♫ Words! Words! Words! I’m so sick of words!
First from him, now from you!
Is that all you blighters can do?
Don’t talk of stars burning above;
…If you’re on fire, Show me! ♫
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Loewe, from My Fair Lady.
Simon Chester, a good friend of mine, put me onto The 10 1/2 Commandments of Visual Thinking - the “lost chapter” from The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam.
In a nutshell (and I recommend reading the ‘lost chapter’ - it doesn’t take long!) Dan states that we need to ‘rediscover’ the art of visual thinking that we first started to use in Kindergarten - and somehow lost along the way to higher education. His thesis is one to which I can particularly relate , as I studied mathematics before law - and math is heavily reliant on manipulating symbols. The symbols used in math - from algebraic operators to integrals and others - comprise a formal symbolic language that is capable of expressing very complex ideas in a simple and straightforward fashion that is understood by those trained in the notation.
But Dan Roan’s point is that symbolic language (i.e. pictures!) are capable of being used by everyone - and indeed, should be! He states that you should start out by deciding which of the Basic Six” pictures (Who/What, How Much, Where, When, How and Why) is the best one to fit your thoughts - and then anthropomorphize everything - thereby “drawing” people into the problem-solving process.
Litigators have know for some time that graphical evidence is worth its weight in gold when it comes to persuading the trier of fact. Marketers know that brands that have a strong visual element are easily recognized by shoppers (just think of the Nike “Swoosh” or the Macintosh Computer “Apple“). Computer desktops are littered with icons that stand for common applications that we all use every day. Drawing on the “right” side of the brain, pictures and symbols can awaken different pathways in our minds and delve deeper into our consciousness. They can help us reach down and grasp logical relationships that may not be apparent by using words alone. And they can serve as a shorthand for expressing ideas and communicating the need for action.
So the next time you need to work on a problem, rather than using words, draw a picture and show that you are on fire!
♫ What the people need
Is a way to make em smile
It ain’t so hard to do if you know how
Gotta get a message
Get it on through
Oh now mama, don’t you ask me why
Oh, oh, listen to the music…♫
Words and music by Tom Johnson, recorded by The Doobie Brothers.
Kevin O’Keefe’s “Real Lawyers Have Blogs” blog was kind enough to start a series of Q&A posts regarding the upcoming ABA TECSHOW in Chicago on March 13-15, 2008 with yours truly. Rob LaGarta did the interview:
David Bilinsky of Thoughtful Legal Management [LexBlog Q & A]
As the ABA TechShow draws nearer, you’ll start to notice certain LexBlog Q & As that bear the TechShow’s badge (above) in place of our guest’s photo. This is your indicator that the interview you’re about to read is with a legal professional scheduled to present at TechShow, and that at least a portion of our conversation is focused on the event.
Our first guest is David Bilinsky, Practice Management Advisor and staff lawyer for the Law Society of British Columbia and author of the blog Thoughtful Legal Management. Dave will be speaking on two panels at TechShow:
- “Records Management Technology: It’s A Small World After All”, with Jesse Wilkins (3/13, 4:15-5:15 p.m.)
- “Drafting Bills Your Clients Will Rush To Pay”, with Steve Best (3/14, 1-2 p.m.)
Find out more about Dave’s blog and his goals for TechShow after the jump.
…
In the interview I talk about new ABA Techshow speakers including Kevin O’Keefe himself, Nils Jensen from Victoria and Dominic Jaar from Montreal, among others.
What is interesting is that Rob asked about where did the idea come from about using music lyrics to start my posts. You have to read the full answer on Kevin’s blog - but: “What the people need Is a way to make em smile
It ain’t so hard to do if you know how..gotta get a message, get it on through..oh oh, Listen to the Music….”
♫ Ride ride ride let it ride
Would you let it ride?…♫
Words and music by R. Bachman and F. Turner, recorded by Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Fellow Blogger Rush Nigut (Rush on Business) has written an imaginative blog post based on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. In the post he not only describes the race, but has done so in a manner that incorporates legal bloggers across North America as participants into the race. I blushed on reading that he has graciously incorporated your humble scribe into Day 4’s post:
Day 4: Ames to Tama-Toledo - 75 miles
Charlie gets ready to head off to Iowa’s version of the twin cities today. In the pancake breakfast line he meets Connie Crosby who is kind enough to introduce him to David Bilinsky. David tells Charlie all about how there is a great need for law firms to turn their senior partners into business leaders. David Maister overhears them and chimes in that one-firm firms are often quite successful.
The whole blog post is delightfully quirky and fun. Hats off to Rush for thinking of this approach and for allowing his imagination to let it ride….!
♫ Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it’s good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I’m back in the USSR…♫
Words and music by Lennon-McCartney.
I have just returned from speaking for the Law Society of Manitoba on Friday Jan. 18, where I not only had the chance to chat with fellow blogger Donna Seale (Human Rights in the Workplace), but also to present with fellow Practice Management Advisor Barney Christianson Q.C. , Robert McCulloch and Martin Gutnik on the program entitled: “Minding Your Own Business, 2nd Annual Forum on Solo & Small Firm Practice”. While originally a Winnipeg boy, I have been away so long I hardly recognized the place…or at least, parts of it anyway. It was wonderful for the ‘peggers to arrange the -43 (with wind chill) weather to remind me that I was back in the USSR..ahh…no …Winnipeg…but it was truly *good* to be back home…
This trip gave me the opportunity to use a hot new web site: TripIt.
TripIt works as follows: You register with TripIt (supplying the usual information) and establish an email address and password. From there, you make your plane, hotel, car etc reservations - and email a copy of your confirmations to plans@tripit.com. Here is where the magic starts.
TripIt starts a new itinerary for you - and as you add in your hotel to your plane reservations, car etc…it automatically builds your trip itinerary for you. This is truly magic..you do *not* have to rekey in anything - TripIt scrapes or discerns your travel plans automatically - and adds in links to “online checkin”, “check flight status”, “get seating advice” as well as necessary info such as departure and arrival information.
Hotel information is similarly organized…and includes a summary of the hotel room’s details (such as free internet). It also includes check out times, maps and directions from the airport to the hotel, weather information and such. You can invite in collaborators, add notes to the trip and much more. This is one cool travel site and one that will have me coming back time after time. Hat tip to Tom Mighell and his blog Inter Alia who also is the Chair of ABA TECHSHOW this year for putting me onto this site!
♫ What a bright time
It’s the right time
To rock the night away.. ♫
Words and Music by Joe Beale and Jim Boothe
At this time of year, I would like to take a moment and wish each and every one of you the best of the Season and Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday and a very Happy New Year in a world filled with Peace, Happiness and Hope for All.
By way of my small gift to you, I offer a few moments of reflection. Please download our slide show and play the PowerPoint file (note - turn your speakers on). The file is large (49,000 KB) and will take a few minutes on a high-speed connection. The music is by Lori Pappajohn, Celtic Harp for Christmas, and the piece is the Huron Christmas Carol (Canada’s oldest Christmas Carol) and she is a British Columbia artist who plays with her group Winter Harp. Used with permission of the Artist.
(If you don’t have PowerPoint installed on your computer, download the Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer from the Microsoft web site:
Best wishes for a safe holiday filled with warmth, comfort and good cheer!
♫So you better be good whatever you do
‘Cause if you’re bad, I’m warning you,
You’ll get nuttin’ for Christmas…♫
Words and Music by: S. Tepper, R. Bennett.
My friend and colleague Reid Trautz on his blog “Reid My Blog!” has just posted his 2007 holiday gift guide for lawyers. True to form, it is lighthearted, full of humour and you can see the sparkle in the eye of Santa’s favourite imp as Reid blogged about his gift suggestions. Personally I like the Buddah Board! Guess I had better start being good….