Welcome to The One Minute Manager. Our goal is to provide you with quick tips that will enhance the success of your practice. Within 60 seconds you will gain an idea that will increase your profitability or simply ease the burden of a difficult management issue. We hope you will find this a valuable resource.

The One Minute Manager . . . . .

January, and the beginning of a new fiscal year, is often a time for business planning at law firms. It is an opportunity to ask what can be done in the ensuing months that will bring further success to the firm.

The wish list can be long and the challenge is to prioritize your needs. No doubt those firms with several partners will have conflicting views. Most firms have a democratic approach to decision- making; therefore, an inclusive process is needed.

Ask the partners to submit three priorities that they consider vital for the upcoming year. Frame the question to elicit serious thought in order to avoid an exercise to lodge frivolous complaints: ?The firm seeks to continually improve in order to grow our competitiveness, meet the career needs of our people, and achieve financial success. What three initiatives can we undertake this year to further our success??

Circulate the responses amongst the partners for their consideration in advance of the planning meeting. A constant theme may evolve that will make the selection of priorities obvious. However, do not discount creative thinkers that may propose fresh ideas that will set your firm apart. Many of our highly successful clients demonstrate this attribute.

The planning meeting becomes effective with active participation of all partners in the ideas generation. Prioritize the list of key ideas in view of budgets and resources. Also include a ?quick hit? list of ideas that can be quickly implemented with minimal costs ? fast results is a great change agent tool.

This process is simple and effective. It includes the elements of participation, consensus building, commitment, and a bountiful pool of ideas.