Leader Upheaval: A Guide to Client-Centricity, Culture Creation, and Collaboration

(Paperback)

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This book provides an actionableroadmap for leaders to enhance client-centricity, shift mindsets, and create the rightteaming climate so that a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity can thrive.Derived from over 280 interviews with senior executives in professional services and theirclientsalong with hands on experience leading hundreds of multidisciplinary teams oninnovation journeysProfessor DeStefano reveals the path to successful collaboration andinnovation efforts in professional services, including how to avoid the pitfalls that lead tofailure.

Reviews

"Leader Upheaval is a must read for anyone in
professional services. It captures the essence of great client service and how
we need to continue to hone those skills in a fast-changing world."--Lisa Sawicki
"Leader Upheaval stands alone as the most
informative, helpful, and comprehensive book available today for lawyers and
other professional service providers undertaking transformative change
initiatives in their organizations. The learnings presented by Professor
DeStefano could not be more timely, as they coincide with the advent of
democratized generative artificial intelligence and the resulting acceleration
of client demands for even more client-centric, experience-based innovation and
collaboration from their professional service providers. DeStefano methodically
and convincingly makes the case for the digital transformation imperative for
multinational companies, and then masterfully and interestingly guides the
reader through the essential success factors for leading impactful organizational
transformation. The clarity and depth of her writing is made highly practical
and relevant to the reader through an extensive presentation of meaningful
quotes from legal and other practitioners. As a general counsel continuing to
pursue the digital transformation of legal services, I will no doubt consult Leader Upheaval on a regular basis, and it is
gratifying to know that future legal leaders will have such valuable guidance
and advice available to them as they lead in their own transformation journeys."-- Bill Deckelman, EVP & General Counsel, DXC Technology
"A
thought-provoking account of the unthinkable truth: All professional service
providers should learn how to innovate, even if their business model isn't
broken. A necessary read for anyone who wants to differentiate in the professional
services marketplace."--Augusto
Aragone, EVP, Secretary, and General Counsel, Ingram Micro
"Again,
Professor Michele DeStefano focuses her attention on innovation in the
professional services space and provides us with a well-researched, executable
method for innovation that weaves marketplace needs into the creative process."--Paul Silverglate, Partner, Vice
Chair-US Technology Sector Leader, Deloitte
& Touche LLP
"Ask any
lawyer and they will tell you they consider themselves an innovator in what
they do because lawyering requires a large dose of adaptability and creativity.
But lawyers are notoriously resistant to change when it comes to how they
deliver their services. This book makes a needed and extraordinary contribution
to the topic of innovation and collaboration in the delivery of professional
services, starting with a review of the factors that compel change today,
before delving into the leadership, cultural and procedural levers, and as well
as practical tools that leaders can use to make change happen. I expect it will
be required reading in many law firms and in-house legal departments around the
world."--Horacio Gutierrez, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Legal &
Compliance Officer, The Walt Disney Company
"Backed by her
experience leading over 230 multidisciplinary teams on a four-month journey and
creating an inclusive culture, Professor DeStefano provides concrete strategies
and tactics on how to enhance your leadership style and transform the culture
of your team, department or firm."--Petra Zijp, Partner, NautaDutilh N.V.
"Finally! A
book by a LawLander, a member of the guild's academy no less, that directly and
persuasively makes the case for culture, service, and people. In a LawLand
obsessed with itself and convinced of its privilege and uniquetitude, to find
our way to sustainability takes a new generation unafraid to show empathy. To
learn from mistakes. To embrace servant leadership. In reality, people are our
most important asset--our most critical tech. Make no mistake, Prof. DeStefano
is no normal LawLander-- her career outside law in, OMG, Corporate America, and
in Big Law, as well as her development of and dedication to LawWithoutWalls,
shines through each and every page. This is a manifesto for the bedrock
necessary to build a customer-centric service credo. When you read this book--and
you must read it if you care about a sustainable LawLand and your place in it,
I ask only that every time you read the word "client" you replace it with "customer."
In so doing you will stretch away from the narcissistic LawLand of today. Then
you'll be able to take the risk to step toward that vision. Finally, you'll
find the courage to make the leap to NextLaw--where optimization of legal
matters is the norm. Prevention of legal problems is the destination. And a
culture creating truly marvelous customer experiences is the objective. Let
Prof. DeStefano be your inspiration, your sherpa, your whisperer."--Jeff Carr, Former SVP, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, Univar Solutions and Former
SVP, General Counsel, FMC Technologies
"In Leader Upheaval, Professor DeStefano utilizes
interviews, critical analysis, and conversational writing to convince all of us
that honing the mindset, skillset, and behaviors of innovators is the key to
sharpening our skills, opening our minds, and changing the way we work to
delight our clients."--Yvette
Ostolaza, Chair, Sidley Austin Management Committee
"In a time of
rapid change, Michele's latest work provides the practical guidance needed for
leaders to rise to and meet the challenges that professions have not had to
meet before. It builds on her earlier works and clearly drives home why there
is a need to do things differently now in professions that have to date only
known slow incremental change. A must-read for those looking to lead diverse
people across generations in digital times when the only constant is change."--Alan Keep, Managing Partner, Bowmans
"In her second
Upheaval book, Michele DeStefano continues
to tap into key issues for any business. Collaboration, innovation, and culture
change take center stage as DeStefano provides very direct and helpful tips on
how to lead, manage, and inspire teams, while emphasizing the need to really understand
and serve the client. The book also invites the leaders to take a more
introspective approach and provokes the seasoned or an emerging leader to work,
first, on self-awareness and humility in order to become an effective leader.
These teachings and practical recommendations are more relevant now than ever
considering the complexities of the world. This book stands as a very important
resource for leaders determined to not only navigate change but to lead it and
become a catalyst for positive transformation in any organization."--Marco Araujo, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Nubank
"In law firms,
change is hard. Even rudimentary change can easily fail, and when it comes to
driving change as profound as innovation in a law firm, something special is
needed. And that's what Michele DeStefano provides in this book. It's the
method, techniques, and insights she has developed leading change initiatives
in law firms, and few if any have more experience of it. She acknowledges that
her 3-4-5 Method(TM) may not work for everyone, but in grappling with difficulties
that any law firm leader seeking real change must confront, she offers a useful
blueprint to help them on their own journey."--Hugh Verrier, Former Chair, White & Case
"In the
ever-evolving legal landscape, the traditional lawyer archetype of technical
expertise and unwavering adherence to established practices is no longer
sufficient for success. Tomorrow's lawyers must embrace a client-centric
approach, prioritizing innovation, and service excellence to truly thrive.
Michele DeStefano's Leader
Upheaval serves as an
indispensable guide for legal leaders seeking to navigate this transformation. DeStefano
masterfully outlines the fundamental shift required for lawyers to excel in the
21st century. She challenges the notion that technical proficiency alone can
guarantee success, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that
encompasses collaboration, creativity, and a deep understanding of client
needs. With a conversational and anecdote-rich style, DeStefano provides
actionable insights and practical strategies for legal leaders to cultivate a
culture of innovation within their teams. Leader Upheaval is not merely a theoretical treatise; it is a practical
handbook brimming with concrete examples and real-world applications."--Stacey Quaye, Global Head of IP, Innovation & Design
"Michele is a
driving force in the legal industry. She makes a compelling case in her new
book that being a trusted legal advisor is not good enough in today's world.
Clients want to hire lawyers who can innovate, who know how to collaborate
internally and externally, and who are strategic. Most importantly, lawyers
need to understand a client's wants, needs, and desires and to develop strong
teams. Michele has done the research-- she has interviewed well over 200 lawyers
and clients for her new book. The insights from these interviews provide
real-world examples of how the legal services industry needs to adapt and do

Author Bio

Michele Destefano, BA, magna cum laude, Dartmouth College, JD, magna cum laude, Harvard Law School, is a Professor of Law at the University of Miami and Guest Faculty at Harvard Law School's Executive Education Program and at IE School of Law. DeStefano is the founder of LawWithoutWalls and MOVELW. DeStefano is a former Climenko Fellow and Lecturer at Harvard Law School. Before attending law school at Harvard, she was an advertising executive at Leo Burnett and a marketing manager at Levi Strauss & Company. Michele frequently speaks and runs workshops on creative problem solving, collaboration, culture change, communication, and innovation for lawyers. Michele currently lives in Miami, FL.