Just got slammed by a partner that I have done consistently good work for. I worked my tail off for this guy. He has a reputation for being moody and demanding and I always thought I delivered. Did not see it coming. It’s so unfair. Should I talk to him? — Brian Bumblebrain
Brian, darn right you should talk to him. In fact, you should have talked to him a while back! Too often, we eschew feedback because we’re too busy or out of misguided fear — as if not knowing “what they really think” is somehow protecting us from the worst. What a shame. Feedback of any kind is not only important to your development as lawyer, it is critical to your success. Whether glowing or disappointing, feedback is how we learn and gain respect through public recognition. I figured this out the hard way.
Even if you think you have done the most brilliant job ever, the only opinion that matters is that of the person who will evaluate you. If you have not had a performance discussion, you cannot assume that all is well. Silence is not an endorsement. True, it can be scary to deliver yourself to someone else’s judgement but it’s better than the alternative. The fact that good news has not been delivered can negate your accomplishments. The fact that bad news is not communicated to you only means that someone out there might have a poor opinion of your work and you have no idea how she will use that information. Undelivered feedback is at best an opportunity missed and at worst an undetonated bomb. Brian, you must always see it coming.
When you know you have done great work, get meaningful recognition for it by asking the partner to confirm that she was satisfied with the job you did and to provide specifics. That way it’s on record as a public win that builds goodwill. On the other hand, when you deliver a disappointing performance that leaves you wondering where you stand, take the partner’s temperature. You have far more control than you think. If you confront it, you can spin it. Ignore your screw-ups at your own peril.
If a mistake is likely to erode the partner’s confidence in you or make her question if there is a brain in your head, you must address it. Better that you bring it up and control the script. Initiating that conversation on your own terms will diffuse the impact of the mistake and prevent it from festering until your formal review. But be careful how you do this. The more cautious approach is to emphasize that you learned something from your misstep and that the job got done in the end.
As they say: you are only as good as your last piece of work. All the more reason to get just-in-time feedback about the work you did recently. Brian, it’s not too late to get the feedback you are entitled to. Lawyers, like any other breed of busy professionals are not incentivized to provide feedback to subordinates and tend to dole it out only when cornered. It’s your job to do the cornering. It’s your career. When you think about it, there is no such thing as bad feedback.
Sandra Rosier is a former Supreme Court of Canada clerk who has worked at large firms in Toronto and Boston. Having come to her senses, Sandra currently works as a tax advisor at a Toronto-based organization. Her etiquette column for lawyers appears every other Monday at lawandstyle.ca. Got a question for Sandra? Email us.
Photo by Sven Türck