Finding, Building, and Connecting With the Next Generation Bar Leader
In this presentation, Dan Negroni urges bar association leaders to bridge generational gaps and create thriving, future‑ready organizations. He frames the pandemic‑era workplace as a crisis of stress, disengagement, and anxiety—especially for lawyers—citing statistics from the American Institute of Stress, WHO, and Gallup. Despite common stereotypes, Negroni argues that the five generations in law are more alike than different; 65% of respondents see few generational differences. The core competency he identifies for the "worker of the future" is self‑reliance, which he says can only be cultivated through deep self‑knowledge and strong relationships. He introduces a practical 4‑step system for bar leaders (establish baseline, know thyself, bridge the gap, sustain) and anchors it with the "Platinum Rule"—treat others the way they want to be treated. He outlines three universal member needs—survival (safety), belonging (tribe), and becoming (growth)—and three actionable hacks to meet them: turn the organization upside down (ask members what they need), provide meaningful work, and foster inside‑out growth (soft‑skill development). A case study of a lawyer named Daniel illustrates the system in action, showing how self‑discovery and coaching led to renewed engagement and retention. Negroni concludes with a call to action: adopt the system, apply the hacks, become the guide/hero for members, and commit to a year‑long implementation to unleash intergenerational connection and revitalize bar associations.
Chapters
Hey everybody, welcome! And I am so glad to be welcome back after 5 years away. We're in different circumstances. I'm in a studio talking to you, and I'd love to be with you kind of shaking hands and really asking you deep questions, but we'll do it a little bit differently. We're here to talk about how to connect the bar associations with all of the generations and how to make sure that the members can communicate well so the bar associations can thrive. And over the past 5 years, I've been doing some work and wondering, and there's been a lot of talk in the workplace about work of the future and the future of work, what it will look like, what it will feel like, what's the technology that we'll use. And it's interesting. Same thing going on with the practice of law. What would the future look like? And of course, in our own bar associations, what will they look like? Will they be able to provide value? The interesting thing is, we've been so focused on what they would look like and what technology they would use that we forgot the most important person. That most important person is the worker of the future. It is the lawyer of the future, and it is the bar member of the future. We need to make sure that each of those people are understood and have the tools to communicate and make their organizations thrive. And now more than ever during this pandemic, it could not be more clear that we have work to do and the worker of the future is here right now. The cool thing we know though is this: Where youth and experience and diversity all connect is where magic happens. And that magic is up to each of you to figure out how to be the guide to make sure that your bar association can connect and thrive and have the tools to flourish in what the future will look like. It was just 5 years ago that I actually came to you and talked to you about our next slide, which is the difference between all the generations in the workplace. And basically what we showed you was each generation and where they were from and what perspective they came from. We learned some great things there. We learned that millennials and Gen Zs they weren't disloyal and lazy and didn't have a good work ethic and only cared about work-life balance and spoiled. They were actually just like us. And never more— it's never been more important than us to really connect in the workplace, the 5 generations that are there that you see on the screen. And what we've learned over the past 5 years is incredible. It's that 65% of us actually believe that there are not that many differences between the generations. And you know what? After training 20,000 people and those 5 years with all types of clients, from law to every industry, we've learned that to be the case. We're all human beings and we really want to connect. And so in the next slide, what we're going to try and do here today is this. We're going to try and figure out what does the next generation leader of any age in our Bar Association need. What do they need from us and how are we going to help them figure it out? What we know is one thing for sure is incredibly necessary. We know that the next work competency is self-reliance. And we need to be able to give that gift of self-reliance to each of our bar members through a community. And we also know that self-reliance comes through understanding relationships, because when you understand yourself, you are able to connect with others and give them value. And that is what our bar associations need to bring to their communities. So they can thrive. And so, in order to figure out where we need to go as a Bar Association, we need to figure out where we've been and where we are. So take a look at this movie to show you the history of work. Wow. That was built before the pandemic. Look at the speed of technology, how it's changed the practice of law and what members from bar associations want. What's happened in the world is we were overwhelmed. And if you look at what's going on in the statistics, you you will see that the American Institute of Stress says that 80% of us are stressed at work, and that's way more for lawyers, we know. And 33% increase in absences before the pandemic based on anxiety. And more importantly, a 40% increase in depression in the workplace. That's where our Bar Association member is now, and that's what they're fighting. And more importantly, it's costing us big bucks. The World Health Organization will tell us that the epidemic of the 21st century is stress. And more importantly, it's costing us a trillion dollars, a trillion dollars in those lost absences. And 71% of the workplace is disengaged. It's happening in our law firms and in our bar associations too. And Gallup will tell us that $450 billion is lost on disengagement. Houston, we have a problem. And more importantly, we've talked about this last time I was here. Technology has changed so rapidly. Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, data, the practice of law Being a lawyer, being a member of the Bar Association, it is completely different than it's ever been. And our members, they need different things from you. They need, if you remember what we talked about last time, guides and heroes in their Bar Association to help them figure out that work competency of self-reliance. And The problem is this: they're scared. The unknown, uncertainty, frustration. Basically, they're baked. They're scared and they have fear. And what do they have fear of? They have fear that they're not gonna matter anymore. Human beings wanna matter and they wanna make a difference. And so, the question to you as a president of a bar association or anyone involved therewith is what are you gonna do to guide them to figure out where they need to go and what they need to do? And so, the question is what will bar associations do? And I can tell you, I told you this last time, you can do nothing which I know each of you, I know you personally, you don't want to do nothing. You can do a little something, which last time I would say we did that. We explored the difference in the generations. Or you can do a lot of something that's going to make a difference in the world. And making that difference in the world is about teaching people about relationships and providing the tools for them to figure out about relationships. So they can connect and have a place to feel safe and belong and become what the profession wants them to become. And I'll say this to you right now and clear: Are you in? Because I'm in at giving you the tips and tools. So let's figure out what we need to do. Because the time is now. The worker of the future is here now. There's a pandemic. We are lonely, we are fragmented, and we need help. And each of you have the power to create systems to do that. What is the secret? I'm gonna tell you what the secret is. My good friend, who's departed us now, Zig Ziglar, told this to us. It's about others. Because you can have everything in life you want if you'll just help other people get what they want. And so the question is, as a fiduciary, as a president of a bar, What are you gonna do to help others figure this out? Your bar members. That's what they're looking for from you. And it's completely other-focused. The world and as human beings, every time something happens, it's about, what about me? What about me? What's in it for me? And so the path to success of creating a system for them is making it about them. We call that with them. What's in it for them?. And today I hope that we can discover what is in it for them so we can create more value for your bar associations. And so the principal rule, you can see it right there clearly on this slide, is the Platinum Rule. And that is another focused rule. And people say to me all the time, Dan, what's the Platinum Rule? And they know the Golden Rule. So do you. It's from the Bible. Do unto others, right, as you would like done to yourself. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Well, the Platinum Rule goes a step further because here's the truth: not everyone wants to be treated the way we do. And that was part of the generational divide. We got to meet everyone where they are and treat them individually. And so the Platinum Rule is treat others the way they want to be treated. The challenge with the Platinum Rule and what makes it so hard is there are so many individuals. But the secret to life, the secret to practicing law, the secret to building clients, the secret to personal relationships is all about understanding what others need from you and what your audience needs. Let's go on a journey to figure that out. What will be the playbook that you need to create the culture for your bar association that creates connection for each of the members that are there. You are now tasked with being the guide or hero to do that. And it's simple. I'm going to teach you the 4 steps, and then there are 3 wants and needs, and the 3 hacks to get there. But here it is. I want you to understand this clearly. You can see it there, a 4-step system. And the problem with the system is that everyone starts at the top and goes to the end without doing the middle, right? The stuffing of that Oreo cookie. We can't forget the middle. That's the hard part. So what is it? You as lawyers have done systems like this your entire career. The first thing is figure out the problem or establish the baseline. Establish the baseline of what my members from me. How good of a job are you really understanding that? Because once you understand it, we can solve it. How do we solve it? We solve it by that middle component, which is in all of the people that we've trained. We go deep. Know thyself. In order to help people feel safe, connected, and belong to your association, you need to teach them about themselves. Until they understand themselves, the meaning they want to create, and their impact, they don't know how to tell that story or articulate it to others. Know thyself is the second step. The third step is bridge the gap. Once you know yourself, you understand your strengths, your values, your skills, your passions, your brand, and you can articulate a story about the difference you want to make, then you can connect with others and bridge the gap. That's about learning how to communicate, learning how to create empathy or have empathy, learning how to create trust from the minute you arrive, and figuring out how to become a community. These skills are not taught in high school and college, certainly not in law school, and not in the places people go to work after law school—law firms. They don't know how to do it. We forget the hard stuff, the messy stuff, the relationships. Stuff, and that is the impediment. We usually establish the baseline, and then we go to training, which is the sustain. If you do this middle piece in your bar associations, I will guarantee that you will create connection and meaning and new leaders for the bar association of the future. How, you say, Dan? And so you gotta understand, what does the audience want from you? What's in it for them? So I'm going to tell you the 3 needs and wants that new and emerging talent or next-generation bar leaders need in the workplace are this. They're simple. They want to learn how to feel safe and survive. And the world is tough out there now. They want to learn how to belong because never have we survived alone on those plains. Cavemen survived when they were in groups. And the gatherer did what the gatherer did. And the hunter did what the hunter did. The farmer did what the farmer did. Everyone worked together as a team. They belonged to a tribe. And then becoming, hope, innovation, learning skills to grow and make the world better. Those are the 3 needs that people want in life and in the workplace. Let's talk about them a little bit. The first one, survival. I want to feel safe. I want to feel safe in my bar association and learn how to feel safe in my organization so I can contribute and provide value. I want to feel like my boss is my coach, like my bar association is my mentor and my coach, my guide. That's what I need in safety. That's what we want in life. Basic need, Maslow's hierarchy. Number 2 is this: I want to figure out how to belong, to be part of that tribe. I want to take cues from other people. I want to have similar beliefs. And more importantly than anything, I want to know that I'm making a difference in contributing value. And then the third thing is becoming. Becoming is interesting because when we talked about Millennials and Gen Zs and people of all ages, we know that people's most important need in the workplace is to learn and grow. What are you teaching your bar association members to learn and grow? To really have hope that they can make things better? How do you establish the baseline to give them or understand what they need and want? And that's a 3-hack system. Number 1, turn your organization upside down. Number 2, provide meaningful work. And number 3, provide inside-out growth, which is that component that I was just going to because I love it so much. And number 1 is this, turn your organization upside down. And that means— people always ask me, Dan, you're such a great facilitator. Tell me what I should do in my new workshop. And I say, what do your people want from you? And they always tell me, well, what I want. And I say, wait a minute. I just asked you what they want from you. Move to strike. How do you figure out what they want from you? You turn your organization upside down and you ask them. And number 2 is this: your— the things you teach your bar association and give them better be meaningful. It better create impact, especially post-pandemic. People want to make a difference. They want to really contribute and provide value. Can all work be meaningful, you say to me, Dan? Can a corporate lawyer find meaningful in registration statements or offerings? Or sale— purchase and sale documents. I think all work can be meaningful, and what's meaningful about work is teaching people about themselves. Like I said, that know thyself, so they can figure out how to provide value to others. So you want to provide meaning in work or meaning in your bar association, then teach your people some dang great skills. What type of skills? I started because I'm so passionate about this. Number 3 is teach them from the inside out the skills they need. And if we go to the next slide, you will see that those things are the soft skills I started to talk about. They're about judgment and critical thinking and connecting with people and emotional intelligence. They're about all the things that if I told you, you figured out how people could have relationships with themselves and connect with others, the world would open up. As a bar association, if you teach your members these skills, if you use these hacks and tricks, you will be successful. It's that simple. In the next slide, you'll see that I'm just gonna walk you through an example of how it might work. In a firm. I'm going to tell you a story about Daniel. Daniel came to us because he didn't know if he wanted to be partner in a firm. Actually, his firm paid for him to come coach with us. And what we did was this: we asked him great questions and established the baseline about why he was so disenfranchised, just like your bar association needs to be. Why was he so sad? Why didn't he think he had meaning? And it was because he didn't understand himself and/or trust the process. So we did the know thyself. He learned his strengths, values, skills, and passions. Matter of fact, we have an online program that can teach people how to do it in less than 3 hours. He understood his brand. He understood his story. He started to come alive about what he wanted to do. And then, with further coaching, he started to speak that way to all the people in his office. And he got a receptivity that he never thought he would get. And he learned he mattered, and he found those guides. He just needed the tools to figure it out. Through Step 4, we sustained some coaching with Daniel, and he ended up staying, because what he found was himself and the key to build relationships. And that is what we need to teach as guides. And so it's simple. If I sum it up for you on the next slide. Figure out how to use a system, because without a system you will not work. Look at the bottom of these slides and you will see. Figure out the 3 needs and wants people want in life. Your bar association members, the same: survival, belonging, and becoming. Figure out the 3 hacks to figure out what those things are for them, those needs and wants, which are usually pretty similar no matter where we go. But you'll ask them what they want by turning your organization upside down. You'll figure out what they want in meaning, and you'll create mastermind groups in your bar associations, mentor and coaching, coaching, where they can all learn from each other and contribute and share that meaning. And then finally, they will have those skills to go crush— and I hate to use the word crush, but I'm going to use it— to crush relationship performance and find huge value in your bar association. And so with that, I want you to take away these 4 things which are on the next slide. Maybe it's 5 things, and here are them— they are. Number 1 is this: generations are more the same than they are different. Mindset and communication are what matters. What are you doing in your your culture playbook for your bar association to teach that. Be the guide and the hero, and the time is now. Let's not waste any of it. Meet them where they are. Really understand what they need from you no matter what age they are. Deploy a system because without a system, it will not work. But make sure you follow the system and give it its time to to really fester, a year at a minimum. And then lastly, I want you to really use the 3 hacks and those 3 wants and needs to figure out what they need from you. With that, connection will be unleashed to create relationships, and you can have a resurgence of your bar association. If anyone needs any help with that, you can get my contact information. You can follow me online, you can see it, but that's what we're here to do. That's what we love to do. And I want to thank you each for your time and understand that you hold the power to create intergenerational connection within each of your bar associations. You in? Because I am. And now I'm looking forward to meet with you in small groups and really understand the deep and detailed questions you have. Thank you again for having me.
