KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals Spring 2014 | Page 16

* Conduct a performance audit of your staff using a high-low performance to high-low potential axis (often called a 9-box system. Then proceed to place your people based on your performance audit. For example, if they are a top performer with a high potential, they would place in the top right corner of your graph. Low performers with medium potential would fall in the bottom center of the graph, etc. This will give you a starting point from where to evaluate each person's performance. From that point you can suggest individual areas for development for people with potential and determine an exit strategy for those falling in low performance low potential positions. 3. Lack of Delegation and Time Management The Challenge: “I get that crises happen. I’m OK with going all out in an emergency. But when I lose a weekend because some attorney gave the client the ‘drop deadline’ instead of adding a day or two for my work, it makes me want to quit. When it happens every single weekend, it makes me want to hurt somebody.” At first blush, this looks like an everyday problem between lawyer and staff. Many things could be going on here. Perhaps Millie’s boss has lost control of the client and is afraid to enforce deadlines. Maybe Millie’s boss just doesn’t get the deadline concept. Maybe Millie isn’t communicating this problem to 16 her boss - there is, after all, a culture of martyrdom in law firms whereby status is conferred upon those who work the craziest hours. (Nothing quite says "BONUS" like running into a name partner in the office at 7:00 am on a Saturday morning.) Whatever the root cause, the bottom line is that lack of effective delegation and time management frequently causes miscues and miscommunication, which can create deeper issues if not addressed. To create an effective delegation system, the attorney and paralegal must agree on specific definitions. For example, what is the difference between a deadline, a drop deadline, and a check in date? By clarifying these definitions, both parties will be able to manage their time more effectively. Another important aspect to effective delegation and time-management is setting aside time to prioritize tasks and projects. Without prioritizing, many tasks tend to move into the immediate or urgent category, which leaves little to no time for organizing, planning, and strategizing. As we saw in Millie's quote, it can produce such a negative ripple effect that you end up losing star staff members due to ineffective delegation and time management. The Solution: These two strategies can move a dysfunctional team from constant crisis mode to a well-oiled machine: * Identify two common challenges that appear