Objective strategy advice is crucial. In view of the global economic concerns, especially following the global pandemic, a major challenge for firms is the need to change as a result of, for example:

• changes in the external environment;
• decline in market share; or
• high staff turnover.

Change management is key to a firm’s sustainability. Matters such as gender or diversity may be particularly sensitive: the issue of female staff retention has become a priority for law firms. The change may include behaviours, processes, structures or clients and, when required, the most effective way to initiate change is to:

•  define how the organisation should be in, for instance, two years; and
•  define a strategy and action plan to get there.

Organisations are likely to experience various problems when implementing change:

• Different members of the management team have different opinions on the way forward;
• The bigger the ‘strategy document’ the more likely it is to be ignored or forgotten;
• Difficulty in moving from the planning stage to action, often through a lack of motivation and focus of the firm or organisation as a whole.
• Ingrained habitual behaviour despite an agreed strategy or change management programme.

Women in Law International offers, in collaboration with strategic partners and alliances, advice and services to:

• Create a clear, shared vision of the organisation which is time effective and has the buy-in of all the key players;
• Develop a strategy or action plan to guide the whole organisation to deliver on the shared vision;
• Implement this throughout so that each staff member has the motivation, skills and knowledge to play their role in delivering the vision; and
• Review progress made towards the vision regularly and with flexibility.