Developing Rainmakers: Supporting Skill Development

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Developing Rainmakers Supporting Skill
Development

• World Services Group Annual Conference
• September, 2007
• Panelists
• Ann Miller, Nixon Peabody
• Rose Marie King, SyCip, Salazar, Hernandez
  Gatmaitan
• Moderator Susan Manch, Shannon Manch

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Agenda

• The challenge developing rainmakers
• Individual perspectives
• Firm perspectives
• Industry perspectives

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Rainmakers Nature or Nurture?

• Can you train someone to be a rainmaker?

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Isolating Competencies

• Behaviors of top business developers
• Develop and maintain relationships
• Know what they (and their colleagues) are selling
• Know their clients and strive to learn their
  needs
• Listen and learn whether clients are satisfied
• Refer business to others in and outside of their
  profession
• See their clients even when they are not working
  with them

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Business Development Skills

• Awareness of self and others
• Interpersonal
• Communication
• Analysis
• Listening
• Networking
• Time management
• Multi-tasking

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Challenges?

• What are obstacles faced in helping team members
  build business development skills in your firms?
  
• In your geographic markets, cultures?

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Individual Perspectives

• How does a lawyer/professional build business
  development skills and sustain them throughout a
  career?

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Firm Perspectives

• How can firms support and coach lawyers and
  professionals at every level of experience in
  developing this skill set?

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What Are the Incentives?

• Partners?
• Associates?

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Industry Perspectives

• What firms are doing to develop the next
  generation of rainmakers?

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A Business Development Skills Curriculum

• New associates
• Focus on work quality, client service training,
  oral communication, networking, firm economics
• Mid-level associates
• Practice development planning, proposal writing,
  public speaking, writing for publication
• Senior associates
• Individual coaching on planning, hands-on
  experiences in client surveys and meetings
• Partners
• Client team building, art of referral, succession
  planning

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Key Points

• Rainmaking can be LEARNED
• Skill development efforts should start early
• Development efforts should span professionals
  careers

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