Intrapreneurs needed in BigLaw firms

‘Intrapreneurs needed in BigLaw firms’, today’s post on Dialogue by Joshua Kubicki draws our attention (again – thank you, Joshua) to one of the most important challenges BigLaw firms face in remaking their business models: Leadership capable of managing the daunting change involved. 

Do firms hire for fit or a misfit? The challenge of new c-suite leaders in law firms is knowing what to focus on and demonstrating impact. Are you more of a “fit” who will try to impact without disrupting status quo (iteration)? Or are you a “misfit” who will impact with disruption (innovation)? Of course, the answer it seems is that you are expected to do both. A new leader must have the humility to be patient and not directly attack status quo. They also must have the courage to push where they can, when they can in order to make positive change.

Do firms hire for fit or a misfit? The challenge of new c-suite leaders in law firms is knowing what to focus on and demonstrating impact. Are you more of a “fit” who will try to impact without disrupting status quo (iteration)? Or are you a “misfit” who will impact with disruption (innovation)? Of course, the answer it seems is that you are expected to do both. A new leader must have the humility to be patient and not directly attack status quo. They also must have the courage to push where they can, when they can in order to make positive change.

I would call this person an Intrapreneur (the HBR article below uses the term “moderate misfit.”) If you care to hear more, here is a link to my recent keynote on the legal Intrapreneur’s Dilemma.

Regardless of being a fit, misfit, or intrapreneur, the new leader must remember that near-term success (getting off go and building momentum) will be based on political support. Long term success (sustainability and scale) will be based on cultural support. These are the two things that new leaders have the least amount of control over. So while organizations must choose the fit/misfit hire, a potential leader must be self-aware and know which they are – you cannot fake your inner personality!

From ‘When Leaders Are Hired for Talent but Fired for Not Fitting In’ in Harvard Business Review. Although senior leaders are the main shapers of organizational culture, it is hard for newly appointed leaders to reshape the existing culture. That is not to say that organizations should give up and only hire leaders who are a good fit.

In fact, moderate misfits who are charismatic and visionary are a company’s best bet for driving top-down change – but the process will be slow and tedious, and these leaders will need to have a great deal of support in order to persist and prevail. The odds of success will be slim, and some leaders may be so disruptive in their intentions that they may harm morale and productivity, or end up disrupting themselves.

As Sartre noted, “only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat.

 Author

As the Chief Strategy Officer at Seyfarth Shaw, Josh leads market-driven development and growth initiatives for the entire Seyfarth Family. He leads Strategy & Innovation Performance, Marketing, Business Development, Pricing, Research & Intelligence, Lean Solutions, and Business Design.

Intrapreneurs needed in BigLaw firms was first published on Joshua’s LinkedIn page on June 15, 2017