♫ Time now to spread your wings
To take to flight
The life endeavor
Aim for the burning sun…♫
Lyrics and Music by: Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones recorded by Savage Garden.
Every so often, all of us are looking for a bit of inspiration – a few uplifting words to give flight to our ideas and our lives. Accordingly I was pleased to receive an email from a colleague Patricia Yevics pointing me to a graduation address by Steve Jobs at Stanford University on “How to Live before You Die”.
This particular video clip is hosted on: www.ted.com. I had visited TED before but this last visit brought home the full extent of the number of inspiring and truly great and inspirational clips on this site. TED calls itself: “Ideas Worth Spreading” and I couldn’t agree more. I like to think of TED as YouTube that has been moderated.
I hope that we can spread the word about TED to those who may be looking for an updraft when they are aiming for the stars.
♫ Baby, baby, I’m out on a limb
I’m giving in to you again…♫
Lyrics, music and recorded by Teena Marie.
I wanted to say a most gracious thanks to Steve Matthews and his crew at Stem Legal (Jordan Furlong, Emma Durand-Wood, and Laurel Fulford) for my 2009 Clawbie in the area of Practice Management (tied with Avoid A Claim Blog – Dan Pinnington the Director of PracticePro’s new risk management blog). I also wanted to say a hearty “Congratulations” to all those who won and who were nominated (a complete list of winners can be found here). Well Done!
I didn’t want this to be a typical acceptance speech (which can be rather boring) so I am giving into the urge to go out on a limb (which usually means someone comes after me with a chainsaw….but I digress…) and make some predictions for what will be seen in the 2010 ClawBies and legal blogs in general.
First of all, I think 2010 will be the year of the collective blog. www.slaw.ca is one shining example of what can be achieved by a powerful group of bloggers who have multiple eyes and ears and who are watching the world. Slaw has been recognized internationally for the quality of its work. Frankly I don’t know how a Canadian lawyer can practice today without following it – it is a great way to stay on top of current developments not only across Canada but in the international legal world as well. Hats off to Simon Fodden for herding this particular group of legal cats!
Another great group blog is Lawrence Gridin and Omar Ha-Redeye’s Law is Cool.
Second, individual bloggers will make more extensive use of guest bloggers on their sites. This adds variety and new voices to the mix (and also helps create cross-links). It also builds on the social aspect of blogging.
Third, 2010 will also be the year that legal organizations recognize the value of a blog. The Stream, a collective blog hosted by the BC Courthouse Library Society, illustrates what happens when an organization recognizes the informational value in hosting a blog and looks at how it can provide information differently. Johanne Blenkin and Mandy Ostick are leading the way here. Lang Michener LLP, Davis LLP, Clark Wilson LLP and other law firms fall into this emerging category.
Fourth, I would like to mention a few people to watch in the Canadian legal blogging community:
Doug Jasinki’s new blog: http://legalmarketing.ca/ is one to keep an eye on (disclaimer: Doug and his team designed my blog for which I am eternally grateful). Doug is a very bright light when it comes to online legal marketing and he and his company Skunkworks Creative Group Inc. are doing some truly innovative things in the legal marketplace (see his list of clients here).
Individual bloggers that I find particularly inspiring: Erik Mcgraken, Donna Seale and Jordan Furlong are three to watch, in my humble opinion.
Lastly, there is Steve Matthews. He is a true Canadian visionary when it comes to understanding the entire online social matrix in which lawyers and law firms are working. His work is international in scope and light-years ahead of the competition. He senses oncoming transformation from the briefest puff in the winds of change.
So there they are…baby, baby I am out on a limb again…
♫ In elementary I used crayons, even chalk
I learned to count money before I could read and talk
And my mama told me son, you need to shine
I couldn’t stand at the back, I had to lead the line..♫
Lyrics and Music by Wesley Weston Jr. and Tommy Granville, Jr, recorded by Li’ Flip.
This post is another great Leadership Moment by Beth Flynn of the Ohio State University Leadership Center on how to market yourself graciously to your superiors:
1. Instead of talking about what you did, talk about the difference it made.
2. Instead of talking about what you can’t do, talk about what you can do and what you are learning to do.
3. Talk about your goals and how they will measure your success.
4. Debrief results with your boss candidly and without apologies.
5. Quantify your results whenever you can – I saved the organization $10,000.
6. When you fall short of your goals, ask for feedback, and talk about what you learned about the experience and how you will apply those insights in the future.
7. Talk about your weaknesses differently. Say I want to strengthen my analytical skills rather than I need to be more analytical.
8. Even your challenges are opportunities to demonstrate creativity and problem-solving skills (Scumaci, 2008, p. 33)
Reference: Scumaci, D. (2008). Designed for success. Lake Mary, FL: Excel Books.
Designed for Success is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center. To borrow this resource or any other resource, please go to the resource search page.
Learn how the Ohio State University Leadership Center is strengthening tomorrow’s leaders today at http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu. To subscribe/unsubscribe from the Leadership Moments list, send e-mail to: flynn.61@osu.edu.
To be an effective leader, we all need to shine in our own gracious but effective way.
♬ We’ll find another way to dance, we’ll find another way to dance
If you get the chance you must dance, dance, dance….♬
Lyrics, music and recorded by Dan Keyes.
Oct. 2, 2009 marked the latest edition of The Pacific Legal Technology Conference in Vancouver, BC, Canada. With speakers such as Dr. Michael Geist, who spoke on how blogs, Twitter, web sites and other internet-driven collaboration tools have changed how governments shape legislation, it was not surprising that this year’s program saw record attendance numbers!
Other popular session topics were: Going Paperless, virtual lawyering, privacy and security and ethics concerns and of course, iPhones, Blackberries and other smartphones. The conference also dealt with time, task and email management using technology and how to focus your financial system to direct your future and achieve your goals…financial and otherwise. The conference closed to a ‘60 Tips in 60 Mins” presentation that saw at least 100 tips being mentioned, displayed and discussed. Copies of most of the power points can be found at: www.pacificlegaltech.com/sessions.html. Written materials (in CD-ROM format) are also available from the conference for $149 + taxes from: info@pacificlegaltech.com.
What was most interesting from my perspective were the comments and discussions that resulted from the sessions. In particular was an email exchange that I had with Grant Sutherland, a lawyer in Vancouver (I have his permission to post his comments here).
He stated that:
“You mentioned that you are a Mac user. After struggling with Vista, I purchased a Mac a year ago and will never go back to a PC. The Mac is terrific!
I am practicing part time. I have office space available at a law firm in downtown Vancouver but spend most of my time working out of my condo. I am 63 years old and have been in practice for 37 years.
There are probably a lot of lawyers like me who are getting a little long in the tooth but don’t want to retire and have a lot of experience and some useful advice to impart to clients and younger lawyers.
Technology allows people like me to work out of my home and assist clients with their legal issues. I have fully embraced technology and am always looking for new tech tips to help in my practice. (Who says you cant teach an old dog new tricks?) Your conference was very timely for me.
You may wish to consider targeting older lawyers who want to transition from an office to a home office. In my view, they are ideal candidates for the tech information you have to offer.”
So I asked Grant what are the technologies that he uses to be a mobile and virtual lawyer. Here is his reply:
“I use a MacBook Air. Weighs 3 pounds. Excellent for travel and taking to meetings locally, Starbucks, etc. I have the Super Drive to plug in to USB if I need to load software or view a DVD. I don’t take the drive with me when I travel. Don’t need it and it is excess weight.
For backup I just bought a 1 terabyte Time Capsule. I also have a couple of USB Flash Drives that I bring with me when I travel.
I have an HP Officejet Pro 7780 All-In-One copier, fax, printer, scanner. For big print or copy jobs, I email The Printing House with a file attached.
I have a Blackberry 9630–the new World Phone. Works on both GSM and CDMA so works most places in the world. I use Blackberry email and instant messaging a lot. Very efficient!
Finally, I have an iPod touch. This is useful when traveling as it has my music, photos etc so it helps to pass the time on aircraft. It is synced with my Macbook Air email through MobileMe so it serves as a backup for my email in case I encounter a problem with my computer.
I closed my downtown office at the end of February and have some legacy PC hardware and software with my accounting information. I am a stickler for precise accounting and I have a bookkeeper that comes in once a week to look after my accounting.”
Grant has found a new way of continuing to practice, in a way that supports his lifestyle and his needs, using technology to reach out to the world (or have the world find him). I would like to thank Grant for taking the time to share his perspective here for others to read and hopefully, emulate.
After all, if we still hear the music once we no longer wish to practice 50+ hours a week in a glass tower, we need to start finding a new way to dance….
♫ They can’t put out my fire
I’ve got too much desire
I’m reaching for my goal.. ♫
Lyrics, music and recorded by Brian McKnight.
This is post of Beth Flynn’s Leadership Moments newsletter email from the Ohio State University Leadership Center. I thought these Ten Guidelines for Effective Goal Setting were particularly apt and have reposted it here (with permission):
- Effective goals are written.
- Effective goals are written in specific, measurable terms.
- Effective goals can be visualized.
- Effective goals are achievable.
- Effective goals have realistic deadlines.
- Effective goals are manageable.
- Effective goals are analyzed for their potential problems.
- Effective goals require action to eliminate or minimalize the consequences of potential problems.
- Effective goals include a regular review of progress.
- Effective goals yield rewards that are of value to you (Wilson & Dobson, 2008, p. 4-8).
From: Wilson, S. B. & Dobson, M.S.; 2008. Goal setting: how to create an action plan and achieve your goals. 2nd edition. New York: Amacom. Goal Setting is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center. To borrow this resource or any other resource, please go to the resource search page http://164.107.48.88/
Learn how the Ohio State University Leadership Center is strengthening tomorrow’s leaders today at http://leadershipcenter.osu.
To subscribe to the Leadership Moments list — send e-mail to: flynn.61@osu.edu
INSPIRE.LEAD.EMPOWER
Beth Flynn, M.S.
Leadership Consultant & Trainer
OSU Leadership Center
2120 Fyffe Road, Rm. 109
Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-1251 (phone)
614-292-9750 (fax)
flynn.61@osu.edu
http://leadershipcenter.osu.
The OSU Leadership Center…where we inspire others to take a leadership role that empowers the world.
—
Hopefully these tips help you reach for your goals!
♫ Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams
With you and me…♫
Lyrics and music by: Klaus Meine, recorded by The Scorpions, “Wind of Change”
“The only constant is change.” Ηράκλειτος (Herakleitos; Heraclitus) of Ephesus (c.535 BC – 475 BC)
Howsoever that statement is true, it is inaccurate in one respect – it suggests that change is constant but in fact, I believe it is actually accelerating (second derivative > 0 if you look at it in mathematical terms).
Change occurs all around us – most of the time we accommodate to the change but there are instances when we must ourselves be an agent of change. Sometimes that change is relatively small and the consequences relatively inconsequential – but there are occasions when much rides on the change and the successful implementation of same.
Today any managing partners’ skill set must include the ability to successfully implement change. There are instances when that change is personal, there are times when that change relates to a department or team, and there are occasions when that change relates to an entire organization or system. One other thing is constant – one cannot sell change. For change to successfully occur, others must be brought into the equation and become supporters of change themselves. Of course there is planning, communication, consultation and hopefully, agreement followed by action.
Implementing change means seeking ways to overcome skepticism, passive/aggressive tactics and at times, outright resistance. Some of the elements of implementing change successfully are:
(1) Begin with the end in mind: Covey’s advice is apt – know what the goal and success look like and how the organization will be improved by the change. By having a firm vision in your own mind of where the change is headed, you can help others in their understanding.
(2) Build the business case: Lay out the reason(s) for the change from a business perspective. Everyone recognizes that organizations have to adapt – having an explicit business case shows that you have done your homework.
(3) Involve others: Top-down mandated change may be effective in a crises, but in most other settings it rubs people the wrong way and is counter-productive to successful change management. People want to be involved, they want to be able to have input and a voice and they want their concerns to be heard.
(4) Communicate: This means mostly listening. Most often when a change is sought, management spends most of their time talking – trying to persuade or pressure others into conforming. Personally I think this is the wrong approach. Management should spend time laying out the vision and the goals for the desired change – and then sit back and let those who have to deal with the change ask questions. Management gains credibility by listening to those questions and answering them if they can or by stating: “That is a really good question. Let us think about that and get back to you by {date}.” If you follow through and provide the requisite answer, you communicate that you care about the questions and the effect of the change on your staff and you are actively looking for ways to accommodate their concerns.
(5) Seek the Third Way: This is a powerful technique. When you know the goal and are aware that there are many paths that lead to that goal, you can open yourself up and be prepared to accommodate ways that meet others’ needs. Thinking win-win is another way of stating this technique.
(6) Seek Face-to-Face Time: Email, memos, policy and procedure manual changes and similar communications all have their place to provide a written reference of the proposed change. Nevertheless, they are not a substitute for the opportunity to meet and discuss perspectives and concerns; particularly when dealing with the sensitive parts in the change process and when you need to develop understanding – on both sides of the change.
(7) Develop a Sense of Timing: We have all seen instances when the timetable for implementing a change was introduced before there was any consensus achieved over the need for the change. I think that is a mistake. If you start with laying out the proposed change and your vision for the change without discussing timing, you should arrive at a point when people say: “Ok, I see the need for this …now ..when are we going to do this?” At that point people have moved on from debating if the change is going to happen to becoming involved with the process of how the change is going to be implemented. You have successfully engaged these staff members and brought them onto the change management team.
(8) Act the Part: Many people think that to appear a strong leader, they also have to appear like they have all the answers and fall into a command role. The truth is that the most powerful leaders are those who treat others with humility, respect and integrity and have the patience to understand that change takes time.
(9) Empower People to Act: In order to implement change, you will need to empower early adopters to become agents of change. Provide support and recognize achievements. Foster (and model) the kind of behaviours that you wish to see.
(10) Use S.M.A.R.T goals: SMART goals are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Rome wasn’t built in a day (as my mom says so often) and change should not be expected to be achieved overnight. By having smaller discrete goals that result in the achievement of the overall vision, you have let people climb to new heights using small stairs rather than a single bound (which, as we all know, was only possible if you were Superman).
(11) Keep the Energy Going! When the going gets tough, the staff will be looking to their leader for encouragement and inspiration. Churchill had nothing to offer to Britain at the height of the Blitz but the glimmer of hope and hard work. Or as he put it: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
(12) Lastly, Institutionalize the Change: Reward those who assisted with the change and acted as change leaders. Place them in new positions in the organization if possible to serve as change agents in the future. Recognize and celebrate your success!
Finally recall that dependable, reliable steady-as-you-go personality types are not the ones who welcome change – they see change as a threat and a risk. Law is also not a fast-changing profession. Accordingly, I think that adapting law firms to see change in a positive light is a uphill battle. But law firms and legal organizations must change and adapt to survive; the managing partner and law office administrator will need this skill in order to ensure the viability of their organization and have it weather the wind of change.
♫ You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one…♫
Music and lyrics by John Lennon.
In the Supreme Court of the United States decision in Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum, decided Feb 25, 2008, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. quoted John Lennon’s lyrics from Imagine (in full in a footnote) and referred to them in the text of his opinion. He asked:
” What, for example, is “the message” of the Greco-Romanmosaic of the word “Imagine” that was donated to New York City’s Central Park in memory of John Lennon? See NYC Brief 18; App. to id., at A5. Some observers may “imagine” the musical contributions that John Lennon would have made if he had not been killed. Others may think of the lyrics of the Lennon song that obviously inspired the mosaic and may “imagine” a world without religion, countries, possessions, greed, or hunger.”
Litigators and those seeking to persuade juridical bodies or indeed, people in general, have come to realize the strong message and imagery that song lyrics create in our minds and in our imaginations. They evoke not only an intellectual component, they also reach into the emotional and the sensory sides of a person’s mind. If a picture is worth a thousand words, is a song worth a thousand pictures? We are moving up the scale in terms of being able to connect with as many different components of a person’s personality and thinking processes as we can when we bring in musical, lyrical and emotional components to our work.
In a world filled with digital information at our fingertips, just imagine where all this can take us! You may say I am a dreamer, but it looks like, courtesy of Judge Alito, I am not the only one…
♬ My kind of town, chicago is
My kind of town, chicago is
My kind of razzmatazz
And it has, all that jazz…♬
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn, Music by Jimmy Van Heusen, recorded by Frank Sinatra.
On April 2-4 in Chicago a once-in-a-year, not-to-be-missed event will take place. This year – of all years – should be the year lawyers, administrators, legal technologists, researchers and anyone involved in the delivery of legal services makes a bee-line to TECHSHOW in Chicago. Why? Simply because this recession is the best opportunity to upgrade your systems and technology to be able to take advantage of the upswing (that is coming, notwithstanding the financial news). It is difficult to either introduce new technology or get people to change when they are going gangbusters…hence the Stephen Covey 7th habit: “Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal”.
This economic downswing is the perfect opportunity to take a step back, examine not only what you are doing from a business perspective but also how you are doing it. What principles of workflow and efficiency can you apply to your practice? How do you determine what are the best strategies for you and your firm? What have other firms done and how well is it working for them? Lastly but certainly not least, what can you do for yourself to improve your own personal productivity and effectiveness?
I have found TECHSHOW to simply be the best resource in this regard. The collection of minds that assemble and speak, discuss, go out for dinner and mingle are the ones that will stimulate you, raise issues and ask questions at a depth equalled nowhere else.
The keynote speaker is non other than: Richard Susskind, OBE, who has 25 years of legal technology experience, and serves as Chair of the Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information and has been IT Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice of England. In an interview in The Times Online, Richard states:
Sir Richard will no doubt be addressing similar themes in his keynote, based on his latest book: The End of Lawyers? Rethinking the Nature of Legal Services. But Richard is but one voice to be heard at TECHSHOW. There are 60 other notable presenters (including many Canadians: Nils Jensen, Steve Matthews, Joel Alleyne, Jean-François DeRico, Dominic Jaar, Peg Duncan, Donna Neff, Dan Pinnington and yours truly).
Tracks range from “A Day in the (techno) Life” to Solo and Small Firm, Trial Skills, e-Discovery Update, Tech for Financial Management and others. Sessions range from Records Management Policies and Systems: Back to the Drawing Board? to Getting to Paperless: A Lawyer’s Step by Step Guide, Got Apple Envy? Macs in a PC World and my two personal perennial favourites: 60 Sites in 60 Minutes and 60 Tips in 60 Minutes. There is also the full exhibit hall to visit with its incredible array of legal technology offerings.
By registering as an early-bird by Feb. 28th, combined with a program promoter discount, you can save $150 off the full registration cost. The Law Society of British Columbia’s program promoter code is: # EP929 and the Canadian Bar Associations’ is: EP927. A full list of program promoters may be found here.
Chicago has all that jazz (and blues!) and it also has my kind of Conference…TECHSHOW is…I hope to see you there.
♫What is that
Could it be
The rescue that you need
It’s not a dream, that’s happening…♫
“Follow My Lead” Words and Music by Justin Timberlake.
In my last post Billable Hours Giving Ground I quoted the author and lawyer Scott Turow, who postulated to The New York Times that greed may encourage lawyers to change their payment plans. I found that particular quote to be disheartening and disturbing.
Fortunately today I learned that Ian Cartwright, a retired Ontario Superior Court Judge, gave a personal cheque for one million dollars to The Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted. This donation will provide capital funding and assist in service delivery to reduce time clients may languish in prison while a case for their exoneration is prepared.
I think there are many other examples where lawyers, judges (who once were lawyers) and many others have provided generous gifts and donations to social organizations to allow them to continue to provide services. For example, Justin Timberlake donated the proceeds of Follow My Lead to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a charity dedicated to improving pediatric care for sick children.
In both these cases it was generosity, not greed, that was the motivating factor. Especially in these troubled times, we need more people to follow Justin and Ian’s lead.
♫ Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten.. ♫
Words and music by Natasha Bedingfield, Danielle Brisebois, Wayne Rodriguez, recorded by Natasha Bedingfield.
I was greatly saddened today to read in the New York Times of the passing of John Mortimer QC, the creator of Rumpole of the Bailey. Horace Rumpole, the consumate British barrister who was never destined to be awarded a well-deserved “QC – Queen’s Counsel” designation, lived large in the pages of the books written by Mortimer, forever quoting his lifelong mantra: “Never plead guilty!” Rumpole lived for the law, he never compromised his ethics and he sought justice when lesser lawyers would have taken an easier path.
Following his days fighting Judge Bullingham in the Old Bailey, smoking his small cigars, he would return to his mansion flat at 25B Froxbury Court to be greeted by: “She Who Must be Obeyed” namely his wife Hilda, herself the daughter of a prominent QC and the former Head of Chambers where Horace practices.
Rumpole set the standard for the trodden, but not beaten, barrister – who continues to hold his head high notwithstanding all the vicissitudes of life.
John Mortimer QC was quoted by the NYT as being in the “schizoid business of being a writer who had barristering as a day job.” Budding writers would do well to follow his example and ‘live your life with your arms wide open, for your book is still unwritten’.
To Sir John, tonight I will be raising a glass of “Chateau Thames Embankment” and toasting his memory…and saying a quiet word of thanks for many many hours of enjoyment spent with my friend Horace Rumpole.