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Struggling to execute your business strategy? This could be why

Published:
20 Oct 2023
News
Struggling to execute your business strategy? This could be why

So you’re a leader in your law firm. Or maybe your sights are set on becoming one soon. Whichever the case, if you’re business-minded, you know that business strategy is crucial.

But what happens after the aspirational strategising? When the corporate getaways are over – and you’re back in the daily operational grind?

How can you ensure your firm executes that strategy as intended?

To find out, we spoke to Kristen Podagiel, a Business Strategy Teaching Fellow with the College’s Legal Business Management program – and one of the AFR’s Top 100 Lawyers.

 

Business strategy: A quick recap

A business strategy is more than a fancy term tossed around in board meetings. According to Kristen Podagiel, it's the backbone of every successful law firm.

‘Think of it as a roadmap for your business journey, outlining the route you intend to take to reach your goals,’ she explains. ‘It’s typically created by leaders within the business and can take weeks, months and sometimes years to craft.’

But here's the kicker: A great strategy is nothing without implementation.

‘To be successful, every stakeholder, from the executive suite to front-line employees, must understand and buy into this roadmap.’

This is particularly true of law firms, where – with so many moving parts and new legal tech disruption – poor alignment can lead to missed opportunities or costly mistakes.

‘I see so many organisations struggling with this. They create glossy strategies that end up sitting on shelves. And it’s the same thing that gets in the way every time. I call it sludge.’

 

What is ‘sludge’ – and how does it affect strategy implementation?

Coined by Cass Sunstein and Nobelist Richard Thaler in their best-selling book, ‘Nudge’, sludge is the unnecessary processes and red tape that slow down (and sometimes stop) your progress.

Or – in Kristen’s words – it’s ‘all the things that get in the way of what you’re trying to do.’

‘These barriers may have built up over time. They may be part of your systems and processes. They may be things people think are important or were once important – but aren't anymore. Usually, such processes were created with good intentions but slipped into difficult terrain.’

For example, sludge could be in your client management process. Or you may have an ineffective technology solution that slows down your employees. Sludge is different in each organisation, but Kristen says the results are always the same.

‘You feel like you’re working in quicksand. Your business isn’t as nimble or agile as you’d like. And you likely have a hard time forging new initiatives.’

Worst of all? Sludge stops effective strategy implementation in its tracks.

So, how can you identify your business’s unique roadblocks? Kristen says you need to start with a sludge audit.

 

How and when to do a sludge audit

There are a few ways to do a sludge audit. Hiring an external consultant is one option. But Kristen recommends starting internally.

‘You want to use the brains of the whole organisation – not just the senior people who created the strategy. Ask them which processes are out of sync with your strategy. It's often easy to find the sludge. And you get some interesting ideas from across the business in the process.

‘While you’re at it, check to see if all employees understand your strategy. And if they don’t, consider spending some time and resources helping them understand where they fit into it. Regular check-ins can be a great way of doing so.’

And how often does Kristen advise for this audit to occur?

‘In an ideal world, you’d do this process daily in small steps,’ she says. ‘But realistically, it can be done whenever you roll out a new procedure or strategy. You don’t want to “set and forget”. So every few weeks is a good marker.

‘Think of sludge audits as a prioritisation tool. They help you and your team identify which activities are strategically aligned (and therefore important) and which ones can wait.’

 

The three Cs of effective implementation

Say you’ve completed a sludge audit and identified procedures needing change. The next question that arises is: How can you empower people to enact that change?

Kristen says this comes down to three key things: communication, collaboration and culture.

‘In some firms, especially larger ones, hierarchical structures can cause a command-and-control approach to strategy implementation. But this isn’t conducive to creating truly effective organisations.

‘After all, leaders are only one per cent of the organisation. And while they may have decided how they want the business to evolve, it takes a team to execute it. So, strategy implementation must be a conversation.

‘Invite feedback from your employees, ask them questions and exchange ideas. It empowers them to create systems, behaviours and processes that serve the strategy – and themselves.’

This two-way conversation style leads to collaboration, which, according to research from Stanford University, drives workplace performance – and improves the overall culture.

‘The real value of strategy is its connection to organisational purpose,’ explains Kristen. ‘When your strategy supports a higher mission, people want to work on it. That’s why there's a very strong correlation between staff retention and purpose.’

And besides employee retention, having a reputation as a purpose-driven and collaborative organisation can help you recruit top talent.

In other words, there’s lots to gain by getting your entire team onboard with strategy.

 

The big benefits of alignment

As you can see, strategy alignment and workplace culture dovetail. That’s because people are the engine of strategy implementation. Without them, you just have a nice document.

‘When you can align your entire law firm – no matter how big or small – to your strategy, your organisation will flourish. But achieving this can take a long time because you may need a whole cultural change.

‘You must take an honest look at your business. What behaviour does it support, reward and encourage?’

Kristen acknowledges this can be hard work. But it's well worth your time if you want your firm to thrive today – and into the future.

 

Ready to grow, innovate and lead with confidence? The College of Law’s Legal Business Management course will teach you how to create and execute business strategies – from the industry’s best. 

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From ballroom dancing to the law: Meet PLT alum Helena Angela Hanna

While completing her law degree and Practical Legal Training with the College of Law, Helena Hanna also kept up with her interests outside of studies. Learn more about Helena and her law degree experience.

How to merge your love of music with your legal career: Chelsea's story

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How to merge your love of music with your legal career: Chelsea's story

Learn how Chelsea Donoghue merged her lot of arts and law: How she managed her study while on world tours, what she loves most about her work at Sanicki Lawyers, and what’s next.

Graduates and prize winners recognised in June ceremony

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Graduates and prize winners recognised in June ceremony

Graduates and prize winners celebrated their achievements, received their awards and honours remotely due to continuing COVID-19 restrictions.

How AI is being used in Family Law

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How AI is being used in Family Law

To understand where legal AI use cases are showing up within family law, the College spoke with two highly experienced practitioners who have incorporated AI into their legal practice in different ways. Fiona Kirkman, principal at Kirkman Family Law, embraced ChatGPT early on in her practice, while Jenna Downy, solicitor at Family Law Matters, helped train LawY, an AI legal research assistant.

Kyiesha Faulkner: How the Indigenous Business Handbook is transforming lives

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Kyiesha Faulkner: How the Indigenous Business Handbook is transforming lives

Starting a business is never easy. What step should you take first? How do you negotiate the ins and outs of your legal requirements if you’re not a lawyer? Even for a seasoned lawyer these steps are complicated…And what if you also face unique cultural considerations and complexities?

Self-awareness: The surprising foundation to a thriving legal career

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Self-awareness: The surprising foundation to a thriving legal career

There’s no doubt the legal sector can be an intense work environment. Thanks to heavy caseloads and fierce competition, lawyers and other legal professionals are facing stress, anxiety and burnout on a concerning scale. But according to executive transition coach and CEO at Lucent Global, Ellie Scarf, it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s one tool that can help you manage a plethora of professional challenges. That tool? Self-awareness.

5 tips on how to avoid common ethical breaches for lawyers with Athol Opas

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5 tips on how to avoid common ethical breaches for lawyers with Athol Opas

The law is a complex field heavily reliant on knowledge, interpretation and advice. This makes for a profession that can have far reaching consequences and, as a result, lawyers are held to high standards. Athol Opas presents annual ethics updates to firms to keep them abreast of recent cases of misconduct and/or common ethical breaches. We spoke to Athol to find out about the most common ethical breaches lawyers should be mindful of and to gain his top tips on complying within ethical obligations. 

What are the top negligence claims facing lawyers today?

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What are the top negligence claims facing lawyers today?

The College of Law investigates which legal practice areas are most at risk of negligence claims and why. We spoke to Lawcover’s Legal Risk Manager Glenda Carry about the practice areas most affected by negligence claims, what behaviours can lead to adverse claims by clients, and what risk mitigation strategies law practices can put in place.

How to get a government job in law: everything you need to know

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How to get a government job in law: everything you need to know

Embarking on a legal career in local, state, or federal government can be an exciting move. There are many pathways for development, a broad range of practice areas, and often a healthy work-life balance. These roles are highly rewarding, and highly competitive, the College of Law tells you everything you need to know about landing a government job in law.

The legal ramifications of the Queen’s death are surprisingly small

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The legal ramifications of the Queen’s death are surprisingly small

We talk to the College of Law’s Adrian Deans, Academic Policy & Quality, James Crittenden, Head of Short Courses and CPD, and Lewis Patrick, Chief Academic Officer, about some of the pragmatic impacts of the Queen’s passing on the law and Australian legal profession.

3 Key Insights from the State of Separation Impact Report: Making Separation Simpler

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3 Key Insights from the State of Separation Impact Report: Making Separation Simpler

Parting ways in a relationship is never easy, and family lawyers are generally the first professional separating couples encounter when they end a relationship. For all of these reasons Angela Harbinson created The Separation Guide, which aims to make separation and divorce simpler, more manageable and less stressful.

Navigating Age Discrimination In The Law With Tile Imo

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Navigating Age Discrimination In The Law With Tile Imo

Bias and age-based discrimination remains an issue in the workforce, despite legal protections. In this article, we delve into the intricacies of age bias claims with Tilé Imo, Associate Director of Caxton Legal Centre. We explore the evolving legal landscape, effective strategies for litigating age discrimination cases, and the emerging trends that lawyers need to be aware of to best serve their clients.

Major changes ahead with the Family Law Amendment Bill 2023 in progress

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Major changes ahead with the Family Law Amendment Bill 2023 in progress

Major changes are coming that will impact the family law system and the way practitioners operate in Australia. The Family Law Amendment Bill 2023 is currently under debate in parliament and after its third reading, it is now under review with the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee. The College of Law will provide legal training support when the Family Law Amendment Bill commences, but in the meantime, we spoke with College of Law adjunct lecturer Kathryn Kearley to find out about the most important changes.  

Graduates, prize winners honoured at the Winter 2022 Academic Awards Ceremony

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Graduates, prize winners honoured at the Winter 2022 Academic Awards Ceremony

The College of Law recognised over 200 graduates of its Postgraduate Specialisation Programs at the 2022 Academic Awards Ceremony on 1 August. These awards included the Master of Laws (Applied Law), Master of Applied Law (Family Law), Graduate Diplomas of Applied Law and Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution Practice (FDRP).

What are the legal implications of the Voice?

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What are the legal implications of the Voice?

Throughout the 2023 referendum, some have expressed uncertainty over the legal impact and implications of the Voice. We spoke to Associate Professors Elisa Arcioni and Andrew Edgar of the University of Sydney Law School to gain clarity over how the Voice came about, what it can (and can’t) do, and what legal practitioners need to know about the Voice.

Where Law Can Take You – Working Abroad for Legal Practitioners

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Where Law Can Take You – Working Abroad for Legal Practitioners

For many lawyers, the idea of working overseas can seem like a daunting prospect. A career in law can often be limited by the regions in which your qualification allows you to practice, while at a glance many foreign economies can seem more precarious than Australia for a lawyer. However, for those brave and enterprising enough, the fruits of overseas legal opportunities can be bountiful.

The Justice League - Five of Australia's Best Past and Present Judges

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The Justice League - Five of Australia's Best Past and Present Judges

Insights brings you a handful of Australia’s best and brightest judges to help you pass your verdict if you are still undecided.

What are the essential traits that make a good mediator? The answer might surprise you

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What are the essential traits that make a good mediator? The answer might surprise you

While lawyers possess an impressive arsenal of skills those required in mediation aren’t necessarily what you think. We spoke to Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Alternative Dispute Resolution Academic of the Year, the College of Law’s Linda Kochanski, on what makes for a great mediator, the skills you need, and personalities that fit - and, at times, don’t naturally fit - mediation. 

‘It expedited my career in succession law by a decade’ – Craig Gregson TEP on postgraduate study

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‘It expedited my career in succession law by a decade’ – Craig Gregson TEP on postgraduate study

What does it take to become one of the country’s top-performing specialist lawyers? 

According to Craig Gregson – who consistently snags a spot in Doyle’s Guide for his work in Wills and Estates – a healthy dose of ambition is key. And so is plenty of quality education. 

How John Poulsen is redefining success for lawyers

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How John Poulsen is redefining success for lawyers

John Poulsen, founder of People, Passion and Performance, was once a top solicitor and leader of law firms. Starting his career in 1984 and now nearly 40 years later, he left behind the luxury and stress. Now, he's happier than ever. We spoke with John about his journey and his mission to redefine success.

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