The MIT Program: How Strong Habits Drove 82% New Business Growth at One Law Firm

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.

• The psychology behind limiting goals to three “Most Important Things” and why this creates sustainable habits.

• How 15-minute biweekly peer accountability calls outperform traditional solo coaching approaches.

• The “no assumptions” rule for business development and why questioning beats assuming client knowledge.

• Implementation advice for keeping programs simple, honoring time commitments and building attorney trust.

• The science behind written goals and peer accountability in professional settings.

• How the program creates unexpected cross-office collaboration and lateral integration benefits.

• Why forward-looking focus beats backward-looking performance reviews for habit formation.

About our featured guest

Anna Hedgepeth is a dynamic leader at the intersection of law, business development and strategic growth. With a strong foundation in public relations and legal education coupled with extensive experience in law firm marketing and strategy, she specializes in translating ideas into actionable business development plans that drive client engagement and organizational success.

As Cranfill Sumner’s first Chief Strategy Officer, Anna plays a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s growth. She serves on the Management Committee, leads the business development and marketing team, and oversees firm-wide strategic initiatives.

Anna is an active leader in the legal marketing and business development community. She serves on the Legal Marketing Association Southeast (LMASE) Regional Board of Directors and previously chaired the 2023 LMASE Regional Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, she has chaired the LMA Raleigh City Group and served on its advisory board. She regularly speaks on various topics including law firm business and development.

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Check out Cranfill Sumner

• Follow Cranfill Sumner on LinkedIn and Facebook

• Connect with Anna Hedgepeth on LinkedIn

• Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink.

Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms. 

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