Winning Strategies: What Legal BD Can Learn from Elite Teams

In this episode of The Legal BD Corner, host Jason Broomfield chats with Darryl Cross, Executive Sales Coach at Norton Rose Fulbright and author of Cultivating Excellence, about what law firms can learn from elite performers—NASA astronauts, Navy SEALs, and pro athletes. They discuss how law firms can apply high-performance training methods, build stronger BD teams, and shift from a volume-based to a strategic, results-driven approach.‍

3 Key Takeaways:

Teams Need Specialists, Not Just Rainmakers – Like in sports, BD teams thrive when they balance diverse skill sets rather than over-relying on top performers.

BD Success is Built, Not Born – Elite performance comes from structured development, not innate talent. Law firms must invest in deliberate practice, training, and simulation-based learning.

Client-Centric BD Wins – The best BD teams structure efforts around key clients and firm priorities, not just internal firm hierarchy.

Meet Darryl  

Darryl Cross is a well-renowned expert in high performance, with over 25 years of experience in the legal industry. He currently serves as the Norton Rose Fulbright’s first in-house coach, where he leverages his vast knowledge to build scalable sales programs and help partners build their own successful practices.

Throughout his career, Darryl has held various influential positions, including Chief Marketing Officer of a law firm, Vice President of Performance Development and Coaching at LexisNexis, Head of Global Sales Enablement for Intapp, and the head of the sales methodology strategy team at Amazon Web Services.

Darryl has an extensive background in researching and studying the practices of successful professionals in high-pressure domains, including astronauts, pilots, athletes, Navy SEALs, surgeons, and trial lawyers. He has shared his insights with over 10,000 lawyers and business executives across 100 countries on five continents, inspiring them to maximize their performance and business results.
As an evangelist of the power of team dynamics, Darryl is the only Certified Team Performance Coach dedicated to the legal industry. He speaks regularly on the importance of building diverse teams to allow individuals to leverage their strengths, build trust between partners, and engage in client-centric collaboration.

In his spare time, Darryl has passions for helping busy rainmakers with physical fitness programs, volunteering as a youth rugby coach, and chasing after his 6-year-old granddaughter at the playground.