When I first graduated with my accounting degree from the University of Tennessee, it seemed like nothing was impossible. For me, the thought of getting a good job that satisfied my needs professionally and monetarily were primary goals. Obviously, I had a lot to learn!

My first job was with a trucking company. Now you have to understand that I had never been in management…I had never been "responsible" for keeping the books or even reconciling a bank account. Fortunately, I had a very calm and knowledgeable mentor who took me under his wing and taught me the dos and don’ts of accounting. He also taught me many valuable lessons with regard to people skills and management of a business, the most significant being that how you treat your fellow man is of the utmost importance!

With this in mind, I want you to ask yourself this question, "Do you make people feel they’re valued and respected in your firm?"

This is not as easy as it seems. Some managers believe the more you pay an employee, the more valuable they are. This simply is not true. Effective interaction and communication among all employees and attorneys is a must! For communication to be effective it must be in both directions and must encompass both criticism and praise. But communication takes place at different levels and in different ways. All communication between management and staff does not and should not have to be performance oriented. I typically see more positive responses from my staff members if their respective attorney takes an interest in them, asks how they are doing and congratulates them on a job well done. That old phrase that "actions speak louder than words" is really true. It has been my experience that a raise is forgotten throughout the year but tokens of kindness and respect are remembered.

For example, my firm pays the expense for me to take our staff out for dinner once each quarter. On special occasions, I will leave small gifts on their desk or send a card to let them know I care about them, not just as a warm body filling a seat in the office, but as someone that is important to the firm and to me!

So, as the link between our attorneys and our staff, we need to focus our attention on understanding what is important to people. This includes responding to their problems and questions in a timely and straightforward manner and it includes making ourselves available and accessible to them. If we as mangers make and fulfill that commitment, employee commitment and retention is bound to follow.

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