The MIT Program: How Strong Habits Drove 82% New Business Growth at One Law Firm
Spill The Ink · 2025-07-17 · 22 min
Episode notes
Many law firms invest in excellent business development coaching, see fantastic initial results, then watch performance gradually decline. Anna Hedgepeth, Chief Strategy Officer at Cranfill Sumner, observed this cycle happening firsthand at her firm and set out to develop a psychology-based system that would produce lasting results. Anna joins Michelle Calcote King on this "Spill the Ink" episode to discuss the "Most Important Things" (MIT) program, which has increased attorney matter originations by 82% on average at Cranfill Sumner. The disciplined 15-minute biweekly meeting requires attorneys to commit to three specific business development actions and leverages peer accountability to ensure consistency. In this episode, Anna discusses the psychological principles behind lasting behavior change, shares real examples of effective MITs, explains her "no assumptions" rule for client development, and discusses the unexpected benefits of cross-office collaboration. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn Why business development coaching often fails after the initial year and how to spot when programs are losing effectiveness.
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