The Remote Control CEO

Another lesson can be learned by lawyers from industry: Empower your staff to make decisions. We’re talking about process, obviously, not legal advice. There is much in the running of a law office that paralegals and other staff can handle without the lawyer. This involves, among other things, the delegation of authority from the lawyer to the staff … without micro-managing the process.

Here are some tips offered by one CEO as interviewed in the October 2005 issue of Inc. Magazine.

1.Visibility: Provide all key business and other data to your staff. They can make decisions only if they have the relevant information, including financial data such as billings and accounts receivable.
2.Replication: Hire and educate staff to look at information and data in the same manner as you do. Core operating principles must be instilled in the personnel that follow your lead.
3.Consciousness: Create an atmosphere and communication mechanism, perhaps an intranet, that enables your staff to discuss with you and amongst themselves those issues of concern and conflict so they can be realized and resolved quickly.
5.Park the ego: When you can allow the team to work most effectively with only a guiding hand, not by micro-managing or showing how great you are, you then can then be more strategic in your thinking and action, planning ahead for dealing with more difficult matters and the growth of the firm.

These 5 principles of action will result in a happier work force and increased revenues and profits!

Categorized in: Management