It’s all about the core

D&I Quarterly Q1/2017

Posted on

13 Apr

2017

Dittmar & Indrenius > Insight > It’s all about the core

“Every company will be a technology company” exclaimed a slide of Linda Liukas at Nordic Business Forum Sweden in January 2017. That’s the go-to phrase of our 4th industrial revolution, the digital economy, an era of apps for everything. Certainly, for not being “Ubered”, everyone needs to adapt and evolve. But is there more to it than “being a technology company”?

Dr. Aki Hintsa, physician of many top Formula 1 drivers, emphasized holistic wellbeing and the importance of recognizing one’s core on the road towards sustainable success. While he coached individuals, his teachings got me thinking about D&I’s core. Since 1899 we’ve been engineering landmark transactions, solving major disputes and been there for our clients in times of significant changes – even revolutions. Over the years we’ve adapted our strategies, systems and processes but some things have remained. Such as strive for excellence.

For a long time, the bedrock of excellence in law firm business in general was cutting-edge technical capability in legal rules and documentation, and for the best of the best, it also showed in the proper use of commas and widths of margins.

Today, one of the key factors that clients link to law firm excellence is efficiency. AI Ross has already been hired and solutions such as Coin and Luminance are giving young associates their lives back. Here’s to technology! Fast forward ten years and I bet the best of the best in law have partnered-up with technology but are also exceptionally good at harnessing emotional intelligence, active collaboration and ability to work across disciplines. There, I believe, is excellence redefined.

Executing digital transition in working methods and service experience is non-negotiable for any first-class law firm. However, the key will be excellence in understanding the impact of the changing world to our clients’ businesses, in cross silo collaboration, new ways of legal thinking and, inarguably, in human-to-human interaction. That’s the kind of excellence our clients and our own people value most at D&I. That’s how we operate and with that kind of culture of excellence in mind, we also recruit.

In February 2017 we were ranked as one of the TOP 10 workplaces in Finland in the Great Place to Work® Finland survey. 5 out of those 10 companies are technology companies. Or, all of them, as Linda would say. She also says that we need vision and aspirations, things we aim to use technology for. She’s right but embracing new technologies with a vision may not be enough. All will try it, not all will make it. What really matters is corporate culture – our core.

 

Written by

Katja Hollmén

Director, Client Experience & Communications katja.hollmen@dittmar.fi +358 50 573 7396

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