Why you should prepare for tomorrows change today

As change sweeps through many legal firms, it is incumbent on leaders and managers to prepare their employees for the new era and to communicate with them about the pros and cons, writes Kriss Will.

The headlines keep coming about impending changes to the day-to-day practice of law, with structures, resourcing, outsourcing, technology enablers and robot competitors all likely to have an impact. The prospect of these changes is exciting for some, ‘whatever’ for others, and somewhat daunting for many.

Despite the often positive platitudes about change and how it could present opportunities for law firms, employees are unlikely to feel chipper if they read somewhere that their job may disappear in the next five years due to technological developments. Many of these articles are taking a doom-and-gloom view in terms of recruitment. People who feel daunted are not going to find it easy to adapt to this new environment, and what about those in the ‘whatever’ group? Some people adopt the stance that they are close to retirement and are a bit smug about the fact that “I’ll be gone by then”. More on that group later.

I have always taken a simple view about changes that sweep through workplaces. Changes to how we live and work are like waves in the ocean – they will continue no matter what, and we can learn to surf them or be dumped. Regardless, change will continue. Growing up near the beach and having been dumped on quite a few occasions by waves, I always try to avoid that scenario!

As people managers and leaders, we need to prepare people for change. While some larger firms may embark on a change-management project led by change-management specialists, all of us in management positions have a role to play in establishing the ground work, thinking and mindset needed to deal with day-to-day changes, as well as major changes. Here are my thoughts on what you can do within your team or firm.

Acknowledge that fear of the unknown is a powerful enemy

A whisper of “You know there are going to be changes around here”, followed by a conspiratorial nod, can lead to people becoming unhelpfully concerned within firms. In these situations, people often start to view otherwise innocuous activities as proof that something is going on. For example, a meeting behind closed doors is suddenly a worrying event, whereas a month earlier it was seen as a good idea so that the gathering was not too noisy.

In times of change, such as now, it is important to communicate with people openly and often about possible and real changes while explaining the advantages and possible disadvantages. Be frank if you do not know the answer, but do not leave things hanging – work with people to get answers, or at least a greater appreciation of what might happen. Knowledge can create a sense of control that means people are less likely to feel overwhelmed and catastrophise what is going on around them.

In line with creating knowledge and the certainty that goes with it, start an online circulation of articles and ideas for discussion. Look outside the law for interesting examples that have an impact on day-to-day living. I remember being part of a fascinating discussion about “What will be the impact of driverless cars?” Some of the discussion centred on having the driverless car service as a monthly subscription; no longer needing a garage; and establishing work sheds, community housing and/or Airbnb set-ups in garage spaces that all of a sudden would became empty across the suburbs. Another topic was what one could do in the driverless car on a long journey. The ideas were numerous and creative, to say the least.

Talk about the history of change and adaptation

I like to get groups of people to reflect on “what has changed in your years of work”, linking it to the Charles Darwin theory that those who can adapt are more likely to survive. It makes for a fascinating discussion in a room of people of various ages. When I started work, my pay was handed to me in a small yellow envelope each Thursday; mortgage documents were typed on large typewriters that could take ‘legal blue’ paper; smoking was normal in the office; I ran around town attending property settlements carrying a large brief case full of files and cheques; there was always a queue for the public phone in the bank’s settlement room to call back to the office; knowledge management took place through conversations about legal matters as you walked around the office; and the twice-daily delivery of mail meant we all had our favourite letter openers. I was so busy I did not have time to listen to my cassettes on the Walkman!

These discussions lead people to realise that they have already been part of amazing changes and that they could not imagine life without most of them – and they are all still here to tell the tale! Helping people feel confident about their ability to adapt is an important part of making change happen.

Start today with what is already available and underutilised

Most systems and software applications are underutilised through lack of know-how. It is common for me to wander around a law firm and hear or observe people not using today’s systems or technology effectively.  Recently, I learnt a new, quick way to insert my travel confirmation details from Qantas and my usual hotel chain into my diary. Small things that make small differences all add up. Then there are big things, like the day many years ago when a friend of mine said “Have you heard of Google? Let me show you how to use it …”

Helping people to learn through sharing ideas, as well as formal training, is important. On-the-job learning cannot be underestimated, while encouraging user-led learning via online tutorials is also crucial. Share-an-app sessions can also lead to greater usage of today’s technology. The day I learnt to create a PDF of a picture of a recipe with my smartphone so I could share it with my family and friends was a great day. The day I learnt how to use the same function to create a PDF of a hard-copy legal document when I was on the move between capital cities was also a big win for the project we were working on (I use TurboScan for this).

Ask people to share their favourite apps for work and personal use, and get people talking about how to use these to create advantages for themselves and clients. Encourage people to try new things and, if they are clunky, say so, and think about how they could be improved rather than just discounting them totally. Get the conversations going and the sharing of knowledge and ideas can make an instant difference.

It is also important to get people to share tips and tricks, small and big, with a focus on making life easier at work. The chances are that if someone in one team has just worked out or learnt how to do something for the first time, this is something people in other teams will want to know about. If you put all this learning in the context of lifelong learning, people can find it easier to speak up about what they do and do not know. Sure, some may have been doing it for years, but then again some of us have not. So encourage people to get interested and be bothered. Curiosity combined with determination can make adapting to and exploiting the technologies available very rewarding.

Talk it up across the firm

I was fortunate to start my career in law at Allan Moore & Co, one of the first law firms to introduce computers and word processing. The introduction of computers at the firm was led by an unusual man of great foresight and focused determination. Mr Moore made sure we were all aware of what might change, and painted a picture of a new work approach. Having a leader who talked about technology being exciting and useful certainly set the scene. He did not shy away from the fact it would mean changes to our jobs and he led us all in learning new skills to ensure we were going to remain not only gainfully employed, but interested in making the most out of technology.

As for the somewhat smug “I’ll be enjoying my retirement before that happens” group, I strongly suggest that you do your best to get these people to remain relevant (and be true role models) in the workplace, particularly if they are influential. Suggesting that they try not to become dinosaurs, albeit good-looking ones, before their retirement is one approach. Making effective and efficient work practices part of their ongoing employment arrangement may also encourage them to overcome their fear and not turn into change blockers. In my view, giving them a “you will retire in the next five years” dispensation sends the wrong message and means those who work with them will also be held back.

So surf, or even jump through, those waves of change by taking the steps today to make sure neither you nor your firm get dumped.

Kriss Will is a law firm management consultant and the founder of Kriss Will Consulting. She can be contacted at kriss@kwillconsult.com.au.