“I found that I liked contributing to the success of the firm by helping others meet their goals.” Tracey K. Jaensch
FordHarrison’s Regional Managing Partner says getting to know your clients is just as important as learning about the law. hen I was younger, I thought if you achieved the most, you should be the most valued. I was the goal-setting, high-achiever type. I worked long hours, volunteering for complex and tough cases. I never spent much time following up with clients or doing anything other than working hard on being a lawyer. I ended up being, hopefully, a very good lawyer. However, I didn’t know what mattered most to my clients—or to my firm. Upon becoming a partner, I began to learn firm economics. I learned what
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it takes to run a firm profitably and how to motivate others to reach goals. This opened my eyes to the notion that just being the best isn’t what makes you valuable. I changed how I related to my clients—learning more about their businesses and their needs, which made me like and care more about them and their success. I became a better partner to my clients and my firm. I also realized that learning about my clients and my colleagues helped me become more successful in all aspects of my life. The first few years managing were challenging and time-consuming,
PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL September/October 2014
with a big learning curve. I loved the strategic planning, but struggled with managing equals. Working with a coach, I learned how to build trust to achieve common goals. I found that I liked contributing to the success of the firm by helping others meet their goals. In a way, it helped me relax and realize it’s not all on me. I could help others to help all of us. I opened up more and, in turn, became more successful without always having to try so hard. I’m still driven—don’t get me wrong—but now I share the load. PDJ