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October 20, 2020
There aren’t many benefits to being in a bad mood, even if that’s your reliable, long-standing default mode. Being in a bad mood can make you less effective, less open to creative solutions, and due to stress, it can affect your health. Most peoples’ jobs have a...
A recent article in Lifehacker quotes the Ancients to remind us about a timeless topic: “Better to trip with the feet than with the tongue.” Chances are you heard this wise advice from your Mom when she reminded you that if you can’t say something nice, don’t say...
Making a positive first impression is important but it won’t seal the deal. Many sales and deals are lost due to a lack of building relationships through good old-fashioned follow up and relationship building. This isn’t a new concept. Dale...
If not for someone’s bad news there would be no legal profession and sometimes you’re the one who needs to deliver it. There are better and worse ways to do it. The Muse’s article on delivering bad news to your boss has lessons for talking to clients and colleagues...
Whether it’s your life in general or a negotiation in particular if you’re not heading in the right direction you need to change. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you need to do is stop digging. Some of us are so wedded to how we do things we may see...
What fun would it be for an attorney to have a job with less stress? Give it a try and see for yourself. Attorneys are famous for their stressful jobs, but there are steps you can take to turn it down at least a little bit. Chris Charyk, writing in The Muse,...
As an attorney, you’re not paid just to think deep legal thoughts. You have to communicate with colleagues, your clients, opposing counsel and other parties. You might do a better job of it if you follow some ideas from Lea McLeod, who wrote an article for The...
The vast majority of legal disputes aren’t ended as a result of a trial. At some point the parties reach a mutually agreeable compromise and the dispute is resolved. Mediation is one way to help parties reach an agreement if they can’t do it themselves. Attorney...
At times, attorneys need to deliver bad news. Maybe things didn’t go according to plan or maybe the client’s case isn’t worth nearly what he thinks it is. Discovery went sideways, the other party’s witnesses look pretty bullet proof and a lot of negative information...
Conversations are the social lubricant that makes relationships, moving ahead professionally, generating new clients and settling lawsuits easier. Whether it’s a general “get to know you” conversation or a specific conversation for a particular topic, the more skilled...
Negotiation and mediation are all about communication. You need to send explicit, consistent messages. It’s not just your words that are communicating; it’s your body language. If your body and mouth are saying two different things, you’re confusing the listener and...
No one is perfect. We all get upset. But some of us get upset more often than others. If that person is the client or the person you’re dealing with “EAR Statements” may help, according to an article by Bill Eddy.He says high conflict people often attack those closest...