, their intuitive nature makes them more attracted to knowledge work than most people. They also place a high value on quality, including the quality of clients they work with, the work they take on, colleagues they work with and craftsmanship. Other personality tests show that lawyers love learning and are curious and open-minded. Intellectual challenges attract them. Knowing about these common lawyer traits can help us figure out how to help lawyers adapt to change. We need to explain why a change is being considered, and help them conclude that the change is needed. Involve them in the discussions, and know that one size will never fit all. Some individual hand- holding during any change is inevitable. DON'T DROP IN TECHNOLOGY Law firms influence one another. When managing partners hear about successful software in one firm, they often assume that dropping the same software into their firm will have the same effect. Microsoft SharePoint is a good example. Used successfully by many large law firms, what often goes unnoticed are the many hours and dollars spent on consulting and development to implement this software successfully. There is no panacea. Significant work goes into making any successful change. Dropping software into an organization improves nothing unless content and processes are also enhanced. ASSESS NEEDS Lawyers are in the business of managing risk and must abide by professional, regulatory and legislative requirements. Their needs from technology and procedures can be very specific and must be heeded. One essential requirement missed in a solution can throw a whole project off track. It is not unusual for an IT department's software launch — with months of work and substantial money invested — to be delayed by a year or completely shelved because the new software is missing a feature needed for a critical step in law firm work. Imagine everything going awry during a major IT launch. How difficult would it be to convince change-averse lawyers to believe future technology projects will succeed? As knowledge managers, many of us have learned through experience that change is even more difficult for our firms' lawyers. Regardless, knowledge management directors typically are in the role of shepherding change and disturbing the status quo. We see a need, identify how to improve things for knowledge workers (such as lawyers, law students or an entire firm) and then work to make those changes happen. The goal is to improve the firm, make the work more effective and encourage people to share and collaborate. Whether we are altering technology, improving processes, or — most likely — doing both, we must consider the human aspect of introducing change. HOW TO CHANGE LAWYERS Just how resistant are lawyers to change? Dr. Larry Richard of the management consulting firm LawyerBrain is an expert in the psychology of lawyer behavior and advises law firms on coping with change. In a March 2015 webinar, he explained that lawyers do not want to be told what to do and become more stressed during change than the average person. Lawyers will question why a change is being made and challenge you to make them do it. That negativity, explains Richard, is an occupational hazard that comes from protecting clients. In their line of work, lawyers must ask many questions to determine what has gone wrong, what could go wrong and who is at fault.