11 Ways Law Firm Leaders Can Lead Change Through the COVID-19 Pandemic by Jeff Wolf
Change is the only constant in life. It will never go away.
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s a leader in your firm during these challenging times, you can look at change in two ways: (1) It creates opportunities; or, (2) change is horrible, something that is frightening. In this new normal, with upheaval, uncertainty, and change spinning around us, I urge you to think of change as an opportunity to think differently. It encourages everyone to move past their comfort zones, try new ways of doing things, and embrace creativity. Change happens every single day. Nothing stays the same. Business changes and people change. Theories and ideas change, as well. It’s your job to adapt and change with them as we come out of these stressful and chaotic times. Accept that change can be positive and convince your people to follow your lead! How can leaders inaugurate change initiatives? Look at it this way: Today, change is necessary (and, by the way, it has always been so) in this pandemic world. Business conditions have radically changed and yesterday’s practices may no longer work. Leaders must be flexible, adaptable and agile to adjust to the ever-present shifting business climates, but it’s very important to understand that leading change is more than just a process. We often forget the most important aspects of change are people and their morale. It’s often very easy to strategically manage the process and erroneously believe that when we have the correct process in place, change will automatically work. We frequently forget that the change we are all experiencing is very emotional for the average person. As leaders, we need to understand that emotional process and the impact it has on morale. One of the most natural human instincts is to resist change, even if it’s beneficial. As people experience the new changes that will occur in our post-pandemic law firms, stress is a given. As much as people will be excited to be back to work, expect to see plenty of discomfort and sometimes resentment, even under the best of circumstances, when people accept changes. If not properly led, change can negatively affect individual and firm performance. Consequences may include a negative work environment as well as decreased performance and 12
Attorney Journals San Diego | Volume 203, 2020
increased stress. Even when it’s clearly evident that change is working, it’s often difficult to keep morale at a healthy level. This forced change we’re in provides opportunities to grow and improve. Change is an opportunity to think differently and create better systems, products, people, teams, and firms.
WHAT LEADERS CAN DO 1. P rovide consistent messages on a regular basis. You can’t say one thing one day, and then switch your message on another day. Be consistent in messages regarding change, as people are looking to you for leadership. If you’re consistent, they’ll feel much more secure about impending changes. 2. C elebrate small successes. For those of you who have children, remember when your child took that first step? You were so excited that you celebrated the event, right? Well, it’s the same thing with change. It must be celebrated. Use baby steps to measure success and be sure to celebrate small successes. When even the smallest positive experience happens, make a big deal about it. 3. Be patient. Throughout the years, I’ve coached many leaders who have gone through change initiatives. The one common denominator that effective leaders possess is the ability to be patient and let the change initiative run its course. As a young leader, I did not have the patience to let many change initiatives play out. Early in my career as an executive, I’d often change things up while we were already in the middle of a change initiative, which meant I totally confused people. As I gained more experience, I became more patient. I watched as well-thought-out initiatives took hold and came to fruition. The patient leader will ultimately be rewarded with the desired results. 4. P ay attention to people’s emotions. Don’t act shocked or lash out when people initially have a negative reaction to change. When you make changes, be prepared for them to have strong reactions, and feel uncomfortable and even
