Archives - June 2012
"YOU GOTTA LOVE IT!"
“I didn’t go to law school to become a salesperson.” I’ve heard this comment many, many times from my coaching clients and I can relate.
Back when the earth’s crust was cooling – that’s when I attended Fordham Law – my primary reason for attending law school was to be of service to businesses that needed legal help and advice to achieve their goals. I had no idea it would mean that at a certain point I’d be expected to help build business for my firm.
Like many of my coaching clients, I’m not a natural business developer. I’m competitive and smart – which are some of the reasons I was attracted to law practice – but back in the day I had no idea about how to develop a key contacts list and pursue opportunities for new work. And as it turned out, there were many aspects of practicing law that I just didn’t like. After nine years I transitioned to legal marketing and then to business development and found my true career passion in coaching and training lawyers. I can honestly say that I enjoy just about every aspect of the work I’ve been doing for the past 19 years. And while I’m still not a natural business developer, I do it happily because it brings me more opportunities to do the work I love.
Two summers ago I had the rare and delightful opportunity to reconnect with my first mentor – Alan Lepene, the head of the bankruptcy practice at Thompson Hine in Cleveland. I know that I drove Alan crazy on many occasions when I failed to complete an assignment in the way he wanted, or gave him grief about a problem client or some other concern of mine. But he was kind and patient with me, and we always had a good laugh about something or other to clear the air. I admire him greatly: he is a person who loves what he does in all respects and his clients get the best of him each and every time they retain him.
As we conversed over breakfast and caught up on each other’s careers, families, etc., Alan asked about my business development coaching work. He never thought of himself as much of a business developer though he has done a fabulous job keeping himself and his team fully engaged for decades. Alan is a humble and understated individual, never one to back slap or pander, and he wondered if there was a “type” of person who is particularly successful at building business.
It was wonderful to be able to say to him truthfully in response to his question: “That type of person would be you.”
Anyone who loves what he/she does – never every aspect on every day of the week, but who finds the work interesting, enjoyable and a good use of natural talents and skills – can be an excellent business developer. The love of the work is the key. Successful business developers dedicate time and energy and are willing to learn new strategies to build more of the business they enjoy. Passion is the prerequisite for success. It doesn’t matter if an individual is shy, gregarious, anxious, confident or none of the above. If you love it, you can learn how to build it.
