Most professions are practiced in some form of partnership, be it a duet, or a cast of thousands. And most professional partnerships function at something less than optimal. At any given time, at least one of the partners is agonizing over why he or she should remain in the firm, convinced that he or she…
There must be a hundred ways to get some fish to eat, and there must be a hundred ways for professionals to attract new clients. Some ways are more efficient than others. In my mind, the least efficient means of fishing is by using a large net in murky water. Sure, the seagoing fisherman will…
Of all of the concepts I develop in my book, The Alignment Doctrine, perhaps the most important for professionals to understand is this: The economic value of your professional business over a lifetime is what the consuming public perceives the worth of your Giftedness to be to them. There was a time that you could…
A true story, with permission. Many years ago I had the privilege of working with a very bright young junior lawyer who quit to become a horticulturist. She prefers to call herself a gardener. She’s one of my heroes and remains a dear friend. The young lawyer in question had it all– great marks, charm,…
Isabelle Boulay was born in Sainte-Félicité (population 1175) in the Haute-Gaspésie region of Québec. (Haute-Gaspésie is one of my favourite regions in the world just because it is so remote, windblown, and wild. But “metropolitan” would never come to mind.) In her early teens Isabelle went off to study literature in the nearby town of…
Brilliant cross-examiners are the rock stars of the legal profession. Every young lawyer wants to be one. I certainly did, but for me, it was not to be. It wasn’t for lack of trying– I studied all the moves, read all the books, even endured Gary Watson’s brutal Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop (the only time…
If you could meet Alice Otupiri, you’d never forget her. It was my privilege to teach alongside her, many, many years ago. I’ve aged, she hasn’t. It’s Alice’s trove of African proverbs which stays with me, and from time to time one will pop into my head. In particular, one has resonated in my mind…
Who gets rich in a gold rush? Not who you think. In point of fact, most miners go home with little to show for their blood, sweat, and tears. And therein is a lesson for professionals and entrepreneurs. In a typical gold rush, rumours begin to trickle out about a mother lode in a remote…
One of the most important decision-making tools arises from an understanding of sunk costs. The term “sunk costs” means those costs which have already been incurred but which will never produce a future benefit, even if they might have produced a past benefit. Obsolete software comes to mind. Technically, sunk costs can be calculated by…
Recently I was cleaning up my photo drive and came across some shots of a flip chart from one of my last “live” meetings. The topic was CAPS Convention, which while still hugely popular and well attended, was beginning to show signs of attendance fatigue and price resistance. So we did what any self-respecting leadership…