110 – Bill Biggs – Why Every Problem Is a Leadership Problem

What this episode covers

The term “culture” might be the most misunderstood term in corporate America today. But it couldn’t be more important. Don’t miss this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation as Bill joins host and renowned trial lawyer Michael Cowen as they discuss what it takes to build a strong company culture, how to cultivate future leaders, and why “every problem is a leadership problem.” Company culture is about a lot more than just being friendly to a coworker or having a welcoming office environment. It consists of your firm’s collective values and your commitment to sticking with them. Culture can transform your organization and generate more profit while keeping your team — and your clients — happy. In short: culture is everything. “Most firms — most businesses — fail, not because of bad business ideas, but because of internal fracture and interpersonal issues,” says Bill Biggs, CEO of Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers. As an expert organizational leadership consultant to law firms whose client list includes Heisman Trophy winners, NBA champions, and Olympians, Bill swears by his message to “love your people and demand high performance.” “It takes somebody who’s naturally inclined to want to care for people but is also naturally inclined to compete, and to win, and understands what that means. I don’t know how you can be a really effective leader if you don’t have some element of both of those in you,” Bill says. Featured Guest Name: Bill Biggs About: Bill Biggs is the Chief Team and Culture Officer for Pond Lehocky Giordano; Special Consultant to Walter Clark Legal Group and Price Benowitz; and Leadership Strategist at Vista Consulting. He’s considered one of the nation’s most innovative thinkers in law firm leadership. His unique perspective on culture and ability to inspire and multiply leaders has created a movement that is reshaping firms across the country. Bill is the founder of the Law Firm Leadership Summit and host of Transforming The Culture of Law Podcast. He is a limited engagement consultant to select firms and is relentlessly committed to spreading his message, “Love Your People and Demand High Performance,” as a platform for organizational success. He is also the President of Biggs and Associates, serving high-value sports professionals and franchises as a brand and messaging strategist. His distinguished client list includes Heisman Trophy winners, NFL HOFers, NBA champions, Olympians, and many of the top teams in college and professional sports. Bill is a Phi Kappa Phi graduate of Texas AandM University and completed his executive training through the CORe program at Harvard Business School. He lives in College Station, Texas, with his beautiful wife, two sons, and a herd of dogs. Company: https://www.pondlehocky.com/ (Pond Lehocky Giordano, LLP) Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-biggs-36a40bb/ (LinkedIn) | https://biggsandassociates.com/ (Website) | https://vistact.com/who-we-are/bill-biggs/ (Vista) Key Points Top takeaways from this episode Be intentional with your company culture. Firms don’t fail because of a lack of talent; they fail when they crumble internally. That’s why it’s so important to be intentional about establishing a company culture. Start at the hiring process by hiring the right person, not just the most qualified candidate. Establish a set of core values and commit to them. Inviting a consultant to help can serve as an asset. Cultivate a strong leadership team. An effective team of leaders should be made up of both lawyers and non-lawyers. But most importantly, leaders need to be aligned with one another, and with the people they’re managing, in their values.