If you want your practice to run smoothly you need to work on building systems.
And the key to building systems is creativity.
Many lawyers believe that they aren’t creative. But this isn’t true.
A famously creative lawyer (that you’ve no doubt heard of) once observed:
“Most people think of creativity as being entirely about the arts —music, painting, theatre, movies, dancing, sculpture etc. But this simply isn’t so. Creativity can be seen in every area of life… Wherever you can find a way of doing things that is better than what has been done before, you’re being creative.“
So, when you’re building systems for your practice (i.e. optimizing the way work gets done), you’re being creative.
Now, one important thing to keep in mind: you need the right frame of mind when you’re creating things.
Perfectionism is not the right frame of mind.
Creativity is about trying things out, seeing what works, and NOT being self-critical when something doesn’t work perfectly.
That’s what the famous lawyer talks about in his book, which is called Creativity.
Oh, the lawyer’s name is John Cleese. And as you may know, Cleese is more famous for his work with Monty Python than for being a lawyer.
Anyway, here’s the surprising thing…
If you read Cleese’s book, you may learn some things about creativity that can help you improve your law practice.
And if you want to get more specific guidance on creating systems for your practice sign up for my next Systems Workshop.
Meanwhile, you might want to grab a copy of John Cleese’s book and read it (it’s short so it’ll take about 20 minutes at most).
Also, read this short intro to building law firm systems.
Most of all, always remember that when striving to improve your practice, progress is better than perfection.
Learn how to completely transform your practice with the Smart Lawyers Tech Guide.