Help, my clients won't stop bugging me!

“Why do my clients keep calling with such dumb questions?”

If you’ve been practicing law for any length of time, you’ve probably asked yourself that.

Then I heard someone on a podcast say:

“A lot of our speech doesn’t convey much information. It just tests whether the channel is still open. It’s just asking, ‘Are you still there, and will you respond to me?’”

That idea changed my law practice.

Now, instead of texting:

“Bob, I’ve told you this ten times—the prosecutor isn’t offering to dismiss the charges.”

…I pick up the phone:

“Hey Bob, what questions can I answer for you today?”

Once Bob feels confident he can reach me and get clear answers, he usually stops calling me so often.

The calls weren’t about the facts. They were about connection. And once you understand that, “dumb” questions become some of your best opportunities to build trust.

P.S. If you’re interested in research on communication that maintains relationships without conveying much information, the Wikipedia article on phatic expression is a great place to start.