Volume 11, Issue 5
One of the most maddening and persistent problems in law firms is that meetings start chronically late. As readers know, lawyers are among the most ferociously independent group of professionals on the planet. This streak of independence manifests itself in many ways, one of which is to show up late to meetings. After a while, you just expect meetings will start late which begets more late comers. The lost productivity that every firm experiences from this phenomenon is staggering. Firm leaders are sometimes the worst offenders. Even when firm leaders sincerely want to begin meetings on time, they are normally frustrated in their efforts. They have tried nearly everything to combat the problem of partners arriving late to meetings.
I recently met the managing partner of a mid-size firm on the west coast who shared his secret for successfully getting his partners to show up on time or early to the firm’s monthly partner meetings. It is very simple – any partner who shows up late [defined as 30 seconds past 5:30 PM] owes the firm “twenty bucks.” To give this simple rule some teeth, he allows no excuses, and to give the rule some heart, he donates the proceeds to the firm’s favorite charity.
In the eight years he has been doing this, he has only allowed one excuse that got someone off the hook. The excuse? The partner got stuck in the elevator and the event was documented by the building staff. Otherwise, all the usual and predictable parade of excuses were politely offered and refused. He reported that meetings don’t take as long as before, and they are more productive.
Think about it: No more having to make the considerate partners who show up on time be held hostage by the rude and inconsiderate partners who show up late. No more having to rehash things two or three times to the late arrivals, who are often among the most powerful in the firm. I can just see it: His partner says, “My call with a client ran late.” “Gee, that’s too bad. That will be twenty bucks.”
This managing partner said the firm culture toward late starts did an about face. Now many of his partners fall over themselves to get to the meeting early because they want to see who shows up late! It’s almost become a good-natured sport. How is it that people who are very highly paid are now motivated to save a mere twenty bucks? My guess is most partners in the firm are egalitarian, and they enjoy putting those who think otherwise in their place.
In the 18 years I have been conducting training programs within law firms, I can vividly recall starting on time only three times. I would love to have the “twenty bucks rule” in force for all of our workshops. We’d start on time much more regularly. If you’re a leader who is having problems getting your meetings to begin on time, try this approach. I can just imagine the excuses that will begin to pour forth and your response will be, “I’m really sorry to hear that. Twenty bucks.”
Copyright 2008 Mark M. Maraia Associates