Beyond knowledge management to better management
"Meetings: the credible alternative to work." That is the wry conclusion emblazoned on a mug that sits on my desk. It's a useful daily reminder. However, until all of you get a mug like that to remind yourselves about the huge corporate waste represented by bad meetings, I'd like to make the following modest proposal... Continue Reading →
Just when you thought it was safe, I'm here to warn you to look out for the knowledge management menagerie. What's in that menagerie? Animals that can upset an otherwise well-designed KM program. With some thought, we probably could identify enough animals to populate a zoo. However, since this is a blog post and not... Continue Reading →
As the economy forces more belt-tightening on law firms, it's tempting to make decisions based strictly on metrics -- of profitability, productivity, efficiency. For the record, I'm completely in favor of profitability, productivity and efficiency. But I firmly believe there is more we should be paying attention to and tracking. What more? Our Values Proposition,... Continue Reading →
It was an honor to learn that Above and Beyond KM has been nominated for The 2011 ABA Journal Blawg 100. In this fifth anniversary of their annual contest, the editors of the ABA Journal sought recommendations from readers and then selected the final 100. Now, the hard part begins. The ABA Journal would like... Continue Reading →
We've got one month left until the end of the year, one month to close the books on 2011. If you're like me, you've got more on your To Do list than can possibly be done before year end. How does this happen? Most likely it's because that To Do list does not adequately take... Continue Reading →
If you thought it was safe to ignore social media since all your colleagues were ignoring it, think again. If all you wanted to do is retreat from the world and tune out, think again. It turns out that the six degrees of separation that you assumed would protect you from the unwashed masses has... Continue Reading →
The Financial Times recently published an interesting report entitled, US Innovative Lawyers 2011. I encourage you to read that report in its entirety soon. In the meantime, here are some highlights and observations. According to the report, FT's researchers received 272 submissions (including from 53 AmLaw 200 firms) and interviewed more than 300 lawyers and... Continue Reading →
Is KM a real force multiplier in your firm? That's the challenging question I recently put to 40 senior law firm knowledge management professionals. This led to an interesting hour of honest conversation that was so worthwhile that I'm recounting its highlights here in the hope that my readers might try this exercise in their own organizations.... Continue Reading →
If Lisa J. Damon has a bridge to sell, I'm buying it. And, it's not because I'm all that gullible. However, over the course of one hour she changed me from an admitted Lean Six Sigma skeptic into a person willing to consider the possibilities of that approach for every law firm. I had previously... Continue Reading →
Each autumn I have the privilege of attending a day of classes at one of the best high schools in the country. Inevitably, I get to the end of the day exhausted -- reminded once again that I now have only a fraction of the energy I once enjoyed as a teenager. But this post... Continue Reading →
Above and Beyond KM 