If you are reading this, you are probably an investigator. It may not be your job title, but if you are a lawyer, auditor, doctor, HR business partner, manager, executive, etc., a big part of your job is investigatory, requiring you to arrive at well-reasoned, fact-based, modern decisions, guidance or recommendations. You regularly make searching,…
Do you dread and procrastinate initiating discussions when you think others will respond negatively to what you have to say? Are you hesitant to voice an opinion because you presume negative consequences? Practicing law, by its very nature, requires a facility for difficult conversations with clients, witnesses, supervisors, direct-reports and judges where outcomes can be…
Are you a natural optimist? When adversity strikes, do you tell yourself it’s temporary and not your fault and consider all of the things in your life that are going well despite the one setback? Or do you chalk it up to inherent personal failings and give up? Evidence shows that if you tend to…
Global law firm Clifford Chance was in the news recently because of a memo it circulated called “Presentation Tips for Women,” which contained 163 nuggets of practical advice for its female lawyers. Some of the guidance included: Don’t giggle; don’t squirm; don’t tilt your head. Practice hard words. Think Lauren Bacall, not Marilyn Monroe. Wear…
A recent headline captured my attention: “Sting Compromised by Affair.” I thought, “Sting had an affair??” For me, Sting is a rock star. In reality, the story was about a deceptive operation by the police designed to catch a criminal, otherwise known as a “sting”. After all, I was watching CNN, not “Entertainment Tonight.” It…