Surely that was a typo in the title, right?  We just wrapped up 2015.  How could we possibly look back over 2016, already?  Rest assured, it wasn’t a mistake.

2016 Will Fly By You. What’s Your Plan?

So many of us get surprised by how quickly the end-of-the-year actually arrives. Sure enough, if you look at your new calendar, you’ll see it’s made up of 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes.  Yet, for many of us 2016 will seem to have passed by more quickly than we planned.  Having a plan is the key to making the most of the opportunities which lie ahead.

By now, you’ve probably looked at your business results from 2015. You’ve identified some areas you’d like to improve. You may even have begun to implement some new changes. I’ve done the same for my business.

It’s important to come to terms with the fact that we tend to be creatures of habit. We easily fall into routines that are routine and comfortable. Routines, however, can be dangerous. I challenge each of us (myself included) to commit to doing at least a few things differently in 2016.

It may be helpful to close your eyes and visualize how you want this year to end.

• What will you have accomplished?
• Where will your business be?
• How will it be different from where you began?

That simple exercise may help you to identify a few of the things you’ll need to change. Some adjustments may be relatively easy. Other changes will require much more effort. Instead of getting overwhelmed by the enormity of the task ahead, take a step back. Can you identify actions or activities requiring little, additional effort?

You may find that it’s not the size of the step you’re taking, rather it’s the cumulative effect of steps consistently taken.

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You should routinely perform a law firm SWOT analysis to help you plan for the upcoming quarter and/or year. The below video is an excerpt from a CLE I presented for the Louisville Bar Association in June, 2015.

Use a SWOT Analysis to Define Opportunities

A law firm SWOT analysis gives you the ability to look at your firm strategically. From there, you can develop tactical plans based on your findings. The acronym SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The first 2 are internal. The second 2 are external.

In this video, I provide an overview of key factors you may consider. A law firm can identify ways to use strengths to defend itself against external threats. More importantly, a SWOT analysis provides insights into how you can leverage your firm’s internal strengths to take advantage of external opportunities.

Use SWOT to Develop Individual Performance

Based on a question I received from the audience, I also address how a SWOT analysis relates to managing yourself and your associates.

GE’s Jack Welch had very specific views of how your talent pool should be managed. I began my career at GE and learned some valuable insights in this progressive organization. If you lead a firm or organization, you might find my views helpful.

I share my somewhat controversial view on dealing with the B- and C-level talent, within your own organization. I managed sales teams and organizations a significant part of my career. There’s no silver bullet, but understanding how a personal SWOT analysis can help in the development/performance of your team can provide some direction.

Earlier this year, the Louisville Bar Association published my article about how a law firm can use a SWOT analysis. Here’s a link to that article on my blog:  https://jimrayconsultingservices.com/evaluating-firms-market-position/

If you’d like to discuss issues related a law firm SWOT analysis to evaluate your firm’s growth and direction, please contact me. My cell is (502) 208-9639. For more information, feel free to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel or Like my business Facebook page.