Laura
is
a
sophisticated
and
well-regarded
lawyer
practicing
in
Chicago’s
North
Shore.
With
over
a
decade
of
experience
in
employment
law,
she
primarily
advises
small
business
owners.
When
we
met
to
discuss
her
practice,
I
quickly
uncovered
that
she
was
suffering
from
a
serious
affliction:
“Analysis
Paralysis.”
She
also
exhibited
symptoms
of
“Perfectionism”
and
“Risk
Aversion.”
While
I’m
obviously
joking
about
the
medical
diagnosis,
the
issue
is
no
joke
at
all.
Lawyers
worldwide
struggle
daily
with
countless
decisions
that
drain
their
valuable
time
and
emotional
energy.
As
it
turns
out,
making
rational,
intelligent,
and
timely
decisions
isn’t
necessarily
a
lawyer’s
strong
suit.
So,
let’s
explore
what
life
might
look
like
if
you
had
a
simple
and
effective
process
to
make
decisions
quickly
and
with
confidence.
Here
are
five
steps
I’ve
developed
that
will
help
you
move
the
needle
when
it
seems
stuck.
Step
1:
Evaluate
The
Gaps
Between
Where
You
Are
And
Where
You
Want
To
Be
While
I
know
it’s
hard
to
read
the
label
from
inside
the
bottle,
being
self-reflective
is
crucial.
Take
the
time
to
analyze
what’s
holding
you
back
from
growth
and
efficiency.
Track
your
day
in
15-minute
increments
to
pinpoint
where
your
time
is
being
wasted
or
where
you’re
bogged
down
by
low-level
tasks.
For
example:
-
What
tasks
should
I
be
delegating,
and
to
whom? -
What
legal
tech
could
improve
my
practice
management? -
Who
should
I
hire
to
free
myself
from
administrative
work? -
What
marketing
efforts
should
I
prioritize?
You’ll
be
surprised
at
how
much
time
you’re
losing
just
by
doing
this
one
exercise.
Identifying
gaps
is
the
key
to
advancing
through
the
next
steps.
Step
2:
Do
Your
Research
And
Leverage
Trusted
Sources
Sure,
Googling
might
be
one
way
to
go,
but
I
highly
recommend
tapping
into
your
network
to
cut
through
the
noise
of
random
vendors.
And
be
cautious
of
unsolicited
offers
via
email
or
phone
(stranger
danger).
For
instance,
I
often
turn
to
my
local
Deerfield
Dads
Facebook
group
when
looking
for
proven
service
providers
to
fix
things
around
my
house.
Similarly,
in
professional
settings,
I
ask
my
network,
“Who
knows
a
great
outsourced
VA
company?”
or
“Who
can
recommend
a
phenomenal
employment
defense
attorney
in
Iowa?”
Finding
trusted
solutions
through
referrals
speeds
up
decision-making
and
reduces
risk.
This
approach
also
applies
to
hiring
—
you’re
far
more
likely
to
find
a
reliable
associate
through
a
referral
than
by
sifting
through
random
online
applications.
Step
3:
Prepare
Key
Questions
To
Weigh
Pros
And
Cons
I
know
this
seems
obvious,
but
you’d
be
surprised
how
few
people
properly
prepare
for
meetings.
Whether
you’re
interviewing
for
a
job,
hiring
an
employee,
or
evaluating
new
legal
technology,
having
your
questions
ready
in
advance
ensures
you
gather
the
right
information.
Some
examples
include:
-
For
a
job
interview:
“Can
you
walk
me
through
the
compensation
structure
and
path
to
equity?” -
Hiring
a
paralegal:
“Tell
me
about
the
best
work
environment
you’ve
experienced.” -
Evaluating
legal
tech:
“What
does
onboarding
and
training
look
like
for
my
team?” -
Hiring
a
coach:
“What’s
your
methodology,
and
how
does
it
drive
results?”
The
goal
here
is
to
gather
enough
information
to
make
a
confident
decision
or
walk
away.
The
more
prepared
you
are,
the
easier
it
becomes
to
say
“yes”
or
“no”
without
hesitation.
Step
4:
Trust
Your
Gut
—
It’s
Usually
Right
Let’s
recap:
You’ve
been
referred
to
a
potential
hire,
vendor,
or
solution
by
a
trusted
source.
You’ve
asked
insightful
questions
to
evaluate
its
value.
Now,
what
does
your
gut
tell
you?
Our
brains
and
instincts
work
together
to
protect
us
from
bad
decisions,
saving
us
time,
money,
and
frustration.
If
something
feels
like
the
right
move
for
your
business,
take
action.
If
not,
use
what
you’ve
learned
to
compare
it
against
other
options.
Avoid
indecision
—
eliminate
the
“maybes”
and
“I’ll
think
about
its.”
Stick
to
just
two
words:
yes
or
no.
And
now,
one
final
step
to
seal
the
deal.
Step
5:
Validate
Before
Finalizing
Your
Decision
This
is
the
step
most
people
skip,
but
it’s
critical.
Before
moving
forward,
take
the
extra
step
to
validate
your
decision
by
asking
for
references.
A
simple
question
like,
“Do
you
have
a
client
in
a
similar
practice
area
I
could
speak
with?”
can
make
all
the
difference.
Yes,
this
takes
extra
effort,
but
it’s
worth
it.
I
recently
did
this
when
searching
for
a
YouTube
expert
to
optimize
my
channel.
I
spoke
with
my
friend
Gregg,
who
shared
the
impressive
results
he
achieved.
Seeing
those
numbers
made
my
decision
easy.
The
Power
Of
This
5-Step
Process
Let’s
break
it
down:
-
Find
a
trusted
recommendation. -
Ask
the
right
questions
to
evaluate
its
value. -
Use
your
gut
to
determine
if
it’s
a
good
fit. -
Validate
your
decision
through
references.
The
more
pending
decisions
you
have
weighing
on
you,
the
more
stress
and
anxiety
you’ll
experience.
Worse,
you
won’t
be
making
progress
in
growing
your
practice.
By
implementing
a
structured
approach,
you’ll
make
decisions
faster,
with
more
confidence,
and
free
up
energy
to
focus
on
what
truly
matters
in
your
business
and
life.
So,
what
are
you
waiting
for?
It’s
time
to
kill
the
perfectionist
attorney
within
and
start
making
quick
decisions
with
ease.
Steve
Fretzin
is
a
bestselling
author,
host
of
the
BE
THAT
LAWYER
Podcast,
and
business
development
coach
exclusively
for
attorneys.
Steve
has
committed
his
career
to
helping
lawyers
learn
key
growth
skills
not
currently
taught
in
law
school.
His
clients
soon
become
top
rainmakers
and
credit
Steve’s
program
and
coaching
for
their
success.
He
can
be
reached
directly
by
email
at [email protected].
Or
you
can
easily
find
him
on
his
website
at www.fretzin.com or
LinkedIn
at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin/.