When I’m sharing a news story regarding a law firm on Twitter – positive news about the firm – it would be nice to give a shutout to the managing partner/executive chair as well as the firm, generally.
The problem is that most chairs/managing partners are not active on Twitter.
Being as weak as the next law firm when it comes to a simple form of innovation – communication – is a scary place to be.
If you as a leader of a law firm, can’t reach in your purse or pocket and pull out your iPhone and share an engaging Tweet, you’re lacking on the innovative communication front.
I use Twitter a fair amount, not to push information at people, but most importantly to listen to the pulse of what is taking place in my market and to engage my audience of customers, business development partners, fellow tech company leaders and influencers – reporters, bloggers and heavy social media users in my vertical.
If I want to engage a multi-billion publishing software company leader, I reference her or him and something I wrote about them on Twitter. We’re talking by Zoom within a week.
If I want to explore international expansion in a particular country or continent, I start to follow certain organizations and people on Twitter. I’ll strategically engage them.
If I want to to give kudos to our customers and organizations for their work in the access to legal services and social justice arenas, I give them a shutout on Twitter. The world hears it, and others join in the kudos.
There are many more things that for which the leader of a law firm could use Twitter, including the leading of their own people and demonstrating that they are engaged, innovative and care.
The obvious responses are I don’t have the time, we’re a law firm so we have ethical issues preventing the use of Twitter, we have to maintain confidences and so much more.
That’s just telling the world you don’t know how to use innovation.
Not that long ago, law firms dismissed Twitter as a joke. They missed on that one.
The Democratic candidate for President just announced his choice for Vice-President on Twitter. President Obama immediately chimed in on Twitter with a strong endorsement of Senator Harris.
Having an innovation officer at your law firm, whose hiring was pitched to news outlets by your communications’ team is one thing.
It’s a whole nother thing to share with clients, potential clients, business partners and bloggers and the mainstream press who know you, personally, via social media, that a leader in innovation has joined the firm to work with you personally on the the innovation front.
The first is talk. The second is real – and walking the talk.
We’ve moved forward in so many ways on the communication front. Many of us remember working as lawyers without email. Imagine telling someone today that you don’t use email.
Failing to use Twitter may not be quite as bad – but it’s close in some people’s minds and it’s certainly a sign that that you and your law firm are lacking on the innovation front.