WINNING THE CULTURE WAR: From Foot Soldier to General in No Time Fuji.

• Jurisdiction: United States
• Date: 01 March 2016
• Author: Sexton, Roy

Maybe you are new to legal marketing. Maybe you are a seasoned pro moving to a new firm or learning a new market. Maybe you've worked in marketing roles in non-legal industries for years, and you suddenly find yourself on an episode of The Good Wife.

Regardless of how we got there, we all find ourselves at a cultural crossroad upon occasion. How do you read your new environment effectively to ensure your success? How do you walk the fine line between deference and ingenuity, respecting what has come before but righteously challenging that which needs to change?

I've been working in legal marketing for five years now, after a decade in health care--I exchanged doctors for lawyers. There is a steep learning curve in understanding the nuances of language when approaching both groups. Doctors are trained to try stuff (albeit from a supremely educated perspective); attorneys are trained to avoid unnecessary risk on their own behalf and that of their clients. Painting with the broadest brush imaginable, this DNA difference has informed the ways in which I have presented ideas to both groups. In the health care world, sometimes I had to rein in our physicians, grounding flashy but-pricey capital plays and grandiose advertising ideas in the currency they appreciate: data. In the legal space, we may have to push our attorneys forward, carving a path where business development has an air of certainty or at least a deeper context, whereby a handshake seems less frightening, less risky.

When you are new to any culture, the most important first step is to listen--and listen actively. Ask questions, identify the key...