General 6 — Red Bird Strategy

How to Manage the People Side of Strategy

1

Design the Right Change.

Every solution to a problem brings some level of change. The key is to ensure that change works for your people—not against them. Talk to your team and clients to uncover how the change will impact their day-to-day lives, both positively and negatively. Engaging people early and often not only helps you design a change that moves the firm forward but also builds trust and buy-in along the way.

Our people-centered approach focuses on engaging internal and external stakeholders through facilitated design thinking sessions that bring change leaders into the process.

2

Lead and Communicate Well.

Change succeeds when leadership is visible, active, and clear. Resistance is natural, but it’s amplified when change feels sudden or poorly communicated. Leaders have a powerful role in preparing their teams, setting the tone, and maintaining momentum. The way change is introduced and supported can make or break the results.

We coach leaders to communicate effectively, fostering understanding and alignment across the firm. With a custom communication plan for each stage of the project, we ensure teams feel informed and engaged from start to finish.

3

Commit to Make it Stick.

The biggest hurdle isn’t creating a plan—it’s ensuring it lasts. Too often, strategic plans fall apart because implementation is hard, momentum fades, and old habits resurface. To succeed, changes must be woven into the firm’s culture, procedures, and daily operations. Leaders need to stay committed, and teams need to see how their efforts drive results.

With decades of change management experience and a solid grasp of law firm governance and culture, we help embed change for the long-term, ensuring it becomes an integral part of your firm’s “everyday”.

Design Thinking:
A Human-Centered Approach to Strategic Change

Design thinking is at the heart of how we manage the people side of strategy. It’s a collaborative, iterative process that puts people first—ensuring that the changes we design are not only strategic but also practical and widely embraced.

By engaging stakeholders early and often, we uncover insights about how proposed changes will impact day-to-day routines, identify potential roadblocks, and surface creative solutions. This approach fosters alignment, builds trust, and ensures that the strategy we develop together is one that your team can implement with confidence.

Incorporating design thinking means we don’t just solve problems—we create solutions that work for your people and drive meaningful progress for your firm.