Law firms are inherently hierarchical, they have evolved that way, and this makes sense when it comes to having someone to take professional responsibility. But the flip side is that when it comes to good leadership and creating a high-performance team, there are times when the hierarchy just has to go.
There is a plethora of leadership theory out there, some of it useful, much of it interesting to those who like leadership theory. Too many leadership articles quickly become a wish list of what we’d like from our leaders, not so much about what we as leaders can actually provide. Idealism over reality.
In every career there are going to be periods when it is a grind, when you are just going through the motions, and work is pretty much about paying the bills and not much more. That’s life, right? Ups and downs, swings and roundabouts, and all that…
Sometimes it picks up on its own, you get your mojo back and it’s all good. Other times, to get back on track you have to change the way you work, how you interact with colleagues and clients, or take a break to reassess career goals. You may even have to make some big changes: new employer, new location or even a complete career shift.
