In the coming weeks, I’ll be speaking to hundreds of incoming law firm associates. In preparation, I surveyed dozens of partners to uncover their biggest challenges when working with junior attorneys.
The feedback was overwhelmingly consistent: a critical gap in communication.
Partners repeatedly shared that associates are failing to:
- Ask questions early when in doubt
- Proactively flag issues before missing deadlines
- Provide regular status updates throughout a project
-
Pick up the phone or talk in person instead of relying strictly on email/Slack/Teams
Having administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to over 10,000 attorneys and legal business professionals, I’ve seen firsthand how self-awareness impacts good communication, or the lack of it.
Most communication breakdowns happen because we assume everyone processes information and communicates the way we do. But how often does miscommunication occur?
An MBTI workshop will equip associates and teams to:
- Understand their preferred style for communicating so they can recognize and correct when gaps occur
- Reframe “difficult” as “different” and master ways to communicate/work with different styles
- Meet their audience where they are, adapting communication to ensure the messages are received as intended
As AI tools are being used daily for legal research and drafting, an associate’s value will increasingly hinge on their communication capabilities and ability to build trusted relationships.
Whether you are onboarding a new associate class this fall or planning an upcoming department retreat, investing in communication training will reduce costly misunderstandings.