Build psychological safety within your team
It is often underestimated how important psychological safety within a team is and paralegals are prone to burnout due to the demanding nature of their work which ranges from office management to case research and preparing legal documents. They work long hours under pressure to deliver work that has a direct impact on cases presented in court, hence their bosses, who are mostly stressed-out attorneys, demand an extremely high standard of work from them. A mistake or omission can lead to monetary costs, damage to the law firm’s reputation, and loss of clients’ trust in their lawyer. It is crucial for paralegal teams to recognize the signs of stress and address them before they become a threat to their mental and physical health.
In this series on the secrets for a productive legal team, based on Daniel Coyle’s bestselling book, “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups”, we present you secret #2: To build a productive team you need to make your team members feel safe. What does this mean? It means that you need to create an environment where everyone feels safe and supported. This is essential for fostering trust, collaboration, and innovation within your team.
Establishing a positive paralegal team culture requires intentional effort and a commitment to building an environment where team members feel heard and supported. Encouraging open communication, active listening, and feedback are critical components of this effort. While there are numerous strategies to cultivate this culture, we have curated a list of three effective techniques to help you initiate a positive transformation.
15-minute daily huddle
Daily 15-minute team meetings, recommended by Verne Harnish and Gazelles Consulting, promote open communication and active listening. It is crucial to designate a timekeeper to ensure the huddle remains within the allocated time. The agenda comprises three 5-minute topics:
- What’s up? Everyone takes a few seconds to share specific and crucial activities, meetings, or decisions that will take place in the next 24 hours.
- What are the daily metrics? Attendees review and discuss the daily progress of key performance indicators (KPIs) in line with the company’s OKR objectives.
- Where are you stuck? Team members are encouraged to bring up any potential constraints or concerns that could hinder their productivity in the next 24 hours.
This daily 15-minute format allows for efficient updates and encourages a safe space for team members to share their feedback.
Regular one-on-one feedback meetings
Schedule regular individual meetings with each team member to discuss progress, provide feedback, and address challenges or concerns. This approach demonstrates your commitment to their growth and emphasizes the value you place on their contributions. You can use the 7 principles laid out by David Jones, Senior Managing Director at Robert Half:
- Be problem-focused and specific: An important part of telling an employee what they could do better is to tell them why.
- Talk about the situation, not the individual: Focus on outcomes and impartial observations – not the employee’s personal attributes.
- Give praise where it’s due: Acknowledging positives among negatives can be a good way to reassure them that you haven’t lost perspective.
- Be direct but informal: Find a quiet (physical or virtual) space where you can have an honest and informal one-on-one chat.
- Be sincere: Try to avoid displaying negative emotions such as anger, sarcasm or disappointment.
- Listen: Make sure your employee is given a chance to respond. It should be a conversation.
One-on-one feedback can significantly improve trust, strengthen relationships, and foster honest communication. To make the most of this strategy, it is important to schedule regular quarterly meetings instead of having one or two meetings and then discontinuing them.
Team-building activities
Strengthen your paralegal team’s bonds and build a sense of camaraderie by organizing team-building activities such as team lunches, group outings or exercises. There are various activities available, and you can choose ones that suit your team’s interests and preferences. For instance, Smartsheet offers a list of top team-building exercises with methodology. You can use this list for inspiration, experiment with different activities and determine which ones work best for your team.
It’s important to note that implementing these strategies just once may not be enough to ensure psychological safety within your team. Consistent implementation is key to success. These methodologies can help you, as a senior patent attorney, create an environment where team members feel safe and supported, encouraging open communication, active listening, and feedback.
