I keep running into the same scenario that holds lawyers back from achieving the big goals they set for growing their practices.

I’m talking to lawyers about their practices constantly. These conversations have become a big part of the work I’m doing on a daily basis and, except for one thing, it’s a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I’m constantly bumping into an obstacle that sometimes results in failure.

We talk round and round about marketing, technology, management, and finance. I’m talking to lots of family law practitioners, but I’m also talking to lawyers doing other things who are taking my family law examples and applying them in their practices.

We’re talking about the big picture: revenues, new clients, profits, innovation, and the future. It’s shockingly stimulating for me and—I hope—for the lawyers I’m helping.

The Roadblock to Progress

So what’s the one thing that is holding us back?

It’s the distractions, the setbacks, and the obstacles.

We build a great plan, and we’re headed off into the sunset with a spreadsheet of ever-increasing numbers. We’ve set out actions that will make the plan happen. We’re building accountability systems, and we’re planning how to manage the growth. We’re optimistic and on our way.

And then something happens. There’s a setback.

• It can be something simple like a server crashing and discovering that the backup doesn’t work.
• It can be something more complicated, such as an unexpected resignation.
• It can be something devastating like a family member getting sick.

Whatever the issue, it slows us down and turns our nice, neat plan upside down. Suddenly, it’s the end of the month, and we’ve made no progress toward the goal. In fact, we’ve moved backward because we’ve spent all of our time dealing with the unexpected while trying to juggle the cases and clients.

It’s depressing when it happens. For some of us, it’s overwhelming and can result in our putting aside the plan, focusing on the immediate issue, and failing to get back to the plan.

Expect the Unexpected

How can you keep things on track even when the unexpected happens?

The key is expecting the unexpected.

I’ve yet to be involved in a practice that didn’t have the unexpected happen. I’m never sure what’s going to happen, but I’m certain that something is going to go off the rails. Why? Part of it is just the nature of life: things happen. The other part of it is that we cause it by changing things. We’re working together to improve the business, and we’re changing things as we go. When things change, there’s fallout: it’s expected.

Delegation: The Secret to Success

I’m watching carefully to determine which lawyers are able to stay on top of the plan when things change and which ones aren’t able to keep things moving. I’m noticing a difference between the two groups.

The group that keeps moving is dominated by delegators. These lawyers are effective at creating a vision of the outcome they desire for a particular project and then handing it off to someone to help.

They may be getting help with the total project, or they may have broken it into the component parts and delegated one piece at a time. Many are using virtual assistants or contractors from services like Elance. Either way, when they get distracted, the project keeps moving while the lawyer deals with the crisis.

These lawyers aren’t necessarily in firms with lots of staff. I’m not seeing a distinction between the big firm and small firm lawyers. In small firms, I’m seeing excellent use of virtual assistants and others hired from online marketplaces. I’m seeing progress being made even on very small budgets where help is found in low wage economies. The key is the delegation, not the practice setting or the money.

The lawyers getting stuck are holding on to their projects. They’re staying in control of everything, and when one thing breaks down, everything breaks down. Delegation is the answer. Let go. Let someone help. That’s the ticket. Take a look at Ten Tips to Help You Delegate Work and my advice on how to outsource some of your work and let something go today.