Expertise vs Value 💰

Expertise is NOT the same thing as value.

You could be the most technically brilliant person in your team AND also the person who creates the least value – and vice-versa.

To be clear, I’m not saying expertise isn’t important. Of course it is.

And still, you are only ever being paid or promoted because of the value you create.

By (economic) value, I mean the OUTCOMES you create for clients or the firm.

Technical expertise in a vacuum is NO use to city law firms. It needs to be mixed with other ingredients in a way that produces RESULTS.

I appreciate this might sound obvious, but I think as lawyers, we’re so programmed in the early years to focus on building technical expertise, that we can get into the habit of prioritising (and trying to perfect) that…. at the expense of value creation. 

🤔 I’m curious about where you’re prioritising perfection over productivity; or building more technical expertise at the expense of time spent on client development.

🤔 I wonder how much time you spend worrying about answering client questions “correctly” versus learning how to communicate with confidence and certainty.

The reality is, we’re not academics. The goal isn’t technical brilliance; the goal is business outcomes. That is the metric of high-performance in city law firms.

So, if you want to keep stepping-up to the next level, have a think about:

➡️ What outcomes are important to your clients / firm?

➡️ What types of expertise do you need to prioritise or build to achieve them?

And then… don’t expect your brain to have nothing to say about the changes you make. It will FIGHT for the thing that feels familiar and safe.

Good job you’re the type of person who doesn’t hide from a challenge.

Let’s go! 🔥

P.S. I work with lawyers on confidence-building, high-performance and career progression. CLICK HERE to learn more about my six-month coaching program.