Tough Cookie
One of the things that was most attractive to me regarding being my own boss at a firm was that I could totally be myself. When you work at the pleasure of someone or work in a large corporate structure, often times one’s own individuality has to take a backseat to the vision that their boss or company head wants to portray for that organization. When you are your own boss, you don’t have that dilemma. Or do you?
When you are your own boss, you have the luxury and privilege of being yourself and running your organization the exact way that you choose. You create the philosophy and culture of not only your firm but the way in which you practice. This is an amazing privilege that I really feel fortunate to have at this stage in my career. However, with that freedom comes some considerations. I know who I am and what I bring to the table. I have no problem communicating that to others, including clients. Because I am not shy about being clear about who I am, I feel that potential clients can easily see if I am the type of attorney with which they want to work. They can see from our first meeting or that initial consultation that, among other attributes, I don’t suffer fools lightly and don’t take any shit. I also don’t mince words and am very direct. If they don’t like it or can’t jive with that personality type for their attorney, well then, it was such a pleasure to meet you and I wish you the best of luck regarding your legal matter. But can being yourself cause you to lose business or potential clients? And if so, does the commerce of being your own boss as a private attorney make it unadvisable to truly be yourself in your practice?
I chose to write about this this week because I had the recent experience of being let go by a client, for what I can only surmise, was because I was very direct and clear with them about the realities of their legal position and the merits of their claims. It seems in this instance, my clear demonstration to them of who I was as a lawyer did not jive with how they thought their attorney/client relationship would be. Therefore, the client chose to part ways with me. I think the client initially was very attracted to who I was and my style of representation. But ultimately, when it came down to the business of the representation, I think they realized that my style was not for them, and they chose to end the representation. You know what? That is okay. Actually, it is MORE than okay. I fought very long and hard to be who I am as an attorney. I am not going to just set that aside because one client ultimately became uncomfortable with that (or so I surmise). I heard a podcaster once talk about sales and say that you must market to the customer you want. How are attorneys any different? I don’t think we are, in this respect.
It is important for us as attorneys to be and practice in an authentic way. That may mean that we don’t land every opportunity to represent every client that walks through our door. Because if in order to represent that client, you as an attorney need to abandon those attributes that make you, you, then perhaps that representation is not really worth it in the end. I am a tough cookie. Client’s may SAY they want a tough cookie or a bulldog. But if they cannot handle any type of resistance to what they feel, say, or want, then I know that that type of client is not for me. It is not consistent or reasonable for me to be a tough cookie everywhere else and be a church mouse with the client. That doesn’t mean I stomp all over the place and yell at the client. But what it does mean is that when I say I don’t take any shit, that means even from you, dear client.
We have to be honest and forthright with our clients about who we are, what our capabilities are, and how we are going to conduct our side of the representation. I think to not do that is not only doing a disservice to the client, but almost a type of fraud. When we are not clear and focused with our clients about how we operate and what that means for the representation, I feel like there is no difference between us and the used car salesman; putting on a front just to sell something. If that means that some sign on to be our clients and some don’t, well, that is what that means. Making room for those clients who will accept you and your style is better business in the end, so you don’t waste time and money on those clients who will never be happy with you and the representation, no matter how much better you make their position.
So, I choose to be myself. I just think it is better that way.
