Some of you are likely sick of hearing about the need for law firms to innovate; others are wondering what on earth that actually means; still more of you are struggling to figure out how to move a culture steeped in tradition and governed by a loose group of partners to drastically different ways of thinking and operating. It probably feels like an uphill battle.

It can seem puzzling to understand innovation in a purely services-based organization. Innovation seems to make sense when we are thinking about products, like the iPhone, or other technologies like Twitter, Facebook, Google search, etc.  But innovation in SERVICES? What does that really look like?

Let's not kid ourselves. Innovation isn't an easy thing to do.  But comparatively, Law Firm innovation can seem so difficult it might seem like an oxymoron.

As I ponder the conundrum of innovating inside of law firms, it has caused me to pause and reflect upon what has prompted the innovations Elegrity has made in our 15 years working with law firms and other corporations.

In these reflections, I realized there are varying factors that have prompted our innovations. "Necessity is the mother of invention" jumps out quickly. Survival in the technology business is based on innovation. No innovation, no business. So there is that. But then I realize that necessity has served more as a motivator than the actual root cause of innovation.

Continued reflections highlight the fact that some of our innovations are based on adapting and integrating innovations of other technology companies to produce innovative solutions - that is, taking tools and actually building something from them.  Sort of like taking the various components that make up a house and then architecting and building a unique, one of a kind creation.

Still, though, this doesn't get to the crux of it. Then it occurred to me - if I look back on our years of work with customers and prospects, what are the things that THEY perceive as 'differentiators' of Elegrity's products and services? Now, the 3 key factors come into focus.

3 Key Factors for Innovation

1. We listen INTENTLY to our customers and prospects. Not just to what they are saying, but 'through' what they are saying - looking for root causes behind their pain points, not just to the symptoms themselves.
2. We have EMPATHY for our customers and prospects and their specific challenges and strategies. We know that to help them implement their strategies and overcome their barriers, we have to take our experience and solutions and morph them to match their specific needs.
3. We DELIVER value through meaningful collaboration with our customers and prospects. And for our law firm customers specifically, we consciously do so incrementally, helping executives introduce fundamental business shifts in palatable bites based on the culture of their firms. We see ourselves as true business partners to our clients. We care about their business and their success. We know it is our responsibility to bring our experience and knowledge to the table to combine with theirs - and so, we innovate together, collaboratively, over the long term.

In the last couple of years, specifically, I have learned to stop thinking about innovation. Instead, I trust that it will naturally occur as we LISTEN with EMPATHY to our customers, prospects and THEIR customers and prospects. True empathy means we must be students of their industries and the changes they are experiencing. As their needs and business environments change and evolve, so must our our services and solutions be reinvented, restructured, adapted - INNOVATED.

So law firms - fret not as innovation is infinitely achievable. If you listen with empathy to your customers and prospects;  if you study the environments in which they are operating and apply your unique experience to help them anticipate what challenges they will face, or new strategies they must think about incorporating - YOU WILL INNOVATE - naturally.

The Bottom Line

Innovation is an outward-looking result, not an inward-looking one.  Oh, and by the way, overly paying attention to what other law firms are doing is an inward-looking approach – not to mention the fact that it fosters a follower mentality. Both of which are dangerous threats to innovation.

Read more about Elegrity’s thought leadership for law firm innovation and competitiveness by downloading our complimentary e-books and whitepapers on the subject.  Here are a couple of starters:

If you haven't noticed it seems like zombies are taking over the world.  Video games, commercials, movies (seen that Brad Pitt movie, World War-Z?) - and maybe some law firms!  

Innovate, innovate, innovate. Law firms must innovate. It's said over and over again - and often mimicked by some of the zombies themselves (who seem to mindlessly utter the word as they stumble around). Yet how many law firms are really innovating? And why NOT??  That is what I keep wondering - and the answer is...because those who want to innovate and look for ways to innovate are afraid of or stopped by...yep, you guessed it - the ZOMBIES!

So, with some tongue in cheek of course, let's see how you law firm innovators out there can cure the Zombies and save your law firm!

How to Spot a Law Firm Zombie

Our research has shown that Law Firm Zombies exhibit the following 'tells' when presented with an innovative idea or solution:

1. The first action they take is call other law firms to see what they are doing - to be sure they don't do anything differently.

2. They order that an 'analysis' be undertaken so they can prove to everyone that no one else is doing things like this and therefore their law firm shouldn't do it either. 

3. Finally, to be sure innovation never takes hold, they refuse to show up to meetings or talk to anyone having to do with the innovative thought or idea.  If cornered, they attack the innovators - yelling "troublemakers" as loudly as possible.

How to Cure a Law Firm Zombie

Now that you know how to identify the zombies that are holding back your law firm's ability to innovate, let's look at how you can cure them!

1. Wake them up. Law firm zombies are no different than other walking dead - they have fallen into a bit of a malaise. So first thing we need to do is wake them up. This means we have to throw some 'water' into their faces in the form of reality - and accountability for their ongoing lack of innovation or blocking of innovation. There is plenty in the news DAILY to help here...start educating now and consistently.

2. Perservere. Zombies, being mostly dead, tend to suck energy from the system. They tend to beat out innovators because its hard to combat a 'dead weight'. The trick here is, you have to out perservere them - and you can. Facts and logic prevail when consistently put up against old ways of thinking. Here again, educate, educate, educate.

3. Take Risk, with Incremental Proof. Finally, YOU have to be willing to take some risk up-front, choosing to implement innovative ideas and solutions. Start small - take money from budgets you have allocated for other projects and re-allocate them to key, incremental innovations. But, from the beginning, be prepared to have metrics proving that your innovations had an effect. But don't stop - keep going - incrementally introducing new ways of thinking and doing things - proving over and over again that it works. Careful! If you find you aren't willing to do the 3 things listed above to cure the zombies...you had better perform a self-evaluation to see if the zombies have abducted you along the way!

The bottom line here is that each of you in your law firm is responsible for your firm's ongoing success. Unlike in the past, when RISK in a law firm was seen almost wholly as a bad thing, law firms today have to learn how to take calculated RISKS to be DIFFERENT from their competitors.  

Innovation, quite frankly, can feel scarey and comes with an investment. It means NEW, UNPROVEN, UNTRIED - by definition! It also means DIFFERENTIATED, ADVANTAGE and HIGH VALUE when it is chosen and implemented well. 

Don't let the zombies in your law firm stop your firm from choosing and implementing innovation.  Choose to be different.  Choose to trust yourself to know when you see something innovative.  Be willing to try that innovation over doing the same things law firms have always done (that is - what everyone else is already doing).  Choose differently - and see your law firm succeed in ways not before seen.

I'll give you a hint on a way to start - with protecting your revenue and profitability by innovating your marketing & business development approaches.  Zombie's approach - CRM as the end-all-be-all (20 years of trying the same thing that hasn't worked yet). Innovative approach - click the button below.

Happy Halloween!