As lawyers, or as other professionals, we tend to be trained in one skill – that of providing legal advice. Rarely do we find ourselves with the skills we need when we are in a position of owner or manager of an organisation or a team. How do we more effectively manage this team? How do we capture and retain the best clients?
The Firm Beliefs 'Mini MBA' (as referred to by our clients!)
Anybody in any organisation should have the basic skills to make an organisation 'tick' - strategically, managerially and operationally. So we take an individual, work out where they need to be if they are to fulfil (and exceed) their organisational and personal goals, and design a bespoke programme for them based on finance, HR, marketing and operational skills. We work in-house or privately with individuals.
Many clients have used our skills as a means of moving careers, organisations or roles.
In-house skills development
The original brief to Firm Beliefs was to encourage and progress the development of key individuals to make them "business minded people" as well as increase their productivity as lawyers. Whilst there existed within the organisation pockets of excellence in terms of commercial awareness, this was neither being monitored across the organisation nor shared. There was no performance management process in place in relation to commerciality and business skills. More
As an organisation, we knew that we were falling behind our competitors. We simply did not have the business skills we needed... More
Individually managed skills development
Sara's "mini-MBA" was the most insightful training I've had, giving understanding of how a legal practice runs. More
I began to think differently. The sessions reinforced my interest in leadership and culture. I changed my perspective on my own job (I am a businessman that practices law).
Managing Partner of a large international firm can be a daunting, and lonely, position to be in. Firm Beliefs supported me, developed my skills (you can never stand still in today's world) and helped me make our firm what it is today. They reinforced my good ideas, tweaked my bad ones and allowed me to enjoy what I do. I was able to attend our in-house skills programmes, delivered by those I manage which can be tricky, whilst at the same time able to have my own sessions with Firm Beliefs where I could really get to grips with matters that were important without fear of losing face or loss of peer respect.
