| Summary | | | | education to hobbies, talents, and lives out of the office. |
| A regional professional services firm was struggling | | | | Other questions focused on the partners' opinions of |
| with some of the less positive aspects of rapid | | | | the legal profession, aspirations for the firm, and the |
| business growth. The desire to maintain a "small family | | | | challenges associated with building a successful |
| firm culture vs. a territorial corporate culture, | | | | business. |
| generational obstacles, and high turnover were | | | | "In working with the firm's senior partners, we |
| combining to chip away at the firm's effectiveness in | | | | uncovered a wealth of knowledge and experience |
| the short term, as well as its long-term prospects for | | | | that was not filtering down to the rest of the staff," |
| continued growth and stability. | | | | says SoundBoard President Richard Magid. "We |
| Challenge | | | | recommended the roundtable format as a way to |
| How to create a more collaborative, team-oriented | | | | break down barriers, share personal and professional |
| environment that lowered barriers among colleagues, | | | | experiences, and allow people to connect in ways |
| engendered firm loyalty, and facilitated the invaluable | | | | they had never before." |
| transfer of knowledge from the current senior | | | | The Results |
| partners to the firm's next generation of leaders. | | | | Says a senior partner, "The meeting prior to the |
| Greater Depth of Challenge | | | | facilitated roundtable created a safe environment for |
| Rapid expansion had diluted the firm's corporate | | | | us to communicate; it allowed us to say things to each |
| culture. The lack of a formal process for managing | | | | other that we might have never said otherwise. We |
| growth had led to a disconnection between the | | | | were more aware of some things. The value of the |
| "founding partners" and the future generation. The | | | | roundtable experience was not in the specific |
| result was a lack of cohesiveness in the firm's | | | | information we shared, but that we humanized |
| day-to-day operations, feelings of isolation among the | | | | ourselves and showed a sense of humor." |
| staff, and an unacceptable level of turnover. | | | | Junior partners agreed that "the exercise was a |
| The following communication challenges facing the firm | | | | valuable first step in opening channels of |
| were common to many growing professional services | | | | communication and building trust." One commented that |
| organizations: | | | | it demonstrated an important commitment that she |
| § No formal process to ensure the transfer of | | | | hadn't felt before. "The roundtable showed a |
| knowledge and experience from one generation to the | | | | tremendous intention on the part of Senior |
| next. For this firm, this proved especially true in the | | | | Management to grow and plan for the future. |
| areas of practice and financial management, resource | | | | "Knowing that they are thinking about a legacy |
| recruitment and training, and new business | | | | provides a great sense of security." |
| development. | | | | More than a year later, the Roundtable continues to |
| § Barriers to effective communication that | | | | have an impact. As the firm continues its rapid |
| caused stakeholders to judge each other's | | | | expansion, all partners remain committed to fostering a |
| management and leadership styles. | | | | sense of inclusion and collaboration. "By actively |
| § A culture that did not encourage | | | | ingraining openness and communication into our |
| cross-generational collaboration, value diversity, nor | | | | culture," says one, "we're taking the necessary steps |
| recognize that mistakes were a necessary part of | | | | toward creating a legacy firm." |
| business and personal growth. | | | | As the growth continues in this professional services |
| Solution | | | | firm, the relationship with SoundBoard continues as |
| Soundboard planned and executed a two-day off-site | | | | well. The commitment on both parts to keep the |
| retreat that included a Senior Partner Roundtable. A | | | | momentum moving forward, to manage the growth, |
| SoundBoard facilitator posed carefully crafted | | | | encourage diversity, and embrace a more |
| questions that were designed to reveal the partners' | | | | collaborative culture is evident. |
| more human sides, from their backgrounds and | | | | |