Category: Thought Leadership

Traveling Coaches at ILTACON 2024: Key Takeaways and Reflections

Ever wondered what makes ILTACON the must-attend event of the year for legal tech enthusiasts? ILTACON is always a fantastic place to accomplish three things:

Networking: Reconnecting with old friends and making new connections.
Educational Sessions: Learning from peers and industry experts.
Business Partnerships: Strengthening existing relationships and forging new ones.

This year did not disappoint in any of these areas.

Traveling Coaches loves this annual event and showed up with a big team. We were able to accomplish all three of the goals listed above. It was great seeing old and new friends, strengthening our relationships, and both delivering and attending exceptional educational sessions. Below are some of the high-level takeaways from this high energy annual event.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) dominated conversations

This was a hot topic and prognosticators varied in their opinions of the future. While some experts believe we are in the “Hype cycle,” others see us in the “trough of disillusionment” (that cracked me up). However, many, myself included, are optimistic about AI’s potential when used ethically and responsibly.

A Recurring Theme: Education is key!

There are two main audiences to address: 1) EVERYONE and 2) LEADERSHIP

EVERYONE: People have access to GenAI now and are using it. If you can’t keep your kids from using it while doing their homework, what makes you think telling your people “No” will keep them from using it at work. There is a real need for Firms to get good information in front of their people right now to understand what it is and the ethical and effective use of this amazing technology.
LEADERSHIP: Leaders need a well-defined strategy and plan to integrate GenAI into firm operations and practices effectively. A balanced approach and understanding of what it is and what it is not will help.

Firms are struggling with how to get their AI initiative off the ground

There’s a need for leadership direction (other than just saying NO).
There’s an immediate need to manage the expectation gap: clarify what AI can and cannot do.
There’s a need to effectively integrate GenAI into firm operations and practice (idea: start with small, manageable projects and gradually expand).
There’s a need to effectively socialize the information. Share your wins and fails and “aha” moments. This is the time to start your people down the road of learning a brand new “life skill.” Focus on use cases that are easier first, then build on it.
SEE: How To Talk to Lawyers about the Effective and Responsible use of AI – Traveling Coaches for more insight.

Prompts become the new source code of your life

Getting the prompt wrong changes everything.
Prompt Engineering (as it’s called) is not the same as doing a browser search. This understanding will be key to proper adoption and use by your people. Here’s a quote from one of the panelists summarizing the G100 and G200 sessions, “The way we engage with prompts determines the outcome and perceived benefits. Lawyers are using prompts like a google search,” which leads to disappointing results.

There was a BIG crowd and tons of engaging conversations

AI was not the only thing being discussed. Life and real issues in firms continue. There were great discussions about integrating learning into the culture, struggles with process alignments, getting or increasing adoption of technology, assistance with projects, security awareness, staffing, aligning technology with the business strategy of the firm, etc.
ILTACON 2024 shows the importance of events like this to the legal community. There were over 4300 attendees at ILTACON this year representing 34 countries.

Traveling Coaches was thrilled to be there and to join in the discussions. We spoke in three different sessions: “Copilot – What have we learned in the 1st year” (Kenny Leckie); “Tools, Tools, Tools: Trainer Showcase” (Jaimes Lee); and “Actionable Ways to Create a Culture of Learning” (Erika Barber).

We look forward to continuing these important conversations. Connect with us to explore how we can help your firm leverage the latest in legal tech. See Insights – Traveling Coaches for more information and insights from Traveling Coaches on real issues facing real people in firms.

Written by: Kenny Leckie & Erika Barber

9 Steps to Creating a Culture of Learning

A Culture of Learning can be defined as a mindset within a firm where learning and improvement are at the heart of how people prioritize their time, do their jobs, and interact with one another. It’s an environment where people are actively seeking opportunities to develop themselves and others, and to explore new ways for the firm as a whole to improve.

Looking at this another way, the firm seeks to:

Empower individuals to pursue opportunities to maximize their potential and thrive in their roles.
Educate staff, allowing them to pursue career growth, cross train, and stay up to date with the newest innovations, processes, technology, etc.
Elevate the entire firm through an engaged, confident, and competent workforce.

Creating a Culture of Learning is both intentional and embedded in the day-to-day experiences of everyone, regardless of role within the firm. Here are 9 specific steps you can take to plan, create, enable, and actualize a meaningful Culture of Learning:

Step 1 – Honest self-evaluation of the current state of learning

Take an honest assessment of learning within your firm. Key considerations include:

Understand the current state of your firm’s overall culture and how it aligns with learning. Identify existing practices, attitudes, and behaviors related to continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
Evaluate whether your firm’s core values and cultural norms actively support learning and development. Do you have a culture that encourages curiosity, experimentation, and growth fosters a positive learning environment?
Clarify the strategic goals behind learning initiatives and align them to firm objectives. Is it about enhancing skills, driving innovation, or adapting to industry changes?
How do you engage leaders, managers, and employees in conversations about the value of learning? Consider if/how it contributes to individual growth, team performance, and overall success.
Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping the learning culture; does leadership demonstrate a commitment to learning and encourage others to do the same?
Assess whether your firm offers resources, training programs, mentorship, and opportunities for skill development. Do you provide the right tools that support continuous learning?

Step 2 – Document the future vision for your firm’s Culture of Learning

Based on the above evaluation of the current state of your learning culture, gaps will appear and need to be addressed or mitigated. By addressing gaps, you ensure the first part of creating that future state for your Culture of Learning.

The second component is forward-looking. What elements of a Learning Culture do you desire to have, are not present today and are ways you want to experience learning in the future? Researching effective and existing models will help you add to your vision, by “borrowing” the best of what others have already implemented and accomplished.

Step 3 – Determine needed internal processes, offerings and/or services

For each element of the future Culture of Learning vision, you need to create workstreams, identify products and services, supporting technology, etc. that will help deliver and actualize that vision within your firm. Some examples include:

Ensure you have the right technology to deliver asynchronous learning experiences (Learning Management System, etc.)
Effective technology training & support
Access to live trainers who will plan strategic sessions as well as be present to respond to needs
- Supplemented with AI-driven technology designed to provide real time, relevant feedback (LegalMind+)
Asynchronous content offerings to address both job-specific skills as well as
- Leadership and manager development
- Respectful workplace
- Cybersecurity and data privacy standards
- Technical training
- Soft Skills (communication, presentation, time management, organizational, crucial conversations, work/life balance, etc.)

Step 4 – Define key measurement for each new workstream

Each workstream included in your new Culture of Learning needs a key measure (at least one!) so that you can track progress and impact. Thinking about what changes because of this new service, technology, training initiative, etc. will help you align the key measure with each new initiative.

Step 5 – Create a timeline and rollout model

Once you have the future vision defined and key measures in place, it is now time to consider how to execute the vision most effectively, over time. Do you begin with technology? Content? Live training? Creating or partnering with a training solutions team? Updating job roles and descriptions? Creating career paths and succession models?

The answer depends on what you view as the most critical need, where you can gain the most traction or what workstreams set the foundations for others to follow (for example: you may have to select and implement a learning management system before you can deliver and track asynchronous learning online to your workforce).

The timeline and roll out plan will protect your firm, ensuring that you implement the various strategies in the right order, at the right time and with an understanding of your capacity to get the work done and for the volume of change.

Step 6 – Calculate ROI (the “so what”)

The individual and then cumulative impact of each component of your optimized Culture of Learning should result in some very observable and easily measured outcomes. These outcomes will almost always include:

Reduced Costs: While learning programs require financial investment, a strategic L&D program that aligns with key company initiatives can lead to long-term cost savings.
- For instance, transitioning from in-person training sessions to online-based learning platforms can scale development opportunities for all employees without exponential cost increases.
Increased Productivity: When employees have the opportunity to develop critical skills, they work faster and smarter. A culture of learning encourages continuous improvement, leading to more efficient processes and better productivity across the firm.
Higher Revenue: Well-trained employees contribute directly to firm success. By enhancing their skills, they can drive revenue growth through improved customer service, sales, and innovation. A learning culture fosters a workforce that positively impacts the bottom line.
Improved Employee Retention and Experience: Firms with strong learning cultures tend to retain talent better. Employees appreciate opportunities for growth and development, leading to higher job satisfaction and longer tenure. Reduced turnover saves recruitment and training costs.
Support for Business Continuity: A culture of learning prepares employees for changing landscapes. When faced with disruptions (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), firms that invest in learning can adapt more swiftly, ensuring continuity and resilience.

Step 7 – Rollout the initial workstreams

It is essential to assign a lead – someone who is ultimately responsible for each component that is being rolled out within the firm. This person does not have to do it all, but is ultimately responsible for the communications, roll out, adoption and management of the workstream.

It is also often helpful to start with a smaller pilot group to test the initiative, gathering feedback and optimizing the solution before rolling it out to the entire firm.

Step 8 – Collect feedback

Creating a continuous feedback cycle is key to maintaining a successful Culture of Learning. Utilizing vehicles such as employee surveys, daily, weekly, and monthly team, departmental and firm-wide meetings, focus groups, and embedding learning into the performance management plan for your teams are all effective ways to collect feedback from every corner of the firm. This information becomes mission critical as you work to keep your Culture of Learning vibrant, alive, and meaningful over time.

Step 9 – Bi-annual review of the program with adjustments

It is essential that you create a small team whose primary role is to evaluate the workstreams, review the feedback, and ensure that the Culture of Learning initiative is meeting its anticipated outcomes. This team should meet (at minimum) two times a year to ensure early identification of needed changes, areas of emphasis, reallocation of budget, continuity of execution and consistent leadership for each element of the Culture of Learning. A senior leader should sponsor this group and ensure that outcomes from this meeting have a direct communication line to the full leadership team.

If you want to explore any of the above steps and/or partner with an organization that has nearly 30 years of experience helping create and deliver an impactful Culture of Learning for their client base, Traveling Coaches is here to help. We have the right products and service solutions to meet your learning needs. Please reach out and contact us here and we will be most happy to share our best practices and experiences with you.

The Most Overlooked Key to Better & Faster Onboarding

In today’s competitive environment, the speed and effectiveness of the onboarding of new hires has become a focus for operations and a key to overall performance, growth, and stability for every successful company. Most onboarding plans include the following aspects:

Completion of HR paperwork, benefits, and other documentation
Overview of firm culture, history, values, and mission
Introductions to key staff and the firm organizational structure
Development and training of role-specific skills
Assignment of a mentor
Initiation of touchpoints and accountability throughout the first 30-60-90 days in the new position

There is one key aspect that is frequently overlooked: the unique and essential business processes that every employee must know and follow to be successful. These processes may be documented in a handbook or communicated verbally and are typically reactive, after the need is present, instead of proactive as part of the onboarding process and related curricula. Teaching these processes in advance will save time and resources, not to mention a lot of frustration and rework.

Processes vary by company and even by department or role within a company. Here are some critical processes that you will want to document and teach, as part of an optimized onboarding plan for both new hires and those moving into new roles:

Client Intake and Onboarding:

Define the process for accepting new clients.
Include steps for gathering client information, conflict checks, and engagement letters.
Teach employees how to assess potential clients and set expectations.

Legal Research and Case Preparation:

Detail the research process, including using legal databases, statutes, and case law.
Teach employees how to analyze legal issues and prepare case materials.

File Management and Organization:

Describe how to organize case files, documents, and correspondence.
Teach employees about version control, naming conventions, and secure storage.

Conflict Resolution and Mediation Process:

Document how the firm handles conflicts between clients, staff, or partners.
Specify steps for mediation, negotiation, and resolution.
Ensure consistency in handling disputes.

Court Filings and Deadlines:

Specify procedures for filing court documents, including e-filing.
Stress the importance of meeting deadlines.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE):

Encourage ongoing learning by documenting CLE requirements.
Provide resources for staying updated on legal developments.

Document Retention and Destruction:

Specify guidelines for retaining and disposing of legal documents.
Teach employees about record retention policies and compliance.

Conflict of Interest Checks:

Detail the process for conducting conflict checks before taking on new clients.
Explain how to identify potential conflicts and mitigate risks.

Deposition Preparation and Strategy:

Describe the steps involved in preparing for depositions.
Teach employees effective questioning techniques and how to handle objections.

Case Evaluation and Settlement Negotiation:

Outline the process of evaluating cases for settlement.
Teach negotiation skills and strategies for achieving favorable outcomes.

Confidentiality Agreements and Non-Disclosure:

Educate employees on drafting and enforcing confidentiality agreements.
Highlight the importance of protecting client information.

Pro Bono and Community Service:

Document procedures for handling pro bono cases and community involvement.
Encourage employees to contribute to social causes.

Billing and Invoicing:

Document the billing process, including hourly rates, flat fees, and retainer agreements.
Explain how to create accurate invoices and track billable hours.

One of the best ways to teach these processes (and many others) is to create two deliverables, that stand as asynchronous support and guides for each process:

High level visual overview of the process, from start to finish
Learning asset that lives in your learning management system that can provide all the necessary details, steps and supporting information, links and references

Together, the visual and specific detailed learning assets will help your new hires and those new to a role quickly understand and adapt to specific firm processes. With over 29 years of helping firms develop key training, custom content and now Process Training support, Traveling Coaches is your partner to help develop these firm-specific processes training assets to support your effective and optimized onboarding and support model.

To see examples of our work and to learn more about how we can help you quickly and effectively visualize and teach your processes, contact our team today.

Learning Impact at Every Stage of the Employee LifeCycle

Author: Dave Seligsohn, Chief Product and Services Officer at Traveling Coaches

I believe:

Learning does not operate in a vacuum
Learning is an essential part of Change Management
What gets measured, gets done
Learning is most effective in the “moment of need”

Establishing a seamless foundation for an effective learning organization involves applying these four statements to every stage of the Employee Lifecycle: recruitment, onboarding, management, development, promotion, and exit/retirement.
This integration is crucial for driving overall business growth and improvement. Let’s look at these one by one:

Learning Does Not Operate in a Vacuum

Learning does not operate in a vacuum. Once you move past compliancy and required minimal training activities, you begin to focus on actual behavioral change. When behavior changes, you have the ability to observe and measure results, leading to performance improvement (hopefully) and, by definition, learning has just bled into performance or talent management, career pathing, salary and bonus payments, etc. Learning may be the catalyst, but its impact is far reaching.

Learning is an Essential Part of Change Management

To remain successful, companies, their teams, the roles and the people in them are in a constant state of change. After all, if something isn’t constantly changing, then by definition, it is dying or already dead. The paradox here is that few of us love change. So, we need training, enablement, support and encouragement to help us not only embrace the change, but to prepare for it and equip ourselves to successfully execute it once it is here. Change Management without learning as a key enabling factor is doomed to fail.

What Gets Measured, Gets Done

There is a basic “math” equation I like to use in this instance: Here is our business today. Add in the “change.” What is different? Business + Change = ??? Learning should result in measured behavioral change (hopefully for the better!). Improved individual behaviors will equal better team performance, which, in turn, will lead to measurable business results (increased revenue, reduced cost, higher customer satisfaction and/or retention, removal of risk, etc.). The key is tying learning to the anticipated business result BEFORE you implement the change. In this way, you can track it, determining if the change did what you thought (or hoped!) it would.

Learning is Most Effective in the “Moment of Need”

Research clearly shows that when there is need – and the more urgent and significant the need, the greater the imperative – full adoption and expression of learning is more frequent and more impactful as measured by performance improvement. The opposite is also true – learning without an urgent need or triggering event is often lost fairly quickly and may never be applied to actual job performance. There is an inverse relationship between when the learning takes place and the timing of its application; the longer the interval, the weaker the impact of the learning event. So, how do we measure learning when it happens in the moment of need? The key here is the right combination of quantitative (factual numbers, outcomes and measurable results) and qualitative (observed behaviors, team interactions, peer, customer and manager feedback) data to paint the right picture. Only looking at one of these can lead you to missing the mark on the true impact of learning or the intended change.

Taking the above foundational concepts and applying them to the Employee Lifecycle, here are some ways you can apply and measure learning at every stage:

To learn more, or to talk about this in greater detail, let’s continue the conversation.

Winner of ILTA's Solution Provider of the Year for the Premier Learning Program