Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting big-game hunting here – the gorillas I’m referring to are the selfish stars inhabiting many law firms
The legal gorilla usually claims to have a good practice, is one of the highest billers in the firm and likes everyone to know it, and treat him with respect and deference. He is the typical alpha male (and they are almost invariably male).
Additional fee income is hard to find these days so it may be argued that it is business suicide to do anything to upset such a sensitive and endangered species. Indeed, surely everything should be done to encourage them to stay? To a large extent this view continues, with the incumbent given a steady supply of bananas to keep them contented. The bananas may come in the form of increased remuneration, bonuses, a board position or a leading role in a practice group.
Ego-getter
However, the key difference between a gorilla and other high performers is that they are primarily selfish and egotistical. They tend to keep their client relationships to themselves and rarely involve other partners or offices with the client.
They tend not to encourage or recruit the most able talent into their team as they wish to remain unchallenged. Indeed, perversely, such individuals are often surprisingly personally insecure. Accordingly, the best associates and younger partners that work with them face a stark choice of paying homage or moving out of the practice group or, more often, the firm. They then face the wrath of the gorilla for being disloyal “after all he’s done” to advance their careers.
In these circumstances the leadership of a firm faces a dilemma. At one level they do not want clone partners and they do want to instil a high-performance culture. The gorilla is usually a furiously hard worker. But, conversely, they wish to develop, embed and protect the firm’s culture. Accordingly, terms such as effective teamwork, mutual respect, client teams, meritocracy and the development of associates are liberally sprinkled across the firm’s ‘values statement’.
The gorilla will be a high-biller, but by not involving others in the client relationship may be unprofitable, and by failing to institutionalise and broaden the client relationship is rarely maximising the work the firm could do for the client. By sheer force of personality he may get his protégés promoted to partner, provided they play by his rules.
Others in the firm see this behaviour being tolerated and rewarded and therefore assume that, notwithstanding the values statement, behaving like a gorilla or being a member of their troop is the way to survive and thrive.
Clearly, the leadership can take no action, accept that their values statement is hypocritical junk and keep the gorilla amused so as to safeguard the fee income he produces. The containment strategy may at times be necessary, but it has implications for the culture and development of the firm.
Leaders may confront the gorilla and encourage him to change his ways. Surprisingly, the gorilla in question is often unaware of the negative impact he may be having on those around him. In some cases this may work, especially where the leader is someone he respects. But in many instances the impact is at best temporary.
Then the leader faces a real challenge – push the gorilla out and the other partners get spooked at the loss of a heavy hitter and the related fee income (especially when relatively few firms are well-endowed with culturally aligned major client-winning partners) or encourage the gorilla to go, usually by taking away a few -bananas. But the departure is usually noisy, with the firm the gorilla moves to claiming a major coup and the headhunters circling for more targets.
Beware wounded gorillas
Leaders need to carefully prepare the ground before pushing the gorilla out if they are to retain the support of partners. The exit needs to be as quick and clinical as possible. A single shot. A wounded gorilla can be dangerous.
Fortunately, the outcome is usually positive. It may be found that the client was not as in love with the gorilla as was thought. And those in the gorilla’s team, freed from his oppressive behaviour, can flourish.
One senior partner who agonised for ages over a gorilla hunt described the result as “like taking a cork out of a champagne bottle”. The energy it produced, and the recognition that the firm lived its values, more than made up for the loss of the gorilla.
So choose your target carefully and try to tame the gorilla, but if that fails position yourself carefully, especially with your board and partners, get ready, aim and fire.
Tony Williams, principal, Jomati Consultants
David Brent meets David Attenborough.
I know several partners of the type you describe, however, I do not think it is fair to call them gorillas. Gorillas are far more sensitive and caring.
Both accurate and entertaining Tony. Bet I can think of a few Alpha males who informed your composite 🙂
And after you take your nice clean shot, you’ll be able to put your rifle back into storage for quite some time. People will not soon forget this dramatic episode.
Excellent piece, Tony. Thank you.
not only a true view of too many city types, but also shows the cowardice of too many HR managers (term used liberally) who put up with these bulllies’ bs
A fantastic analogy and pragmatic advice for dealing with an all-too-destructive scenario, Tony – made me smile! George Taylor couldn’t have done better even if he’d collaborated with Dian Fossey.
I agree that these types should not be called gorillas, not least for the reason given by Anonymous.
Name them for what they really are … workplace sociopaths/psychopaths and bullies.
What a terrific headline.
I worked with a few gorillas at a firm in Newcastle in the mid-2000s. The biggest and baddest went to a national firm and failed in a very public way. Even the other gorillas were pleased to see his fall from grace.
Spot-on article. It is appalling how these gorillas are allowed to get away with bad behaviour because of their attractive revenue streams. A pity law firms don’t tally up the cost of these gorillas to firms in, e.g., hiring new associates (and, indeed, partners) to replace those who leave because of gorilla behaviour.
Yes. Rather topical for Jomati, what with them having recently advised on BLP’s finance dept. This (really excellent, by the way) article shows that, no matter how savvy the trouble-shooter might be, there is always going to be a finite window of opportunity within which the sniper must pull the trigger. If only brought in once the majority of the non-primate population have already gone, he has to quietly put the gun back in the Range Rover.
Hear hear. If you are looking for an alpha female to go with your gorrilla male, I can point you in the right direction.
To anonymous who says the story ‘shows the cowardice of too many HR managers’. In too many cases, HRMs research the best rifle and bullets for the task, buys the rifle, lays the trail to the gorilla (past all the destruction clearly on display), loads the rifle and puts it in the senior partner’s/department head’s hands. With everything in place for the perfect shot….they decide to let the gorilla continue to roam.
Not just partners. You can find the same behavior among support directors who act like tyrants.
Good article. Some firms have a stated ethos that differs from their actual position. They “grow their own” gorillas by lauding those who are selfish and act like prima donnas (aka “stars”). In others the issue is not so much about clients as disputed areas of specialisation and results in tensions between specialists and general practitioners. I would not regard the specialists as being “Gorillas” if they genuinely feel that the interests of clients and the firm are in tune with their approach.
Gangsters and lawyers operate alike. Good earners who develop new business are usually tolerated for the sake of money, but if they become too disruptive or greedy…..they get whacked in a public place. It sends a message to others in the gang and proves who is really in charge.
Gosh… I’m so glad I’ve chosen a career in this profession. Now that we’ve discussed the out of control gorillas, shall we move on to the venomous vipers? And the zoo keepers aren’t all friendly either…
Truly excellent article. Spot on in a number of respects.
Great article Tony.
A poorly behaving partner wreaks havoc and totally undermines the often very public “values” that firms espouse. You can’t beat the occasional public hanging – it is a clear demonstration that unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and no one is ‘protected’ by senior management. Excellent article. Should be pinned to the door of every senior and managing partner.
Excellent. Perceptive and amusing article.