New start

Motivation drives us to achieve our goals or the lack of it makes us flop before we can get out of bed. Its existence enables law firm partners and managers to achieve the commercial objectives of their firm through their workforce. But its absence is like trying to grow tomatoes in bags full of unfertilised dust. It just won’t happen however much water you add. It is the lack of this nutrient that prevents all too many good business plans from getting off the paper into daily actions.

Top down

Wherever motivation exists it derives from leadership, the setting of the objectives and tone of the firm. But it is developed, sustained or destroyed by management and culture. Growth and business development are fuelled by motivation and long-term thinking. This is why in my previous column (PCA, volume 17 issue 2) I proposed to commence an examination of all aspects of motivation with a private client angle.

It is always wise to engage in a little self examination. If you are a partner in a law firm then you are, whatever else you might be called, a business owner or business manager. And just because you are a private client lawyer does not mean you must play second quill pen to the commercial guys or the litigators.

You are now responsible for something you were probably never trained for. And so are they. But (ahem) as you often have to be a far better listener and people person than some of those types appear to be, you may have the edge.

So, you must be certain of two things if you are to be able to create a highly motivated workforce. You must be sure that you are in the right job and that you know how to motivate yourself.

Without establishing these two factors there is little point in examining the theory and practice of motivating employees. While Nietzsche said: “I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible,” I must part company with him after the “great” bit. Attempting that which is objectively and psychologically impossible is just daft. Nietzsche became insane and died young so as a track record I’d say that’s not too hot.

You must be absolutely sure you are in the right job. If you are then you will (usually) be motivated by the stuff around you. If not, you will not be motivated, except perhaps occasionally and fleetingly depending upon your mood. At the very least you will find yourself operating up to a level that is far below ?your potential.

Life plan

So does what you are doing in life, in the law, actually meet your own interests, character and ability? If not, then it is wise to consider making a move. That is despite the mild inconvenience of maybe having spent donkey’s years and a shed load of cash getting to where you are now. I am of course assuming happiness and not just a smattering of money, sex and power are your primary life objectives. If you do not make that move you will never be satisfied where you are and your employees or the staff you manage will know that. Motivation is infectious but so is de-motivation.

You need to know how to motivate yourself in a way that works for you. Our motivation for our work typically oscillates over both the short term and the longer term. We all sometimes feel as motivated as a wet sack but if we are a business owner or manager we have a very real responsibility to remain focused and enthusiastic. That also makes good business sense.

You can be technically brilliant. You can fly through terrible double-grossing calculations for inheritance tax or draft assents for England but if you are not able to self-motivate it will show in the way you present yourself.

So what can you do about motivating yourself? It is easy to say “have a purpose and focus on where you want to be”. I agree that visualising where you want to get to tends to help make it happen. Put simply, you will start to behave in a way that will enable you to achieve ‘it’, assuming you do truly want it.

I did this for years. I won’t say the words I used though. It’s not magic other than of the personal variety. This technique helps to stop you listening to the voice that shouts ‘you old fraud’ in your ear at least once a day. Most lawyers get that. We are a pretty neurotic bunch.

It is essential to stop comparing yourself with someone else. Although this is easier said than done, as it is as natural to most of us lawyers as it is de-motivating. There is always someone better and faster than I am but my best competition is also me. Knowing this, and I mean really knowing it, can improve our confidence so that, step-by-step, improvements can be made. To this end, consider reading something that is not directly work related every day if you can: “Readers are leaders and leaders are readers.” Learning (anything frankly) helps us become more curious, get started on things and build our confidence.

Facing fears, remembering past small victories and building on little successes all assist in building our self esteem and self confidence. The same is true of doing something different outside of your comfort zone. If you look back each year or so you will be pleasantly surprised at what has been achieved.

External influence

Making the most of motivated people around you is much underrated. See what makes them tick and emulate it on your own terms. It may be the case that the most motivated people are not the most noticeable. They can be just as easily found quietly getting on with delivering a great service as speaking from the probate conference podium in front of an adoring crowd.

Just get moving. Even if a task is not very self motivating (e.g. your thousandth set of trust accounts this year) just get on with it and get it over with or else try to find some positive in it. A blank page motivates me to fill it. Usually I don’t know what with. But the trick is just to start and not to quit even when a little boredom sets in.

The relevant word is often ‘willpower’ and trying to do your best even if it is dull and a pain. Also help others to not quit. Seeing them do well will encourage you and provide examples for you to refer back to. But, when looking back, as is healthy sometimes to gain perspective, don’t be dragged down by your past mistakes that are part of your history: “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Celebrate little victories along the way.

A combination of these techniques will usually assist with self-motivation. If they do not work then it is time to ask yourself if you have other issues that are dragging you down and which need facing and dealing with. If you need help – ask. They may be financial or family worries, irrational concerns, unacknowledged addictions, or medical or mental health issues which are all usually fixable. You may find that, in fact, you are back to asking yourself the “Am I in the right job?” question again – but more genuinely than you have asked yourself before. If so you should probably be planning how you can realistically get from job A to job B. That in itself is a challenge and a potential source of renewed self motivation.

David Coldrick is a consultant at Wrigleys Solicitors