Tip of the Week Blog
March 2007, Week 1 Desk Organization For Staff... 1. Do you have the things you use daily within easy reach? (That includes phone, stapler, supplies, computer manual, etc.) YES NO 2. Are your daily files at your desk? YES NO 3. Do you have an "IN" and "OUT" box (or "TO DO" and "DONE" box)? YES NO 4. Do you have mail slots for each person you support, plus yourself? YES NO 5. Do you have a separate file for Pending Client Numbers, Reimbursements/ Checks, Incoming Mail, etc.? YES NO If you answered "No" to any one of these questions, you'll want to read this Organizing article. Could Your Firm Be Assessed A Fine? I recently consulted with a law firm on the creation of their website and writing the site text. Many attorneys and administrators don't realize that the State Bar of Texas must approve their firm's text and complete website. While speaking with representatives of the Advertising section, I discovered that they're actively searching out attorney websites that have not been approved and are assessing fines. So... you may want to check on your site's approval. If you're not sure who to call or need help with your website, contact nickie@legallylarge.com and I'll be happy to help.
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February 2007, Week 4 Organizing Your Work Environment - Quiz For Staff... SELF-TEST 1. Is your desk and work space organized enough that someone can literally walk in and find whatever they need? YES / NO 2. If you had a temp or floater sitting in for you, would they know what to do and who to contact? YES / NO 3. Do you know how to successfully complete a large and intricate project? YES / NO 4. Think franchise - is your system of operating easily understandable and transferable to someone else? YES / NO If you answered "No" to any of the questions, then you need help organizing! Go to our Organizing article to get a few ideas. As Time Goes By... If you didn't know, the change to Daylight Savings is happening earlier this year. Actually, you need to change your clocks on March 11 (three weeks earlier than usual) and end on November 4 (1 week later than usual). This affects you because your computer is affected. Don't Be a Nitpicker... We all occasionally forget common manners - but it can hurt your practice. The same true scenario from last week with an added insult: A paralegal was asked to draft a cover letter ("due yesterday") for a name partner. He quickly drafted the letter and sent it out with the important documents. However, he was scolded a few days later by the partner because the salutation was followed by a comma instead of a colon. The insensitive partner further admonished him that in the future, he should consult the 'secretarial manual.'
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February 2007, Week 3 Organizing YOUR Way ('Total Slob' Types)For Staff... Total Slobs, who are sometimes Pack Rats too, are the complete opposite of Right Anglers. They have a high tolerance for mess and not much experience in straightening it out. But even Total Slobs can become organized by using these guidelines: 1. Accept responsibility for yourself and your environment. 2. Work gradually at improving things. 3. Adopt systems that are convenient and simple. 4. Motivate yourself with rewards and incentives. From How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself by Sunny Schlenger and Roberta Roesch (pp 179-187). Gossip - Raising Its Ugly Head You can manage gossip exactly as you would manage any other negative behavior from an employee in your work place. Use a coaching approach, when possible, to help the employee improve his or her behavior. But, when needed, gossip management starts with a serious talk between the employee and the manager or supervisor. If the discussion of the negative impacts of the employee's gossip has no effect on subsequent behavior, begin the process of progressive discipline with a verbal warning, then a formal written verbal warning for the employee's personnel file. Productive Use of Legal Assistants & Paralegals Don't Expect Anyone to Read Minds... One quick (true) tale: A paralegal was asked to draft a cover letter ("due yesterday") for a name partner. He quickly drafted the letter and sent it out with the important documents. A few days later, he was scolded by the partner for doing what was requested. Apparently, the partner had changed his mind but neglected to tell the paralegal. The partner told him that he should have known that the letter wasn't needed. Hmmm, do you think the paralegal would be so prompt next time?
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February 2007, Wk 2 Organizing YOUR Way ('Pack Rat' Types)For Staff... If you're a Pack Rat, getting organized can be difficult. It takes a lot of energy and commitment to part with things that have resided with you for a lifetime. What you have to remind yourself of, though, are the eventual rewards of having more free space, fewer possessions to clean or keep track of, and the feeling of liberation that comes with the knowledge that you're in control of your belongings and not the other way around. You can achieve this if you: 1. Find, use, and enjoy what you want to save. 2. Dispose of or pass on what has outlived its value or usefulness. 3. Refuse to be controlled by stacks of reading material. 4. Teach your children how to evaluate what has meaning to them over the years. 5. Reserve space for new items in your life that serve a function or bring you pleasure. From How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself by Sunny Schlenger and Roberta Roesch (pp 163-178).
Gossip - Raising Its Ugly Head Expect a certain amount of gossip in any firm; people want to know what is going on in their workplace, and they like to discuss work issues. The key is to know when the gossip is out-of-hand. You need to act if the gossip is: Productive Use of Legal Assistants & Paralegals Don't Put Legal Assistants/Paralegals "On Trial". Instead, make it obvious that you have confidence in their abilities until proven wrong. Just because they lack a law degree doesn't mean they lack intelligence. In fact, they're usually some of the smartest people in the firm.
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February 2007, Week 1 Organizing YOUR Way ('Right Angle' Types)For Staff... Right Anglers are compulsive straighteners. If someone moves something from its 'correct' spot, a Right Angler puts it back immediately without even thinking. But keeping things neat doesn't necessarily mean that you're keeping things organized. Systems have to make sense, so if you're a Right Angler: 1. Stay on top of what you are keeping and where you're keeping it to make sure that your arrangements are working for you. 2. Examine your needs carefully and know that it's all right if systems are unorthodox, as long as they're functional. 3. Look for products that will keep things both neat and efficient. 4. Realize that the organizing process takes time, but that it can be accomplished without too much upheaval if you tackle a little bit at a time. From How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself by Sunny Schlenger and Roberta Roesch (pp 156-163).
What To Do? How do you handle a staff person that is not performing well but believes that they're a top performer OR even the best person on staff? Productive Use of Legal Assistants & Paralegals A lawyer's communication of the task to the legal assistant/paralegal is of the utmost importance. Don't be hurried in communicating the details or make the work appear trivial. A few minutes of thought given to explaining the task can be the difference between an average and exemplary work product.
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January 2007, Week 2 Organizing YOUR Way ('Everything Out' Types) I'm an Everything Out person - I like to see my files, notes, and to do's in front of me. As you can guess, this can get very disorganized and messy. I'm reading a book right now that's helping me and I'll pass their tips along: 1. Do a desktop survey to determine if you still like and/or use the items kept there. Remove any that doesn't serve a purpose. From How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself by Sunny Schlenger and Roberta Roesch (pp 129-141). What Going On With Vista? For Administrators... Windows Vista is coming, whether we like it or not. Microsoft's newest operating system is quickly becoming a reality and will be on the market and in new computers within a couple of months. Does your office need to worry about that? Do you need to upgrade? I am not an IT expert, but I have looked into the issue since I need a new laptop myself. From what I can see, Vista is a good operating system but (like any product) does have its flaws. I'm going to buy a new laptop that is Vista capable and contains a free upgrade. However, I won't upgrade until much later in the year. Like any new software product, there will be bugs and I'm going to wait until the major ones are worked out. But that's just one business owner's opinion... Contact Management Managing client and business contacts is key for any lawyer, but especially for the mobile lawyer. The best place to have your contact information is on your phone. If you don't have one already, then consider getting a smartphone, such as Palm's Treo 680. Having constant access to your e-mail is no longer a luxury. If you rely heavily on communicating by e-mail, another option is one of Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices, which have decent phone features, but mostly excel at processing e-mail. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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