Pamela Michaels Fay, businessWrites

Published in Legal Times, this article explains how lawyers can create a career path in the traditionally flat organizational structure of a law firm.

What accounts for the derailed careers of seemingly brilliant lawyers from top schools and the meteoric rise of others who barely graduated from a second tier law school? The developers of intelligence instruments have long recognized that there is a social component of cognitive intelligence, one that is not captured in IQ tests. As laypeople, we recognize it, too. We call it street smarts, common sense, maturity, a way with people, and a whole host of other terms that don’t quite hit the mark. Without a doubt, some people have personal characteristics that help them overcome, even seemingly clear with ease, obstacles in the most challenging environments. They are the folks who see the glass as half full and will grab a shovel and start digging through a whole pile of manure because “there’s gotta be a pony in there...

Functional conflict can be good for an organization. It promotes the healthy exchange of ideas, clears the air and promotes creative thought and keen decision making. Leaders should build conflict into decision-making processes, says Michael Roberto, professor of management at Bryant University in Rhode Island and former Harvard Business School professor. Some companies pride themselves on having a collegial culture, and the idea of conflict is anathema to them. But good things happen when oppos

Have you ever seen an inconsiderate motorist cut off an 18-wheeler and watch the truck driver try to slow down? Usually the maneuver is accompanied by an angry blast of an air horn and, you imagine, some fairly strident language, as the trucker tries, unsuccessfully, to make a seamless transition to a lower gear. It's not so easy to stop a truck. Change – the kind that transforms a traditional brick-and-mortar into an e-business – is particularly challenging for large firms. Like an 18-wheeler, large companies find it difficult to turn on a dime. Resistance takes on a life of its own, building momentum that overtakes change...

Diversity happens--even in companies that draw from relatively homogeneous employee pools. In addition to sex and race, diversity also refers to religion, sexual preference, age, class, even schools attended. Diversity training is intended to help individuals overcome personal biases and work better with others. There are many barriers, however, that can interfere with the implementation of training and its effectiveness. Companies that recognize the barriers and address them are the successful companies into the next...

A good performance management system improves a company’s overall profitability. Performance management systems help establish employee expectations around specific roles, outline resources available to them, and provide the structure for employee appraisals. The best systems are endorsed from top management and align with the needs of the business. Advanced planning can help you implement a performance management system effectively. Get employees involved in the early planning of a new system.

Many companies make the mistake of thinking of an e-business initiative as an IT project. Ecommerce can be just a project, one that provides another means of distribution or a means to capture operational efficiencies. Depending upon your business goals, e-commerce may be appropriate and the absolute right thing to do. E-business, however, is different. However, for a traditional brick-and-mortar company at the top of the mountain and hoping to stay that way, e-business should fundamentally change the way it does business. In fact, there is a better, higher mountain forming right now. Economic shifts are reshaping businesses and changing the structure of the...

Despite the promise of free grant money all over the internet, these opportunities are few and far between for black women who want to enter or advance in the business world. There are some government grants, however, if you expand your search beyond Uncle Sam, there are more grants available. Typically, these grants are available to help black women enter fields where they are traditionally underrepresented. Exclusionary programs are rare (and discriminatory), so while none of these programs are solely for black women, they are strongly targeted. And while you’re searching, don’t forget to ask your school. Many schools with large endowments (Ivy Leagues and private schools) have programs that you will only discover if...

What is the customer experience? It is everything your customer sees, touches, feels or interacts with on your Web site and through all your customer touch points. This includes the seamless interaction through phone and mail contact, as well as the face-to-face experience with your frontline employees. The customer experience is intended to lead, rather than follow technology. In other words, the customer experience is not merely a by-product of the system's functional capabilities or its distribution capabilities. Whiz-bang technology alone does not...

Effective employee evaluations should help both managers and employees. For managers, it’s an opportunity to correct problematic behaviors, acknowledge improvements and recognize exemplary performance among staff members. For employees, it’s the chance to hear praises sung or correct problematic behaviors before more serious issues arise. But if managers have not been trained to effectively draft and deliver an evaluation, the session can create a human resources nightmare. While training may no

If you want to expand your existing business or even start a new one, you need a comprehensive business plan. A business plan serves multiple purposes. For the business owner, the plan articulates a thorough definition of the business and the market. The process of writing the plan can help the business owner flesh out necessary details. For the investor, a business plan is basically a proposal that explains the viability of a business. If you need money, you will need a business plan. Write a