After years of practicing law, I’ve learned one immutable truth: compromise isn’t just a strategy, it is what keeps deals and relationships alive. Every day, I watch business owners and leaders who think they can strong-arm...more
2/21/2025
/ Business Development ,
Business Strategies ,
Client Services ,
Contract Terms ,
Corporate Culture ,
Corporate Governance ,
Dispute Resolution ,
Ethics ,
Management ,
Negotiations ,
Professional Development ,
Risk Management ,
Strategic Planning
At the start of a new calendar or fiscal year, business leaders and professionals face a critical opportunity to evaluate which practices, policies, and procedures drive value for their organizations. This is important to...more
1/15/2025
/ Audits ,
Best Practices ,
Business Development ,
Business Operations ,
Business Strategies ,
Client Services ,
Corporate Culture ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Restructuring ,
Employees ,
Firm Leadership ,
Labor Relations ,
Leadership ,
Performance Reviews ,
Performance Standards ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Risk Management ,
Strategic Planning
The people you associate with help determine your future. They matter when people think of you, so choosing wisely is important. Depending on your position, you may or may not be able to choose co-workers, but you can choose...more
We’re just past Thanksgiving 2024. It has been another busy, fast, and crazy year. In thinking about writing about being thankful or gratitude, I can’t say it better than I have before, so here is my annual blog for the week...more
I generally do not rerun prior posts but with the current state of things, the general negativity that seems to be hanging in the air, and coarseness in dealing with others, this post from 2018 came to mind. It applied then....more
Every day is a good day to think about and set goals. These can be short or long-term goals. Many people write New Year’s Resolutions and view that as the time to set goals or challenges. A lot of those same people are the...more
Fulton J. Sheen said, “Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius.” While harsh, this observation rings particularly true in competitive workplace environments, where success often breeds resentment among colleagues....more
Your business has a culture whether it is conscious or not. My firm has a defined culture we call the JW Way. It is a mission statement consisting of twenty-seven fundamentals that the owners and employees strive to live by...more
You grow or stay stagnant. My point is that you either are taking action to improve yourself and your business or you are not. This is like being all talk and taking no action or being fully engaged. Action matters and there...more
Management is about execution. More specifically, management is about executing the visions of your company’s leadership. Managers work in the present while leaders work in the future. Managers of people need to focus on how...more
You may not think it, but it is good to be the dumbest person in the room. Knowing and acknowledging it to others lets you learn. This allows you an opportunity to learn what otherwise would be lost. The room may be full of...more
Recently I was speaking with a young attorney who was lamenting the workload and hours the partners at his firm expected of him and talking about his time at night and on the weekends being his time, not theirs. This struck...more
Each of us is a part of a group in relation to our work. You are a part of the company where you work. And you are probably part of smaller formal groups comprised of you and co-workers, as well as part of other...more
If you compare your life with others, especially those you believe to be more successful or happier than you are, you will be unhappy in your life. Teddy Roosevelt said “Comparison is the thief of joy” more than a century ago...more
Poor time management limits success more than people realize it does. The people you work for, whether bosses or clients, will notice if you show up late or miss a deadline. When you do, it reflects poorly on you and your...more
Many people sugarcoat what they say to save another’s feelings. I think this is because most people shy away from potentially confrontational conversations or don’t know how to effectively communicate something negative or...more
Inspiration can hit you anytime. When it does, you know it instantly. Many times, the timing is inconvenient. When this happens, you have to take steps to not lose that inspiration. It happens to me frequently and at...more
Many attorneys (and I assume others) have this somewhat canned response when someone asks them how it’s going. It’s generally some version of “It’s another day” or “Different day, same stuff.” The message being communicated...more
What are you doing right now? Are you focusing on reading these words, or do you have an eye on your email, texts, social media, or maybe all of them? Or are you on the phone? We all think we can do this and do it well, but...more
Failure is an important part of success. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” How true. This statement recognizes that people are seriously afraid to fail. Similarly, people...more
Some of you may be asking, what does he mean? Some of you may be saying, “work/life balance, I’ve got it!” Others are saying “Good luck on that!” I’m focusing on the importance of concentrating on this balance, whether you...more
Celebrating anniversaries and milestones in business is more than just a tradition; it’s a strategic practice that fosters a sense of accomplishment, unity, and motivation within the company. They serve as significant markers...more
Elevating the performance of those around you versus solely focusing on your own results is a critical distinction in personal and professional development. When you prioritize lifting others, you contribute to a...more
“Frequently wrong, but never in doubt” captures the essence of confidence without competence. It characterizes individuals who assert their opinions and judgments with unwavering certainty, even when those assertions are...more
When you think about radical thinkers you often think of people who inhabit the fringes of society, where their unconventional ideas are free to flourish away from the constraints of mainstream thought. You may think of...more