NEW PARTNER RETREAT

Maximize your firm's investment in it's newly promoted professionals. Focus on the vital skills they need NOW that were not taught in their professional training. Enhance their motivation and emotional intelligence. Enable them to manage more than their own practice.

OBJECTIVES

• Facilitate a smooth transition from associate or manager to partner or shareholder
  

• Provide tools to clarify expectations and enhance skills
  

• Avoid/relieve the stress of new roles and responsibilities
  

• Increase the all-around productivity of new partners
  

• Increase the feeling that the firm cares about the new partners as individuals

We work with you to determine priority objectives and topics for the retreat including:

* How the roles change from associate to partner
* How dynamics with more senior partners may change
* Human resources and project management skills

RETREAT SESSION CONTENT

In addition to custom-tailored materials, we use two instruments or profiles: the DiSC Personal Profile which helps individuals identify and understand their behavior styles and those of others, and a profile called Managing Work Expectations. These are extensively research-based tools from Inscape Publishing Inc.

The new partners will attend a workshop, part of which will cover the DiSC interpretations, how to use this new knowledge, people-reading, and specific issues arising:
* relating to capitalizing on their own strengths
* relating to the professionals who report to them and the partners with              whom they work
This serves as a basis for discussion of their new roles, internal communications within the firm, and coaching, mentoring and giving feedback to others as well as fulfilling expectations of firm management and partners they report to.

You will find that the DiSC language will catch on and that people will be captivated by what they learn about themselves and the people they work with. It is a very helpful tool for understanding how to make the most of individuals' strengths and for achieving behavior change in given situations.

EXPERIENCED PARTNER PANEL (Optional)

The second part of the workshop can feature a consultant-facilitated panel of three partners with different styles who will be chosen as good models concerning internal communication and interpersonal dynamics, articulation of expectations, effective coaching and mentoring skills and client development.

SUMMARY/INTEGRATION

The workshop will end with a summary of key points, integrating the new information and tools. We will also compile a list of issues that need to be addressed further outside the session.

MANAGING WORK EXPECTATIONS

A second workshop will introduce a basis and tool for dialogue among the partners, more senior partners, associates or managers and staff based on the profiles and individuals' expectations in the workplace. The Managing Work Expectations tool will identify expectations in ways that people ordinarily can't articulate them and help them get their expectations fulfilled or adjust them, if necessary. It will also be used for people who manage others to understand their expectations and vice versa. This tool helps people to be more accountable for satisfying their expectations (rather than expecting management to be responsible for changing things to suit them). People whose expectations are met will be happier and more productive. Avoiding erroneous expectations will reduce opportunity for conflict.

FOLLOW ON

One-on-one dialogues and follow up coaching will be available as desired.

If desired, we hold a briefing for management on issues arising and further needs.

If desired, we provide coaching on other follow up issues.