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Message: Hi, I thought you might be interested in this article I found. The Five Key Leadership Qualities of Successful Lawyers Managing a small law firm is not just about practicing law and acquiring clients. It is about leadership. Even if you are in a solo practice, you have to think like a CEO. In a large law firm you might be able to hide and get by as a worker bee. But small law firms and solo practices have a way of highlighting an attorney’s best and worst traits. Practicing law has always required leadership. However, many attorneys like to see themselves as public servants. This is fine, but to grow your law firm, you will have to become an effective leader. Leadership starts with clearly defining what a leader is and is not. Attorneys have to realize that management and leadership are not the same things. Management is reactive, while leadership is proactive. Managers take what is handed to them and make sure that everything goes according to the plan that was laid out by the leader. Leaders reach out for what they want and they chart a course for success. Whether you realize it or not, the day that you decided to open a solo practice or to run a small law firm was the day that you agreed to be a CEO. If you want to lead your firm into a bright future, then you will need to lead your law firm. Following are the five key traits of effective law firm leaders. 1). Leaders take responsibility. In law, just like in life, things will not always go as planned. Pointing the finger, however, is a waste of time and energy. Yes, you need to review what went wrong so that you make better choices next time. And yes, there may very well be someone on your team who is not doing their part. But the odds are that you hired that person. So, once again, the buck stops with you. Part of taking responsibility is admitting when what went wrong was your fault. Don’t hide behind excuses of how busy you are or try to explain away your mistakes. Be honest with yourself and the people you work with. They will respect you more for taking responsibility than for trying to avoid it. Accept that challenges are a part of operating any business, including a law firm. Don’t spend too much time navel gazing and pondering what went wrong. Get back on the horse and try again. Link: http://www.rainmakerlawyer.com/site/permalink/the_five_key_leadership_qualities_of_successful_lawyers/