This is why, as we build out CLL, you will, over time, see more and more ways of engaging with the topics that we talk about. Words, acronyms, pictures, different perspectives, discussions in our LinkedIn group, audio conferences, webinars, meetings – even formal training! These already feature on this site and will be added to in the coming weeks and months.
One thing you'll also find is that some of the themes and concepts we cover on the site are described with initialisms, mini-frameworks, little rules and acronyms which are repeated now and again through our articles. Using these descriptions makes them more memorable. In particular, we've found some intialisims seem to be very effective – in part, perhaps, because they are memorably "clunky"!
For convenience, here is a collection or glossary of some of the ones used regularly:
WIIFTITL: What Is In It For Them In Their Language: this is all about the importance of thinking about what matters to a person you are trying to influence, train or do something for you, and using the language that they would naturally use. Most of the time what matters most is that something happens not that everyone is doing it for the same reason. For example if a sales person just needs not to miss-sell, you may be able to achieve this better by making their compensation plan encourage compliant selling rather than simply focusing on communicating the legal rules.
CATs to control RATs: using Contracts Advice and Training to keep legal Risks At the agreed level of Tolerance: which is what we are there for after all!
The Rule of 3: If you find a team member doing: 1: the same thing, 2: for the same person/group of people; 3: for the third time.. then that is starting to look like a possible opportunity to empower a client, a tool or a process to carry out that activity. Lawyers are too expensive to use them on repeat activity if this can safely be avoided
"5Cs": as we explain in the Legal Spend Table Diagram the 5 Cs, namely Cost, Capacity, Competence, Certification and Complexity, are the basis upon which you can decide why, to whom, and for what cost you should outsource
"4PP": If you agree a budget with your business to do a defined set of legal tasks that are within your role then all legal work (and external spend) will either be "Planned Performance" done in the order to the priority level and speed level and with the level of legal risk that has been agreed – or else it will fit into one of the other "3PP" scenarios in which case someone else will have to pay or re-prioritise their needs. The other three PPs are "Pet Projects", "Poor Planning" and "Polluter Pays" Read more here!
"SEE": how can you and others see that you and your team are doing a good job? Well if you have a plan and performance measures that allow you to explain your legal team's "Strategy" and then to demonstrate that you are delivering the strategy "Effectively" and "Efficiently" – then you and they will be able to see this clearly. How do you go about this? Look here.
"NEWS": Needs, Ethics, Wants and Skills: our framework for helping you to think through what you want out of your career - read this here.
And there are a few others included over our range of articles – we hope that they help you to consider and remember the concepts that we cover!
