Stuck in a Slow Firm? How High Performers Know When It's Time to Move On

Description

In this Q&A video, Harrison Barnes discusses the challenges attorneys face when their personality and work style clash with a firm's culture, particularly in traditional or slower-paced environments. He emphasizes that attorneys with a drive for initiative and high performance can struggle in firms that don't reward these qualities, which can hinder their development. Barnes shares an analogy from Tony Robbins, comparing work environments to the temperature of a room: if most people are operating at a lower level of productivity, it can pull down the overall performance of those with higher ambitions. He advises that attorneys with an ambitious personality should consider moving to a firm that better aligns with their drive and work pace to avoid stalling their growth.

Question:
What happens when an overseas or curious personality clashes with the firm's culture, such as in a more traditional or slower environment? I find myself in a firm that does not reward my drive and initiative. How should I test whether to push for change internally or proceed with the firm given the mismatch in personality?

Answer:
People move firms for this reason all the time—they may want a faster-paced environment or to work in a firm with more high achievers like themselves, where they can compete with others. If you are at a firm where the pace is really slow and not much is happening, that will certainly affect your development as an attorney. You don’t want to stay at firms like that if you have an ambitious personality because it will lower the bar for you. I remember Tony Robbins once gave me an interesting example: he compared it to the temperature of a room. If some people are at 80% productivity, you know that means they are doing a really good job—but being surrounded by those who aren't at that level can drag your own productivity down.