When asked to name someone with whom they have a poor relationship in a recent survey, 32 percent of people named their manager. When asked to name someone with whom they have a good partnership, only 15 percent named their manager.

On the manager side, 16 percent of managers flat-out admit they are more like a boss than a partner to those they supervise.¹

“I am not the manager because I am always right, but I am always right because I am the manager” said major league baseball manager Gene Mauch.

Although we all understand that running a law firm or a legal department requires our managers to provide direction, we still value being treated with fairness and trust. When we have a point emanating from our knowledge and work experience, we would like it at least to be considered.

This can sometimes seem to be a high standard of expectation on a day-to-day, but if we can develop a mutually respectful and appreciating relationship with our manager, it can pay great dividends.

—— As paralegals, how can we help our boss create a collaborative environment? ——

• Do we understand as much about our boss' job as we are expecting them to understand about ours? Do we feel, as they do, the pressures of the changing legal services market?
  As paralegals, it is advantageous to learn more about the management side of our law firm or department. In exchange, we will increase the trust our boss places in us.
• What would you like your boss to say about you if you could put words in his/her month? What actions could you take that would cause your management to use those words about you?
  You may find that what you boss expects is different from what you would ordinarily do, but if it is not really in conflict with your core values and can see how you could make it work, consider doing it his/her way.
  Or you could think really hard and come up with creative alternatives that will allow you to raise yourself in your management's eyes while meeting your own needs.
• Can I help you?
  You were hired as a paralegal because of your experience and expertise, so seek out opportunities to use what you know and offer your help to your boss. You can anticipate the needs of your department in your realm and advise management before critical events take place and in this way positively influence the direction of your department.
• Do you know your law firm or legal department history?
  It is important to acknowledge that there were people with ability and ideas in your organization before you came along. Take the opportunity to learn from what has previously been done, what has worked and what hasn't, and praise the positive contributions of others that helped your organization develop to its current state.
  Be especially attentive to more recent contributions made by lawyers or paralegals who are still in your department and who are likely to be important to its future, then use the information you collected to reinforce your peers and promote your organization.

—— An alliance of complementary strengths between paralegals and lawyers. ——

A legal team does better if its managers and other higher ranking partners build a partnership with their paralegals and legal assistants and we can help them achieve this alliance of complementary skills and strengths.

As paralegals, too often we expect the change to come only from management, but through providing positive input and acquiring overall perspective, we can, in fact, initiate changes and become a central factor in a successful legal team!

Learn more:

¹Gallup World Poll 2008.

Quote “A manager is an assistant to his men.” by IBM founder Thomas J. Watson.

R. Wagner & G. Muller, Power of 2, How to Make the Most of your Partnership at Work and in Life (2009).
G .M. Bellman.Getting Things Done When you are not in Charge (1992).