Your practice group members hate your regular practice calls. Yes, that’s how it is. Team members hate your calls.

Admittedly, you hate them too.

But you do nothing. And it costs you credibility–with your team, your partners, and the people who decide on your career.

Your call competes! For attention! Team members expect it to be interesting.

They want to be engaged, entertained, involved.

And in professional firms, it’s compounded.

People are super busy–with very little tolerance for time sucks.

I know, I used to be on the receiver’s and the sender’s end of it–definitely guilty myself.

Unfortunately, calls frequently are ‘update calls’. The hope is that participants want to be updated, feel good to be updated. And you think’ it’s your obligation to do the update and off you go.

So, why are practice calls so terrible?

I can think of at least 3 reasons:

The call is lacking purpose–terrible!

You got to be clear what the call is for.

Is it information sharing? Driving activities?

Soliciting input? Providing a platform for team members?

What exactly is it?

Only the practice leader is doing the talking–terrible!

Who isn’t getting tired of that one monotonous voice, elaborating the details all have already read?

So, you better make sure people have a role during the call!

So that they are not just in consumption mode.

And you the entertainer.

Delegate as much as possible to participants! Share responsibility!

The financial update, account developments, marketing activities, wins and losses, new hires, knowledge sharing–let others own it!

Lengthy descriptions and repeats but no news–terrible!

Get an outside-in view. Invite guests for a different perspective.

What about another partner of the firm? What about a client?

Just imagine the upbeat feeling after your next practice call!

A call that didn’t feel like beating yet another dead horse.

A call, in which participants realized they had a role to play and took it.

Being recognized as a leader isn’t about title “powers”. It’s about making the world better–for others!

Allow others to learn, participate, and drive activities.

Remember, there’s no reason for your practice calls to be terrible!