It was a typical Tuesday afternoon when John’s phone rang. It was a major client, and there was a crisis brewing. John, a seasoned lawyer, knew the drill. He dropped everything, canceled his meetings, and dove headfirst into the case. The client was satisfied, but John’s carefully planned week was in shambles. The strategic planning session he’d scheduled? Postponed. The networking event he’d hoped to attend? Missed.
John’s experience is all too common in the legal profession. Urgent client demands, while crucial to address, often derail other essential, albeit less immediate, activities. This constant firefighting can have a significant impact on a lawyer’s long-term success.
The High Cost of Constant Firefighting
For lawyers, the pressure to be constantly available and responsive can be immense. Clients, understandably, expect their legal counsel to be readily accessible, particularly during times of crisis. The pressure of dropping everything to address a client’s urgent issue and earning the client’s gratitude can be powerful.
However, the long-term consequences of perpetual reactivity can be significant. Consistently prioritizing the immediate over the important can have a domino effect:
- Stunted Business Development: When we’re constantly putting out fires, we have little time to focus on activities that contribute to our professional growth. Networking, client cultivation, and marketing initiatives like thought leadership take a backseat, hindering our ability to advance in our careers.
- Neglected Internal Relationships: Canceled meetings and missed deadlines can damage trust and collaboration within the firm. We risk becoming isolated and missing out on valuable opportunities for support and mentorship.
- Diminished Visibility: Consistently prioritizing urgent client work can leave us with little time to build our personal brand and enhance our visibility within the legal community. Opportunities to speak at conferences, publish articles, or participate in industry events are lost, hindering professional reputation and recognition. This can limit our ability to attract new clients and opportunities.
- Personal Toll: The relentless pressure of putting out fires can lead to burnout, affecting both mental and physical well-being, and impacting our personal relationships.
In other words, over time, this pattern can erode professional growth, hinder career advancement, and contribute to burnout.
Strategies for Managing the Unexpected
While urgent client demands are inevitable, lawyers can proactively manage them without sacrificing long-term goals. Here are some practical tips:
Implement a Robust Triage System:
- Acknowledge the Request and Assess the Urgency: Not all urgent matters are created equal. Just because the client or your colleague believes it’s urgent, does not automatically make it so. Or your interpretation of “urgent” might differ. Also, sometimes people simply need to know that you received their communication. So get in the habit of providing a brief acknowledgement of their request and letting them know when you’ll get back to them with a more substantive answer. Be sure to immediately add this item to your list of priorities/tasks or calendar it, so it doesn’t slip through the cracks.
- Delegate Effectively: Leverage your team’s strengths. Identify and delegate tasks that can be effectively handled by others, freeing you to focus on matters that require your unique expertise or experience. For tips on Effective Delegation for Lawyers, check out our 3-part series: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
- Set Realistic Expectations: Open and honest communication is essential. When faced with an urgent demand, clearly communicate realistic expectations regarding response times and deliverables. Transparency can go a long way in managing client expectations and preventing misunderstandings. While being responsive is important – and is greatly valued by clients generally – you want to be “in demand,” rather than “on demand.”
Protect Your Strategic Time:
- Time Blocking: Schedule dedicated blocks of time in your calendar for business development, internal meetings, and professional development. Treat these appointments as sacrosanct, and avoid canceling them unless absolutely necessary.
- Build a Buffer: Take a look at your calendar for this and next week. Is every day packed with meetings and commitments? That means that if something unforeseen happens, something else will have to come off your list of priorities for that day. This is how most of our “important but not urgent” commitments fall by the wayside. The solution is to factor in some flexibility in your schedule to accommodate unexpected demands. This could involve scheduling fewer meetings on certain days or leaving some time slots open for urgent tasks.
- Task Batching: Task batching is a productivity strategy that involves grouping similar tasks together and completing them in one go. This minimizes the mental effort of switching between different types of work, also known as context switching. By tackling similar tasks in one time block, you can minimize distractions and maintain a better flow, leading to increased productivity and less wasted time. For instance, dedicate a specific time slot to respond to emails or conduct client calls.
Cultivate a Culture of Preparedness:
- Proactive Client Communication: Regularly update clients on the progress of their matters, even when there are no significant developments. This helps to manage expectations and reduce the likelihood of urgent requests. Consider implementing the Weekly Touchpoint – a system of regular check-ins with clients, perhaps a brief email or call every Friday afternoon. Even if there’s no major news, this demonstrates your ongoing commitment and allows you to address any minor concerns before they escalate.
- Develop a Support Network: Develop relationships with colleagues who can provide assistance or cover for you during busy periods. When asking for help, be clear about your needs and expectations. And remember, reciprocity is key. Be proactive in offering help to your colleagues when you have the capacity. Building a strong support network takes time and effort, but the benefits in terms of reduced stress and increased productivity are invaluable.
Conclusion
The legal profession is demanding, and urgent client demands are an inherent part of the job.
However, the ability to manage urgent demands without sacrificing strategic priorities is a critical skill for lawyers seeking long-term success. By establishing a robust triage system, protecting your strategic time, and cultivating a culture of preparedness, you can navigate the inevitable crises without sacrificing your strategic goals. Remember, it’s not about eliminating the unexpected, but about developing the resilience and adaptability to thrive in the face of it.
Onwards and upwards!
Want more productivity tips? Read other articles in our Productivity Series:
Part 1: How to Accomplish More of the Things That Matter
Part 2: Reclaim Your Time and Focus from Email Chaos
Part 3: The Productivity Series: Part 3 – Micro-progress