The Professional Tribe


It’s useful to think of some professional firms as tribes. This can provide valuable insights for the firms and their advisors.

What do I mean by “tribe” in this setting? I mean a collective which has a deep sense of shared identity, and a deeply-held shared culture, typically driven by a common ancestry.
 
More often than not the tribe was founded by “the grand old man” (we’ll call him Mr. Abernathy), a towering demigod who attracted shiploads of professional work which he spun off to juniors, all of whom wanted to grow up to be just like him. (I say “he” because the phenomenon is almost entirely, if not entirely, a male thing.) 

His name is spoken reverently, his larger-than-life portrait, framed ornately, hangs in the reception area, and his certificates, awards and trophies adorn various board and signing rooms. The firm’s website is centred around the Abernathy Legend, and the firm's First Directive is “What would Mr. Abernathy do?”.

Elevation to partnership is best achieved by being just like Mr. Abernathy, and to this day, Mr. Abernathy’s clients, their children and grandchildren, are treated like family, regardless of their personal merit as clients.

We all recognize this model and the real or perceived benefits-- comfort, historical reputation, and branding cachet, to name but a few. There is a perception that such firms enjoy a vast well of goodwill, a “book of business” upon which everyone can feast for years. 

More often than not, tribal firms fall into a rut, clinging to thinking, models and systems that may have worked for Mr. Abernathy and his faithful stenographer, but not so much today. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is the operative rule, even where it's obviously "broke". This firm settles into complacency and resistance to change and ultimately, like the mighty oak rotted on the inside, comes crashing down in a storm.

But tribal firms which are willing to transition into the twenty-first century actually have advantages over some of their younger competitors. Deep name recognition, legacy networking roots, and an ethos of excellence, if hitched to twenty-first century business practices, provide advantages that their upstart competition can’t match.

Much as European constitutional monarchies have found a sweet spot where the Royal Family is the national brand, but real power is in Parliament, a tribal law firm that takes advantage of its majestic history and identity while adopting the best of modern business practices will become a force to be reckoned with.



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Can I help you or your organization? Contact me at norm@purposeful.ca or at 613-862-3489. 


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