Home > Search for "mentor"

Why Coaching and Mentoring Are Vital To Every Lawyer’s Career Planning

Written by

“I wish I had a mentor.” I have heard that statement uttered by more lawyers over the past 18 years than any other except perhaps, “I hate billable hours!” That lawyers want more mentoring doesn’t surprise me. Mentoring and coaching are critical to every lawyer’s career development. In fact, after education, such support is widely held to be the second most significant factor in becoming a successful lawyer.

Law School Does Not Teach You How To Be A Lawyer

Mentoring is not just for young lawyers, either. The need for mentoring and coaching cuts across all stages of career, all practice areas, all environments, all sizes of law firms, in-house departments, genders, ages, races and geographic areas. From the minute we ventured forth from the halls of law school we heard, “Law school does not teach you how to be a lawyer.” Have you ever had one of those dreams where you show up for a final exam and realize you never attended that class and haven’t a clue about the exam? Starting out stone cold in the practice of law felt like that to me. Okay I’m here, now what do I do?

If mentoring is such a key building block in our professional career development, why do most lawyers report that they never received the mentoring and coaching they felt they needed?

When The Bottom Line Rules, Associates Lose

Simply stated, things are not the way they used to be in the legal profession. The modern practice of law with its current myopic focus on the bottom line leaves little time or incentive for developing truly impactful mentoring relationships among lawyers. This leads to a major gap in the acculturation of the vast majority of associates. The lawyers, the firm and clients suffer.

It was not like that in the “good old days.” When my father graduated from law school in the early 1950′s, he started with a firm and right away had a very experienced, successful mentor who was eager to show him the ropes, share his knowledge, give advice, introduce him to the “right” people, work with him and groom him to be a successful trial lawyer. That was common practice in those days.

This organic mentoring relationship has pretty much gone by the wayside. It exists only rarely, and hardly ever for women and minorities. When my brothers and I got out of law school in the 1980s, we each expected to be mentored as my father was. We were surprised and disappointed when that never happened. A large number of my law school classmates had the same negative experience.

Associates Must Take Matters Into Their Own Hands

What has been done to fix the problem? Law firms started various kinds of formal mentoring programs in the 1980s but these have had only marginal success. According to managers in major law firms I have interviewed, these programs that continue today are not meeting the need (even though the firm proudly touts them!) and associates are still not experiencing the relationship part of mentoring that is so critical to their development. The mentor they are assigned is either not fully invested in the concept of mentoring, or does not have the training to be good at it. In fact mentoring skills run contrary to a lawyer’s strengths. On the other side of the equation, young associates do not know how to look for mentoring experiences and instead wait passively for something that rarely happens.

Is there anything that I could have done differently coming out of law school? Is there anything that lawyers today can be doing for themselves while waiting for firms to implement better mentoring programs? Absolutely! Instead of waiting
for the ideal mentor to show up at your office door, you can take full responsibility for your career and seek out opportunities to be mentored. It’s the approach I share with the lawyers I coach in other aspects of career development – whether finding new jobs, alternative careers, or building bigger client bases.

Take Full Responsibility. Build A Network. Create A Plan

There are excellent mentors to be found, but you have to orient yourself three ways. First, you have to take full responsibility for your career and understand that your career development has always been and always will be up to you. Second, you need to shift from thinking of mentoring as something you get from one person. You need to have more than one mentor and think in terms of building a network of people you can turn to for a variety of things – a mentoring “board of advisors.” Third, you need to create and follow a strategic plan, much as you would when conducting a job search or targeting a new client. This is where the rubber meets the road and it takes time, focus and purpose.

You need to get clear about your personal goals for career and business development and create a career development plan. Temporarily at least, you need to stop thinking like a lawyer. Instead of driving yourself crazy obsessing about all the risks and potential downsides in every situation just try to relax and picture where you want to go with your career. Ask yourself: Who do I want to be in five years? Ten years? What kind of clients do I want to be serving? What kind of practice do I want to have? And what are the qualities and attributes of a successful person with that kind of career and practice?

Once you have a vision for your career, you can break it down into manageable, tactical pieces and set goals to get there. You can identify the steps you need to take at each stage, including the skills you need to have, the people you need to meet, the clients you need to have, and so on.

Find A Mentor Who Fits The Stage Of Your Career

There are some mentoring needs that most lawyers have in common. New lawyers need to focus on developing skills, competencies, professional identity, work/life balance and how to progress on the partnership track if that is what they want, or where to look for alternatives if they don’t want to be a partner. Lawyers who have practiced three to five years also need to learn about leadership, marketing, human resource management, and the financial realities of the law business.

Nor does lawyer development stop when you reach partnership. For experienced lawyers, it is important to find mentoring at transition points – redirecting one’s area of practice, changing employment, or even changing professions. For senior lawyers it can be about many of the same things as well as keeping up with technological changes.

Once you have your career plan in place, you can create a mentoring plan. I don’t mean look for one person to fill all your needs. As I said earlier, the odds of that happening are slim to none. Once you have identified the various areas in which
you need mentoring, you can identify the people who can help you. For example, if you have decided that one of your long-term goals is to be a well-known speaker, then you need to find a mentor who has contacts, influence, and may be able to teach you presentation skills. You would likely choose a different person to mentor you in managing competing work demands; one who is well organized and could show you practical techniques and strategies.

Good Mentoring And The Role Of Coaching

Aside from technical skills, what should you look for in a mentor? What I have found in my personal experiences on both the mentor/coach and protégé sides is that good mentors need to be able to play different roles at different times, depending on the situation. Sometimes they need to instruct and give guidance, sometimes they need to give constructive criticism, and sometimes they need to be more of a coach. Always they need to have patience, to care about the other person’s success, to be supportive, perceptive, a good listener and able to help protégés help themselves.

What I see missing from most formal mentoring relationships in firms is the coaching role, which most lawyers do not know how to play effectively. It requires dramatically different skills from the analytical, directive ones expected from a lawyer. It is more like the Socratic method that is used by first year law professors. The mentor asks the protégé questions that help her discover answers that are inside her already. The coach’s role is that of a sounding board, facilitator, counselor and awareness raiser. Often the coach says little to nothing. Instead, he asks questions to get a clear understanding of what the protégé thinks, wants, and needs. He listens closely to the answers and often asks more questions to help the protégé discover her own answers.

Instead of the mentor telling the protégé how to correct a difficult problem, handle an assignment, or rescuing her from a mistake, he leads her to think through a situation, tap into her own experience and knowledge, and find her own way. By investing a little time on the front end of this ‘coaching conversation’ the partner saves much more time going forward because the associate becomes increasingly more self-reliant, confident and less dependent on the partner. It’s much like the adage, ‘Pay me now or pay me later.’

There are two key reasons why the coaching role is so important to good mentoring. First, it leads to a deeper level of learning both for the person being mentored and for the mentor. Second, it also makes for a higher quality relationship characterized by mutual trust, respect and more open communication. Not a bad payoff for a few extra minutes of attention by the partner!

Since very few lawyers have intuitive coaching skills it may be difficult to find a mentor who also can play the coach role. However coaching skills can be taught and learned, and hopefully one day this type of training will be a regular part of formal mentoring programs. Meanwhile coaching skills can be found in people who may not otherwise be positioned to serve as your mentor. So you can have both, just not in the same person.

Now that you know what you want in a mentor, how are you going to articulate to a potential mentor what you offer? Be ready to talk about your specific goals and explain why this person has the skills and abilities to help you. You don’t even have to use the term mentor – just be precise about what you want him to do and why.

Mentors Come In All Shapes, Sizes And Philosophies

How do you find mentors? You start by networking to identify prospects, both in your firm or company and outside of it. Look at partners, co-workers, ex-bosses, and colleagues in other practices. Business and professional organizations,community groups, and personal interest groups are other sources. For a senior lawyer, a junior partner who is technologically savvy can be a mentor. Don’t assume it has to be someone senior to you – you can find mentoring opportunities everywhere. Talk to friends in the profession and find out who their resources are. Remember, non-lawyers can be great mentors and can teach important practice skills. If your goal is to be a better negotiator, look to business people and mediators as possible mentors. If you need to be better at analyzing complex financial data, seek out an accountant or financial advisor. In return, you can offer your experience and insight as a mentor to them.

Once you identify someone, take the initiative to build a personal relationship. You can take the indirect approach and find opportunities to get to know her better before asking her to assist you. You can also take the direct approach – ask her for ten minutes to talk and lay your cards on the table. Describe your goals, be clear about what you want, and estimate how much of her time it will take. Approach this person with the attitude that you are trying to emulate her, not asking to be taken care of. She is more likely to be willing to share what works for her rather than to help you do your work.

Demonstrate from the outset that you are someone worth investing time in. What I hear most mentors say they want to see in a potential protégé includes: ambition, integrity, determination, a positive attitude, good listening and interpersonal skills, and willingness to take responsibility for her own career. Emphasize your own responsibility in the relationship and be confident about your abilities and how they can help you become a better lawyer.

Lessons That Last A Lifetime

I have to admit that I did not practice what I’m preaching to you here when I entered the profession. Partly because I did not know how, but mainly because I knew early on that the practice of law was not for me. I have, however, followed this approach in my subsequent careers. When I stepped out of the practice in 1991 to start a company placing experienced contract lawyers, I immediately came up with a business plan and determined who I wanted on my personal Board of Advisors. I knew I had a lot to learn about networking, marketing, and all the other aspects of running a business. I began to develop close relationships with a few like-minded, experienced lawyers who believed in what I was doing, who could help pave the way in my networking efforts. I hired a business coach to work with me weekly in all aspects of business skill development.

I have continued to do this in my new career as a professional life coach. When I decided to transition into a coaching career, I sought out coaches I already knew and joined several coaching associations. By doing this I have established
wonderful relationships with coaches more experienced than I, to whom I turn for coaching when I need it. I now have another personal Board of Advisors. As I identify new competencies and situations for which I need mentoring, I seek out new mentors and will continue to do so the rest of my professional life.

About the author of this article: Anne H. Whitaker, vice president of Counsel On Call’s Atlanta office, has more than 20 years of combined experience in coaching, consulting, marketing, law and education. In 1991, she co-founded In-House Counsel, Inc., a pioneering contract attorney placement company in Atlanta. Prior to entering the business world, Ms. Whitaker practiced real estate law in private practice for five years.  She received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1986, where she served on the editorial board of the Georgia Law Review.  She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Atlanta Bar Association, Lawyers Club of Atlanta, and Georgia Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) and has created, chaired and spoken at numerous seminars for lawyers on career development and transition. She provides career development coaching for lawyers, is founding member and co- chair of the Atlanta Bar Career Management Committee, and is a licensed provider of the Highlands Ability Battery and other career-related assessments.  To contact Ms. Whitaker, visit www.counseloncall.com.

Tags by users:

Categories: Legal coaching - Tags: coaching lawyers, legal coach, legal coaching, legal coaching for attorneys, legal mentoring, mentoring

Effective Storytelling Helps Attorneys Help Their Clients

Written by

Why do we tell stories? As my University of San Diego School of Law Professor, Steve Hartwell, often reminded me, “As  homo narrans’, we naturally know that the story is the relationship.” Stories give our lives their meaning. We order the chaos of the universe, we learn, we teach, we mourn, we celebrate all through our stories.

The story is the relationship. We tell tales to connect with another, and to find the meaning we crave. We crave meaning because we are human. The stories we hear and tell humanize us. The best way I know to make a connection: tell a story and ask to hear one.

About this time last year I met a man named Max. Max is an artist but not the traditional sort. He works for a company that designs and manufactures sports trading cards and trading card games where he creates spectacular, magical characters from dark monsters to ninja fighters to mythical lords and ladies. With his exquisite eye for color, he earned a reputation for highly detailed designs. Though he appears professionally trained, he is self-taught. Curious, I asked him how he learned to do his art.

Max pulled a creased 8 x 10 glossy out of his wallet. He unfolded it crease by careful crease and handed it to me, asking me what I thought of the car in the picture. I told him it reminded me of something that happened in my early adolescence. He asked what memory could his 1965 Ford Mustang have for me. I told Max this story.

It was an early summer evening in South Jersey. My father, who worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories, brought home Vince, a fellow who had just started working with him. Vince was Polish as we were. My dad wanted to give Vince a proper welcome so he invited him to our house for dinner, mid-week. Vince drove up to our house in a yellow 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. The top was down, and the radio was playing Frank Sinatra singing “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” He asked us kids if we wanted to go for a spin around the block. Would we? All five of us piled in onto the white leather upholstery. I sat in the front seat right next to Vince as he shifted gears into first, then second, then third. We cruised along Scotch Plains Avenue. And I fell in love. That there must have been some 15 years between us was a small detail.

In time, Vince married. He and my father still keep in touch. To this day Ford Mustang convertibles have a special place in my once-adolescent heart. Standing there with the photo of his red Mustang in my hand I told Max I hadn’t thought of that memory in years.

I bet that now, Gentle Reader, you are wondering how Max’s picture of a 1965 cherry red Ford Mustang convertible would tell me the story of how he learned to draw. Here’s how: Max grew up on a small Hawaiian island. The roads on his island were mostly dirt roads. Few people owned cars. And the cars they owned were utilitarian, working cars dusty, dirty, wired together. But there was one that caught his eye: a 1965 red Ford Mustang convertible. It was the pride and joy of a farmer’s college son.

As a child, Max drew cars with crayons. He copied them out of magazines, comic books and the Sears Roebuck catalogue. He told me that his older brother was always after him to improve his drawings. Max could learn this, his brother told him, by paying attention to details. So after school and in their free time, Max and his older brother sat by the side of the road waiting for a car to drive by. When one did, the boys focused on a single, pre-determined detail. Maybe it was the silhouette of the car as it approached. Another time the line of the fenders. Then the shape of the windshield or the side view mirrors. Or the color of the paint as the light struck at various times of day.

They especially paid attention when that 1965 cherry red Mustang purred on by. Then, Max would stand and watch. That car slid by so slowly you could see yourself in the glossy paint. Over and over again Max would draw what he saw. He learned to draw cars so well you could just about hear the engines, smell the exhaust, and feel the heat glancing off a shiny window.

The story does not end there. When Max was older and had saved some money, he began to search online for a 1965 Ford Mustang to rebuild. Eventually he located the chassis of the car in a barn. He bought it, and over time, piece by piece, he restored it to its present mint condition. It was his car pictured in the creased 8 x 10 glossy he keeps in his wallet. Every detail was perfect, down to the cherry red paint. Just like the trading cards he designs.

I am an RN, JD and professionally-trained storyteller who is lucky to be working with attorneys. I help them identify the story they need to tell on behalf of their clients. I test the legal story in front of focus groups to learn how they respond to the story. As Frank Luntz reminds us, “It’s not what we say; it’s what they hear.” Once I know how research participants respond to the story, we have the power to change and reshape the message so we have the best chance at a favorable outcome at trial or alternative dispute resolution.

This article kicks off a series on storytelling for your professional and personal lives. I have a great deal to say, and I welcome what you want to learn. Please keep me posted on what interests you, how you are experiencing the exercises I’ve suggested, and what burning question about storytelling can we quench.

Here’s your first exercise: Buy a notebook and keep it handy. Use it to jot down images, ideas, phrases, impressions, and events as they occur to you that you might like to feature in a story. One of the first challenges of writing a story will be to allow yourself to  puke on the page.’ As my mentors told me, first the right brain creates and then the left brain edits. It’s always in that order. Give the right brain its due and let it  puke on the page.’ The left brain will clean it up.

Now, your first reading assignment: The Power Of Personal Storytelling by Jack Maguire, (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam), 1998. It will help you shape your personal story.

Tags by users:

Categories: Legal writing - Tags: attorneys, law professor, legal writing, public speaking, storytelling for lawyers, university of sandiego

Become A Voluntourist

Written by

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. – Marcel Proust

We usually think of a voyage of discovery in terms of traveling to new places, seeing new landscapes. I certainly do. I’ve spent much of my life visiting new places, discovering what goes on there and who hangs out there. It’s my passion!

But Proust suggests that the real voyage of discovery is not accomplished by visiting or revisiting new places. He suggests that real discovery comes through having new eyes.

New eyes means seeing in a new way, with new insight, and from different perspectives, with a different focus. In doing so, we embark on a voyage of discovery in an entirely new dimension. Who knows? we may stumble upon dragons (friendly, of course) swimming in this new sea! Beginning a voyage of discovery by definition means that we don’t know what we’ll find, that the voyage is unpredictable. And what makes it unpredictable isn’t that we haven’t been there before, but that we’re seeing with new eyes.

I like this idea; it appeals to me, and I can apply this to everything that I do, and to the world at hand. If we focus on discovering the world through new eyes, we can view recent events on Wall Street, Main Street, and even Pennsylvania Avenue in new ways. Certainly, we can travel the world with new eyes.

Voluntourism Translates An Old Idea Into A New Context

Journeying to extend the hand of kindness, understanding and compassion is as ancient a reason to travel as travel itself. Now we refer to this type of travel as Voluntourism. The opportunities are endless. In a world flattened by technology, world markets, air travel, and a 24/7 news cycle, we all know how much need exists. When curious travelers address this need, the results can be stunning. For a few hours, days, or weeks, travelers can offer up soft or hard skills, whether physical, technical, or social. Swing a hammer. Sort through recycled lumber. Read a book. Hold a child. Paint a school. Ride a bike. Count ants by day. Count turtles by night. Or simply take a trip knowing that part of the proceeds are going towards good causes.

This type of travel, once cynically characterized as Do-Gooder Travel, is now so mainstream that it’s almost overlooked. Behind every responsible travel company is a flow of cash that supports the communities in which they operate. Many offer programs that are wholly devoted to or include time to give a little back to people, plants, and animals; that support shelter, education, conservation, and sustainability.

In the 1980s, fluffy white harp seals were endangered because the economy of the Magdalen Islands off the coast of eastern Canada depended on harvesting these animals. Nat Hab’s founder, Ben Bressler (who comes from a family of attorneys), took on the task of changing the Islands’ economic focus: instead of killing the seals with clubs, inhabitants built a sustainable economy by protecting the seals and creating a then emerging eco/nature-travel business. The islanders receive money in the long term by preserving the resource rather than destroying it in the short run. Still a hallmark expedition, Natural Habitat has educated thousands of travelers by giving them a first-hand experience of eco-tourism, and has kept money flowing to the Magdalens.

Today, Nat Hab is a poster organization for what you can do with sound business practices, a big heart, and an eye to what makes long-term green sense. It is the first carbon-neutral, worldwide travel company that also offers a choice of conservation benefits. Taking it to the next level, they have developed a practical way to not just neutralize, but reduce their footprint by including hybrid safari vehicles in their fleet that run on used cooking oil!

As Ben pointed out, Escape Adventures, specializes in active travel in western North America, also offers hybrid vehicles. “This company is a leader in the field and has become a collaborator and mentor to us,” he said.

Incorporate Volunteering Into Your Travel

Olaf Malvar is a pioneer and a real-deal explorer. His brainchild, Explorers’ Corner, is a referral-only, high-end specialty adventure company. If the prospect of kayaking the Antarctic Peninsula, trekking the Caucasus Mountains, or paddling between the Galapagos Islands whets your travel appetite, then this is your community of dreamers and achievers. Olaf and his company support the indigenous peoples in their locales, especially the northern tribal communities, a fact that isn’t publicized on their website or in their newsletter.

Myths and Mountains, an inspired travel company that focuses on the people and cultures of the world’s high altitudes, was founded by Dr. Toni Neubauer who has a love for Asian travel. Toni also created READ Global, a nonprofit global organization dedicated to empowering communities by increasing literacy and access to education through the creation, advancement and leveraging of a replicable library-based model for sustainable economic development in other words, it draws on the “teach a man to fish” model that reaches deep into the fabric of a people. This year, READ Nepal received the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2006 Access to Learning Award. Toni also received the Walk the Talk Global Citizen Award. As a result of Toni’s efforts, you can go library to library with M&M on their Mountains, Monkeys and Books visit in Nepal. (You can also motorcycle the Ho Chi Minh Trail of Vietnam!)

Here are some other organizations that promote voluntourism:

Global Volunteers, headquartered in Minnesota. Bud Philbrook, an attorney, got hooked back in the 1980s on his honeymoon and eventually developed this amazing little company.

Classic Escapes works closely with alumni and non-profit organizations through their Global Philanthropy projects in Africa, Latin America, and Jordon. Founder Stacy Fiorentinos is passionate about bringing the world closer.

Cross-Cultural Solutions combines international travel with philanthropy. It’s perfect if you want to focus on service, adding travel on the weekends or before/after you volunteer. You can also check out uVolunteer.

If you want to feel good about the world, yourself and your travels, hop into a vegetable-fueled vehicle, pick up a paint brush, offer up your professional services and see the world with new eyes.

Tags by users:

Categories: Travel - Tags: attorneys volunteering, classic escapes, cross cultural solutions, global volunteers, lawyers volunteering, travel, volunteer, voluntourism

What’s Your Grade In Law Firm Romance 101?

Written by

In light of the run-away success of Sex in the City, this might be a good time to deconstruct romance in the workplace. Over the years I’ve seen many decent people blindsided, and many others who end up hurting or embarrassing either themselves or, worse yet, innocent bystanders. Though all professional schools (and risk managers) should provide office sex education, focusing on how well-meaning, good people can fall into potentially compromising situations, they don’t which leaves us pretty much on our own to deal with difficult feelings and circumstances. Yet there’s nothing new about falling in love at work; most situations are fairly predictable.

The Intensity Of The Workplace Fosters Romance

The workplace can become so intense that boundaries blur and we’re tempted to throw caution to the winds. When strong feelings develop, often unexpectedly, it’s easy to conclude that you’re in love. But instead of surrendering, or reacting with stupefied surprise, it’s best to make intentional decisions, which are easier to make if you’re prepared for them.

Why is it anyone else’s business if two people who work together fall in love or begin an affair? Putting aside practical concerns like lawsuits, malpractice claims and ethics charges, organizations are complex systems and unbalanced relationships impact the whole team. There really isn’t any way to insulate the work environment. Questions about fairness, confidentiality, and the team’s survival if the relationship dies inevitably arise; communication is often disrupted and trust compromised.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Here are a few situations to be on guard for.

Office Parties Often Create Havoc

Office parties have a notorious reputation and with good reason. During work hours, we all experience a variety of feelings we don’t act on, ranging from anger toward others to attraction. Throwing an annual office party is a way we all get to let off a little steam. It’s a socially acceptable outlet, like a roast, or Mardi Gras. Granted, we all have fantasies, but once we act on them, we can’t always fit them back into the neat little box of our imagination. Remember: most of what happens in the heat of an alcohol-based event doesn’t survive the hangover, except as an embarrassing (and occasionally career-ending) bad dream.

Trials Can Become Romantic Hotbeds

Preparing for a trial can be akin to producing, directing and starring in a play both are dramatic, intense situations in which the stakes are high, hours are long, and you are on the same team. It’s not unusual for a romance to blossom, even though it will most likely fade after the wrap. None of the players is immune lawyers, clients, witnesses, experts, investment bankers. Wise attorneys will postpone any undying declarations of love until after the cast party is long over.

Rescuing A Client In Distress Can Be Sexy

Like therapists, lawyers have to work hard to not confuse the admiration and gratitude they receive from their clients for love. This is easier said than done. When people entrust you with their most difficult, and sometimes most intimate matters, it can be a heady experience. Who doesn’t love to be flattered, admired, appreciated and deferred to especially if we don’t receive quite the same attention from our families. In these situations, your clients need to believe that you are the most brilliant, experienced, and dedicated lawyer in the world; this allows them to weather situations over which they have lost control. Just make sure you don’t mistake these intense feelings for something they’re not.

Avoid The Mentor/Protégé Mix-up

In most offices, an informal mentoring relationship often develops between people who like each other. People generally choose to mentor someone who shares their interests, outlook, or values. Protégés admire and appreciate those who single them out for attention and guidance but these are often the same feelings that can lead to attraction and romance. But a mentoring relationship is, by definition, not between equals, and mentors bear the responsibility for protecting their protégés from the inherent vulnerability of this relationship. Wise protégés need to recognize that their mentors may not have completed Romance 101 and, therefore, should keep their own eyes open.

Don’t Become A Fool For Love

Some wonderful, passionate, caring and intense people men and women simply fall in love time after time. Often, they are charismatic, attractive and charming. They thrive on the depth and intensity of true love and seem to have a difficult time adjusting to ordinary life when the bloom fades. The last thing they want is to hurt anyone, but unfortunately they do. Men may be especially susceptible to this since our culture doesn’t allow them much room for emotional expression, and falling in love is an acceptable outlet. To protect yourself, notice patterns your own or your suitor’s. Once you’ve been down this path a couple times, ask yourself what role romance plays in your life. Is it a substitute for coming to terms with yourself? How are your serial romances impacting the lives of the people you care about? Conversely, if you are the latest object of affection, you need to ask yourself what happened to the most recent flame because you’re probably going to wind up like her (or him).

If you find yourself in one of these situations, the best thing to do is pause. Don’t enter into romantic relationships in charged circumstances until you can test your feelings in the cold, mundane light of day. If you can’t extricate yourself, talk to your firm’s risk manager or Human Resources representative. The conversation may be hard, but the one you initiate will undoubtedly go better than the one you are summoned to.

For law office managers, an ounce of prevention will save you tons of cure. Talk to the people involved before a relationship becomes an “issue.” When people understand the risks inherent in charged situations, they are much more likely to handle themselves admirably without your intervention. Second, establish clearly articulated norms about office relationships; that way, people will know what to avoid. Third, establish that “don’t ask, don’t tell” won’t work in your firm. Talking to people about personal relationships violates a host of cultural taboos, so the default expectation is that no one is going to raise the subject until it’s unavoidable at which point it’s usually too late to salvage. Let it be known that you are determined to have difficult conversations early. In fact, read the book: Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss what Matters Most by Stone, Patton, Heen and Fisher (Penguin Paperback,2000).

Tags by users:

Categories: Law Practice Management - Tags: law firm, law firm romance, law practice, law practice management, women lawyers, workplace romance

What Makes Stephanie Lewis Successful?

Written by

TCL: What’s Your Personal Definition Of Success?
Success is making a difference in others’ lives and maintaining joy, passion, and excellence in life and work. I believe that my life is a success when I use my gifts in ways that best serve my family, friends, community, clients, and partners.

TCL: Who Is The Most Successful Person You Know?
I have been blessed to learn from and work with some of the most talented and successful people in their respective fields throughout my professional career, so I can’t limit this answer to one person. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, one of my professors was Jack Boger, who continues to build on his past successes as a longtime professor and civil rights champion to reach and influence bigger audiences as the current Dean of UNC Law School. I was fortunate to clerk for Chief Judge Karen J. Williams of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and Judge P. Michael Duffy of the United States District Court of South Carolina. Their careers as practitioners and jurists epitomize the success that comes from hard work, humility, intelligence, charisma, and skill. I now work with Andy Satterfield, who is widely recognized as one of the most successful and knowledgeable employment lawyers in the country. Andy has taught me that success comes not only from providing the highest quality legal services but also from building personal relationships with our clients.

TCL: What Have Been Your Greatest Accomplishments?
My greatest accomplishment so far has been working with Abby Edwards of the Charleston School of Law and Jeff Yungman of Crisis Ministries to start a legal clinic for the Crisis Ministries homeless shelter in Charleston, South Carolina. The legal clinic is changing communities and lives by serving a segment of the population that lacked the resources and abilities to navigate legal barriers. Law can be a great instrument of positive change and hope, and that’s illustrated in the successes of the Crisis Ministries Legal Clinic.

TCL: What Have Been Your Setbacks Or Disappointments?
I am sure that I have suffered setbacks and disappointments, but I think it’s important not to dwell on past disappointments and instead learn from them and use them as opportunities for bigger successes.

TCL: What Influence Did Your Mother Have On Your Life?
My mother taught me the importance of hard work and independence.

TCL: What Influence Did Your Father Have On Your Life?
My father is easily the most influential person in my life. We are best friends, and he is the first person I go to with any problem or question. He is the reason I decided to become a lawyer, and his law practice showed me the positive impact lawyers can have on their communities as problem solvers and trusted confidantes.

TCL: Name One Of Your Heroes (Other Than Your Parents) AndTell Why He Or She Is Heroic To You
Apart from my father, my personal heroes are Ronald Reagan, Justice Antonin Scalia, and Winston Churchill. Each has made contributions to society that I find inspirational. I am also awed by the sacrifices made by the men and women serving in our armed forces.

TCL: What Talents Or Natural Abilities Make You Good At What You Do?
I have a great deal of energy and focus which have served me well in my practice. I also love legal research and writing.

TCL: What Have You Learned To Do That Was Not A Natural Talent But Has Helped You Be Successful?
I have become somewhat obsessive about proper grammar and bluebooking which definitely did not come naturally to me.

TCL: What Would A Person Starting Out Today Have To Do To Enter Your Profession Or Position?
There is no substitute for hard work and preparation. I recommend that all young attorneys find an area of law that they love and work hard to learn it. I also believe that mentors are critical to building a successful career.

TCL: What Values Do You Hold In Highest Regard?
I prize loyalty, hard work, wisdom, and public service.

TCL: How Would You Characterize Your Personal Style?
I like classic, tailored pieces and love heels.

TCL: Do You Have A Personal Vision, A Positive Picture Of Yourself In The Future? If Yes, What Is It?
My personal vision for the future is to continue to build a successful employment practice at Jackson Lewis and to help my clients’ businesses grow and strengthen. I also remain committed to public service with a focus on public education and advocacy for the homeless and indigent.

TCL: What Are You Most Interested In Or Passionate About?
I am passionate about my work. I love employment law and get a great deal of satisfaction from every aspect of my practice, but I especially love litigating and trying cases. I am equally passionate about serving others through politics, volunteering, and pro bono work.

TCL: Which Life Skills Have You Developed That Serve You Best?
Hard work and discipline.

TCL: What magazines, newspapers or journals do you read regularly?
The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time, and Newsweek.

TCL: What Internet Websites Do You Frequent?
Realclearpolitics.com, Washingtonpost.com, Slate.com, weeklystandard.com, and howappealing.law.com.

TCL: What Are Your Favorite Books? What Books Have You Read Recently That You Would Recommend And Why?
My favorite books are The Screwtape Letters, Celebration of Discipline, and The Kite Runner. I recently read Eat Love Pray, and it resonated with me on a number of different levels. I would recommend it to anyone who is going through a time of change.

TCL: What Are Your Favorite Films? What Films Have You Seen Recently That You Would Recommend And Why?
My favorite films are classics, including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Miracle on 34th Street, and Casablanca.

TCL: What Is Your Biggest Concern About Life On The Planet?
Terrorism.

TCL: What Is Fun For You?
Traveling, running, swimming, wine tasting, and politics.

TCL: What Especially Galls You?
Laziness and bad attitudes.

TCL: If You Had It To Do All Over Again, What Would You Do Differently? Why?
Nothing. I think my failures and mistakes have been as important in defining my character as any successes.

TCL: What Do You Want To Make Sure You Accomplish Before You Die?
I would like to live in Italy for a year.

TCL: Is There Anything You?d Like To Add?
Thank you!

Stephanie E. Lewis, an associate at Jackson Lewis LLP in Greenville, South Carolina, practices in the area of labor and employment law. She represents employers in all aspects of employment law before state and federal agencies and courts, including Title VII discrimination and sexual harassment claims, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, wrongful termination, and breach of handbook claims. Ms. Lewis served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Charleston County Bar (2005-2007). She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Crisis Ministries and United Ministries and is a co-founder of the Crisis Ministries Legal Clinic. In 2006-2007, Ms. Lewis was an adjunct Legal Research and Writing professor at the Charleston School of Law. Ms. Lewis received the 2006 South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Award.

Tags by users:

Categories: South Carolina Bar - Tags: associate, employment law, federal agencies, lawyer, legal research, south carolina bar, south carolina bar pro bono award, stephanie lewis, women lawyers

Law Career Profile: Jeri O’Hara

Written by

“On my husband’s advice, and with $20,000 from a class action settlement, I decided to go to law school – which I’d never considered before,” said Jeri O’Hara, who is now a partner in an insurance defense practice in Jacksonville, Florida. She graduated with a criminology degree from Florida State University and was the first woman hired in the local federal medium-security prison system. Originally, she had applied for a job with the Tallahassee Police Department: Though she was the only female to pass all the tests, she never got the job, which gave rise to a discrimination lawsuit in 1976. While the suit was pending, she became an FBI agent working in Jacksonville until the FBI announced its intention to transfer her to Detroit. Jeri quit the FBI, took the LSAT, and decided on the University of Florida for law school with the dream of “becoming a prosecutor.”

Jeri was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1986, and first worked as a law clerk for the circuit court judges in Jacksonville before becoming a state’s attorney, prosecuting cases in juvenile court. By then, she had two daughters. Later, she became a county court judge in the local circuit. When she lost her race for re-election, she returned to the prosecutor’s office. Eventually, Jeri became a partner with her husband, Steve; they have been working together for the past 13 years. Aside from raising her two daughters “who are rooted in their faith and maintain high moral standards,” Jeri describes her law firm as one of her greater accomplishments to date because it’s a “successful firm (financially) with 10 lawyers and 16 support staff, and we’ve never had to lay anyone off or worry about making payroll.” Further, she said, the firm “. . . is well-respected in our community because of the honorable way we practice law.”

Stuff Happens

Jeri’s life experiences shaped her balanced view of work. Aside from having to leave law enforcement, which was a true passion, she also faced the challenge of losing her mother to cancer when she was young, in addition to suffering through deaths of other family members. These setbacks make “everything else in life just ‘child’s play,’” she said.

“My career is not guided by a vision,” she adds; “rather, I’m most interested in making sure my clients get through the ‘system’ without disliking lawyers as much as most people do today. All I want for them is the best representation with the fewest bad memories. The practice of law can be truly rewarding if you are not focused on the money.”

Finding A Niche

The six years she served as an FBI agent, prison probation officer, and state investigator gave Jeri compassion for those who end up on the wrong end of the criminal justice system. “I worked in all areas of criminal justice, and see the impact of poor family circumstances on the lives of our youth,” she said. “A lot of crime is related to the hopelessness that comes from a difficult domestic environment.”

“High morals at home and honesty at work are my constant drivers,” she said, adding, “I am very aggressive, too. My husband has taught me to ‘tone it down,’ and I’m much better than 10 years ago, but I believe it’s because I always lived in a male-dominated world in my career,” she said. “When men are called ‘great’ in their line of work, women are called ‘aggressive’ for doing the same thing,” she explained. “I live each day the best I can because living without regrets allows me to sleep soundly at night.”

Defining Success

“We try hard to instill a team spirit with our associates,” Jeri said, “and to mentor them with the view that gaining respect is more important than winning.” One of her favorite books describes her personal philosophy well. “When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box teaches that in the end your relationship with God and other human beings counts above everything else,” Jeri explained, “because you are not taking any ‘pieces’ of the game with you, when you die.”

Tags by users:

Categories: Law Career Development - Tags: attorney, career profile, florida bar, jeri o'hara, law career profile, lawyer, woman associate, woman lawyer

Be The Go-To Associate In Your Firm

Written by

You talk to your friends and colleagues at other law firms. You probably know about the culture at the firms, the personalities of the partners and the partnership tracks. If you are a younger associate, you might even know the salary scales. With a growing population of lawyers in their 50s and 60s who are looking toward retirement, firms across the country are figuring out how to retain clients and maintain profitability through a major leadership transition.

Some of their strategies have included opening branch offices in the U.S. and other countries, diversifying practice areas and hiring less expensive paralegals to do the work that was previously done by associates. Partnership tracks have lengthened and there is no longer a guarantee that you will be offered a partnership. Whether or not you want a partnership, you should know how to get noticed and be the beneficiary of a partner’s mentorship and book of business.

Make Connections

Go-To Associates understand the importance of relationships inside and outside the firm. By observing the dynamics of the firm, they understand who has power. It is often just as important to relate well to the managing partner’s legal assistant as it is to your practice manager. Continue to talk to your peers in the legal field and referral fields such as accounting and finance. This is important for your career as well as future business development as your peers gain influence.

Ask For Opportunities

Some associates are comfortable taking orders; others assume they won’t get an opportunity until a partner leaves or retires. Waiting around for rain isn’t a good idea in any career. Ask to sit in on client meetings. Come up with a list of blog ideas geared toward young associates and recruitment and suggest them to the bloggers in your firm. Offer to set up or update a partner’s Facebook profile. Ask partners for work beyond your caseload or professional development plan. If you are open to it, ask about opportunities in branch offices. Sincere requests communicate motivation and initiative to firm leaders.

Be Visible, Not Overworked

You can demonstrate initiative without working 80 hours a week. Volunteer for firm committees and events or play on the softball team. Respond to emails in the evening or on weekends, which can subtly communicate a strong work ethic and time management. You can write for firm publications and pass on articles of interest to your team. Ask colleagues or your practice manager to lunch to build rapport. Actively participate in young professionals groups and industry associations.

Yes, these ideas are primarily non-billable. But they are common- sense professional development strategies that are easy to overlook when you are busy taking orders. Firm leaders are thinking about their exit strategy constantly; their thoughts will fall to the associates who are top of mind. If you were them, who would be your Go-To Associate in the firm? Be that person.

Tags by users:

Categories: Law Associates - Tags: attorney, culture at the firm, law associates, law firm, lawyer, legal assistant, young associate

Diversity Officers Promote Inclusion And Retention

Written by

On February 18, 2003, I became the country’s first Chief Diversity Officer at K & L (now K & L Gates), one of America’s Fortune 100 law firms. As a full-time management-level executive officer on diversity, I reported to the chairman of the management committee and attended all management meetings of the firm. The appointment was heralded by the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of PPG Industries, Inc., Jim Diggs as “groundbreaking.” The July/August 2003 Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s publication’s Diversity & the Bar featured the appointment in an article entitled, “Above the Cut: Law Firms Raise the Bar.” In short, my appointment signaled the start of a movement that placed diversity front and center for law firms around the country.

I had the unique opportunity to work directly with the managing partner and members of the management committee on a regular if not daily basis to forge the firm’s diversity mission. This degree of contact was necessary: without it, the firm could not have attempted to change its culture, as well as its demographic composition.

At the firm’s management meetings, diversity was always the first item of business. I worked with every office’s administrative partner on its office’s particular goals and objectives. I also worked with the chief officer for professional development and recruitment on acquiring a diverse workforce and then putting into play a comprehensive professional development program with a structured mentoring component. We hired two full-time lawyers, as professional development coordinators who, along with me, went to every office and worked with all the associates on their development plans and competencies for their yearly progress, encouraging them to grow as individuals within the firm. I also worked with a specialist on work/life balance issues.

We were also the first firm to hire a full-time Director of Professional and Personal Life Integration, with firm-wide responsibilities. We started a Wellness Program within the diversity initiative that was available to all employees to ensure a healthy, competent staff. Minority and women attorneys became increasingly engaged at K & L; they went on to hold management positions and became practice group heads and leaders in their respective communities.

Diversity Needs To Be Supported By Top Management

Large law firms all over the country now are hiring diversity professionals. Their ranks have swelled to such an extent that the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals (ALFDP) was founded in 2006. Its mission is to promote, retain and advance diversity in the legal profession. This year, ALFDP and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) sponsored a survey (conducted by The Flourishing Company, a national workplace consulting firm) to determine the roles and responsibilities of these professionals in promoting and accomplishing diversity initiatives. The survey not only included members of ALFDP, but also the Am-Law 200 firms.

The survey concluded that large law firms are turning to diversity professionals as the norm, rather than as the exception these days. The study also is the first to authoritatively establish that the best diversity method in practice today is creating leadership at the management level for sustained diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Evidence that diversity officers are effective in accomplishing inclusion and retention goals is supported in an article by Alexandra Kalev, Frank Dobbins and Erin Kelly, entitled Best Practices or Best Guesses? Assessing the Efficacy of Corporate Affirmative Action and Diversity Policies.1 The authors conclude that there are three generally accepted methods of obtaining diversity: establishing organizational responsibility for diversity, attempting to moderate bias in the workplace through training and feedback, and reducing the social isolation of minorities and women in the company.

Law firms have been following the corporate diversity model for the last 10 to 15 years because of corporate pressure to become more diverse and inclusive or lose business. This trend began in the 1990s when Charles Morgan, the former General Counsel of BellSouth, issued a Statement of Principles on Diversity, and continued when Rick Palamore, former general counsel to Sara Lee, issued his Call To Action. As a result, large law firms have almost universally accepted that the first step towards diversity is to create a diversity committee. The 2008 Law Firm Diversity Professional Survey showed that all but one respondent had a diversity committee and that this firm was creating a committee this year; it also indicated that 78% of those surveyed had a diversity professional, many of whom had been hired within the last several years.

Of the diversity professionals surveyed, almost 19% were practicing attorneys with their law firms, 44% were non-practicing attorneys within the firm and 34% were non-attorneys. Most of the diversity professionals were either members of their firms’ diversity committees, or the chairs of these committees.

Diversity Officers Encourage Change

Diversity professionals at these law firms perform a myriad of functions, including defining what diversity means to the culture of their firm, launching and coordinating the firm’s diversity mission and goals, promoting diversity programs, articulating both within and outside of the firm what the diversity program consists of, and maintaining the metrics and deliverables which reflect the firm’s progress towards diversity and inclusion. These professionals also act as liaisons to the firm’s management and as confidantes for the minority and female lawyers. They also facilitate relationships between individuals at the firm and the leading diversity organizations outside of the firm at the local, state and national levels.

The importance of the role of the Chief Diversity Officer has even filtered down to state and local bar groups as well. California appointed Ruthie Ashley as its first Chief Diversity Officer last year. Pennsylvania is considering creating the position of Chief Diversity Officer for its state bar. And the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Bar Association of San Francisco have Diversity Directors, as does the City of New York Bar Association.

I believe that the best way to bring about diversity and inclusion is to hire a full time, management level executive to direct and implement a cultural change within the firm. At K & L, I had the opportunity to make diversity permeate the firm’s culture, creating a dynamic and enriched organization, where diversity was valued and not just tolerated as an add-on to the firm’s social fabric. The evidence is clear: without organizational accountability at the very top of the firm, no lasting or meaningful change will occur.

FOOTNOTE

1. Best Practices or Best Guesses? Assessing the Efficacy of Corporate Affirmative Action and Diversity Policies, by Alexandra Kalev, Frank Bobbin and Erin Kelly. American Sociological Review, 2006, Vol.71 (August:589-617)

A diversity consultant at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates and Ellis, LLP, Mr. Cooper opens and maintains direct lines of communication with disparate groups within law firms to ensure that the interests and perspectives of all partners and employees are considered in firm decisions.

Tags by users:

Categories: Diversity - Tags: diversity officers, diversity professionals, general counsel, law firms, practicing attorneys

Career Profile: Pam Scholefield

Written by

“When I was finishing college, my mother and I talked about my pursuing a law degree,” Pam Scholefield said while sitting in her San Diego law office where she practices breach-of-contract litigation and transactional work in the commercial construction industry. “But because I’d just finished five years of an intense electrical engineering program at the University of Florida, I decided that it would be better to get out into the work force.”

Still, Pam never gave up on her original idea. “If I were a lawyer,” she remembered thinking, “I could make things happen for people.” After eight years of selling electrical switch gear to contractors for General Electric, she took the LSAT and announced her intentions to leave. GE, not wanting to lose one of its top sales engineers, promoted her and moved her from Denver to San Diego. Two years later, though, she felt as if “nothing was new anymore.” Again she announced her intention to start law school; this time, GE hired her as a part-time consultant the summer before she started law school, paying her twice as much as her previous salary. When law school began, she worked for GE distributors who had once been her customers.

Her work with contractors as a GE consultant ten years ago is what led her to develop the passion for the legal work that occupies her time today. “Contractors put up with a lot of risk in their daily work, and I enjoy speaking their language’ and giving them straightforward, practical advice that directly relates to their businesses,” she said. “Recently, we started offering estimates on our legal work, just like a time and materials bid’ that they have to produce to win a job; and we can give them change orders’ when the opposing party files motions or when our original legal strategy changes. I also address a common complaint about lawyers that they are too evasive when a client wants advice on making a decision,” she continued, “and I have no problem telling clients what I would do, based on an assessment of the risks and their values.” Her client base includes developers and contractors in the construction industry from all walks of life and all cultures. “I can talk to anyone, and I truly enjoy what I do,” she said. “People notice that, including the judges, mediators, and opposing counsel.”

Stuff Happens

“I started out the hard way on my own,” Pam said. “I taught myself procedural and substantive law, took CLE classes in construction litigation and mechanics’ lien law, and mistakenly took on a partner who did not share my goals in building up the practice. I did not seek out a mentor at first, which was stupid, because mentors were available through my local bar association. I didn’t understand that mentors enjoy the process of giving something back without looking for something in return. My first law suit was sent back to me by the court because the summons was improper,” Pam said, with a laugh. She survived as a solo practitioner because she was both humble and driven, and because she accepted the advice of a friend who said she had to specialize to make it work.

Finding A Niche

Pam doesn’t mind taking an unconventional approach to her law practice, employing her husband as a technical consultant, as well as two other attorneys and a paralegal. Recently, Pam made national news in the legal community when she advertised for a “sales attorney” whose sole responsibility was to develop and evaluate new business for the firm. She also advertises her practice at construction sites using banner ads, announcing that the company’s construction contracts were drafted by her firm; and joined a chief executive organization specializing in executive and business coaching for medium and small businesses. Away from work, Pam enjoys riding her motorcycle and walking Doberman rescue dogs four times a week.

Defining Success

“Success is fairly simple,” Pam said. “It has two components: liking what you do, and achieving your financial goals while doing it.” She said that attorneys must discover their specific passion for being a lawyer, and then move confidently in that direction. Pam advises young attorneys to seek out mentors as soon as they begin their careers, and explains that professionals need to look at their core values before launching into a career of service. Good values, to her, are those from which “you benefit and others do too,” and rotten values are those from which “only you benefit.” She also advises that “a young attorney should be humble, look at no job as too menial, and treat everyone from the courthouse judge to the janitor with the utmost respect. That’s good training for life.”

Tags by users:

Categories: Professional Development - Tags: attorney, law practice, legal community, legal work, litigation, pam scholefield, pam scholefield lawyer, paralegal

Trust People To Be Great

Written by

“Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great.”

When nineteenth century American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote these stirring words, he could not have anticipated that recent events would make such sentiment seem almost embarrassingly naive.

These days, trust is an increasingly scarce commodity. As I write this, investors reel from revelations concerning Bernard Madoff and his alleged Ponzi scheme. Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office for allegedly trying to sell Obama’s vacated Senate seat. Legislators in my home state, Massachusetts, received a generous salary increase while a budget shortfall forced cutbacks in essential state services, provoking public outcry. Meanwhile, communities demand answers after utility companies failed to restore power quickly when a recent ice storm left several towns in the dark for two long, cold weeks. Local and national events like these erode our trust in public officials, institutions, our fellow men and women.

In my own work as a mediator who shepherds negotiations, I bear witness to the fragility of trust. I see people struggling in the aftermath of failed business or personal relationships when trust lies shattered or hangs by a fraying thread. Trust is always the first and greatest casualty. And when you’re the one left standing in the aftermath, it can be hard indeed to heed Emerson’s advice.

Robert Bruner, Dean of the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, considered trust in a recent blog post. He reminded faculty and students that the most important legacy they can create is a reputation for integrity. “To incorporate ethics into our workplace mindset,” he wrote, “is to think about the kind of world that we would like to live in, and that succeeding generations will inherit.”

Against the backdrop of the headlines today, I consider Bruner’s and Emerson’s words together. What both these men invoke, writing centuries apart, is the duty that each of us has to inspire and lead others to greatness through our own conduct to mentor others to honor a higher good. They lead me to think back on my own mentors, those people who lit the way ahead. The lessons they taught me by their own example are rooted in the ethos of trust that mattered to Emerson and matters still today. Among these lessons, three in particular stand out.

Lead By Example

The best mentors are those whose own example motivates those they lead. The CEO of Japan Airlines, Haruka Nishimatsu, takes public transportation, eats in the company cafeteria with his co-workers, and earned only $90,000 in 2007. When Japan Airlines had to make deep cuts and asked long-time employees to take early retirement, he cut every one of his corporate perks and slashed his salary because to do otherwise would have shown disrespect to JAL employees, many of whom were his age. Meanwhile, American auto executives nickel and dime workers while earning millions in salaries and bonuses despite their industry’s woeful performance. The actions of these executives and of Nishimatsu send potent but very different messages. As a mentor, what kind of message do you want to convey to those you lead?

Confront, Don’t Conceal Mistakes

In a job I took shortly after college, one of my early mentors discovered that she had missed a crucial deadline. Stunned and horrified, I asked her what she would do. Her answer: “The only thing: let’s get help.” She overcame her initial shock and embarrassment to notify her own boss and ask him for advice. By the following day, all had been set right thanks to her quick response. I have never forgotten her forthrightness and honesty in owning up to her mistake, asking for help, and then taking swift steps to fix it. In doing so, she gave me a great gift: an ethical template for handling the mistakes we all inevitably make.

Trust People To Be Great

I’ve heard some argue that trust must first be earned. Emerson, however, invites us to look at trust more magnanimously: giving trust inspires others to be great. In my first job after law school, I was fortunate to have a mentor who let me spread my wings. As I gained experience and confidence, she trusted me with matters of increasing complexity and importance, pushing me each time to reach further and higher. When I won a motion for summary judgment on a case for one of the firm’s biggest clients, she told me she was not surprised: she knew I could do it. Her belief in me let me believe in myself.

Despite the current headlines, I believe in the spirit of Emerson’s words: “Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great.” Anyone who leads, who mentors others, has the ability to influence the future for the good whether we are business leaders, teachers, parents, or simply human beings. What we do today can alter for the better the headlines in tomorrow’s paper. We must trust ourselves that we can do it. As Emerson wrote also, “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.”

Tags by users:

Categories: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) - Tags: adr, alternative dispute resolution, business issues, how mediation works, mediator, solve legal issues

Next Page »