Whether you're waiting on partnership, a raise, approval to hire, a practice area shift, or something else entirely, your next steps are the same.
It comes down to two things: Clarity and Strategy.
Your first job is to get behind the vague language. This isn't about asking "when", but finding out what's driving their decision.
And you do that by asking direct questions, such as:
What specific concerns (if any) are influencing this timeline?
What would need to be true for this to happen sooner?
Who else is involved in this decision?
What does success look like in the next 6–12 months?
Example: You've been promised a new hire to support your growing book. But every time you bring it up, you're told "not yet."
You need to know whether this is a budgetary issue, uncertainty about your growth trajectory, general economic concerns, or something else entirely (like someone leapfrogging you to get their resources taken care of first).
The answers to your questions will help determine your response.
BUILD + IMPLEMENT A STRATEGIC PLAN
Once you understand what's actually behind the "wait," you can build a plan that addresses it.
If the concern is your visibility with leadership, your plan includes getting in front of them more intentionally.
If it's about proving your book is sustainable, your plan includes documenting your pipeline and traction.
If it's about timing and budget cycles, your plan includes knowing exactly when decisions get made and properly positioning yourself at the right time.
Whatever you're trying to achieve, your plan should include a defined timeline with clear milestones.
For example, let's say you want to transition into a new practice area, but leadership keeps saying "not now."
Your plan might include: building relationships with partners in the target group, developing expertise through secondments or cross-staffing, and creating a proposal that shows how the transition benefits the firm (not just you).
BONUS: INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS
This should be part of your strategic plan, but I'm highlighting it specifically because it's where most lawyers (and non-lawyers alike) underinvest.
The truth is that your plan won't matter (no matter how well you implement it) if the right people don't know or aren't advocating for you.
Ask yourself:
Who actually makes this decision?
How well do they know me?
Who is actively sponsoring me (that has actual power)?
There's a difference between mentors and sponsors, and you need both.
Mentors give advice. Sponsors have political capital (and spend it on your behalf). Some mentors have political capital and can also be sponsors, but many don't.
