In Alice in Wonderland, a lost and confused Alice asks the Cheshire Cat for directions. The cat asks her where she wants to get to, to which Alice replies she does not know. The cat responds by telling her that if she does not know where she wants to get to, then it really does not matter which way she goes. For large law firms considering any training or development, they must, like Alice, first know what they want to achieve before deciding how to achieve it.
In looking at the stages for management development it is important to consider where you ultimately want fee earners and partners to be and how to put up signposts in the form of competences along the way as a guide. The ways people travel to their destinations may vary: each person is an individual with different strengths and areas for development. However, in helping people to develop, it is essential to identify what skills you want them to possess at each stage of their career to ensure that progress is monitored effectively. From newly-qualified fee earners taking responsibility for their own caseload to senior partners creating a strategic vision, there are many management and leadership challenges. I would suggest that from newly-qualified solicitor to head of department, there are broadly seven stages.
