Positive Energy, Goal-Setting and Organizational Skills

After working 30 years in the legal arena with highly skilled, highly skeptical attorneys, I have learned that keeping ourselves in a positive “can-do” frame of mind helps keep our sanity. Executing the feeling is another story.

About Change

Each day is brand-new, even though it might bring challenges or “change.” This is something that is inevitable, but it is something that attorneys will try and avoid at all costs. How do you stay positive? How do you focus on the positive outcome when you are working in an urgent environment like a law firm?

Smile! This may sound simplistic. But a smile is very powerful. It sends a message that you are in control; it says, “I am confident.” And this confidence will inspire those around you. Wellness comes from smiling. Your day will run smoother and throughout the day, even in adverse situations, a smile will allow you to respond differently and with a positive attitude. Best of all, a smile makes you approachable, allowing those around you to feel comfortable and want to perform at their very best in order to please you and get the job done. After all “you get more flies with honey then you do with vinegar.”

Positive Energy

Buddha said, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.” Positive energy arises from what you project outwardly to others. If your thoughts are clear and concise, you will stimulate this energy. As Buddha says in this quote, the mind is everything. Attorneys are very intelligent people. Controlling your mind to find only the positive in each person, each task and each day will allow you to achieve much more, even twice as much. Positive thinking and positive energy is like a magnet attracting all those that cross your path. All people, even introverts, want to be around positive people because positive energy has a way of breathing life into the lifeless. Your positive energy will change lives. Most of all it will change your life.

Some say you are born positive. Not true. Being positive is a choice. I believe it is the only choice. There is no alternative, especially if you want to be happy and succeed in life.

Setting Goals

It is easy to keep your positive energy level if you set goals. Goal-setting is a very old maxim. Dr. Edwin Locke is a pioneer in research directed in the area of goal-setting. In his 1968 article titled “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives,” he stated that employees were motivated by clear goals and appropriate feedback. Locke says that working toward a goal provides a major source of motivation to actually reach the goal ' which, in turn, improves performance.

Use Technology

Today's technology is superb when it comes to setting and reaching your goals. Outlook task, your Outlook calendar or a good management/timeline legal software program such as TimeMatters or Practice Management will keep you and your staff on target. The most important element is recording the goal(s), making them realistic, reflecting the time needed to accomplish, and checking the goal off when completed. Once that goal is achieved, and before moving on to the next goal, recognize yourself and those who helped you reach your goal with positive reinforcement and praise. By doing this, everyone will celebrate the achievement and move on to the next goal with great energy and a sense of ownership.

Be Organized

Another aspect that will set the tone for positive energy and goal-setting is being organized. Organizational skills can be learned despite what you're feeling as you read this article. Let's go back to your mind. When working on a case or a transaction, how do you organize your mind? How do you motivate yourself to get organized and get started (set your goal)? And how do you achieve the highest level of success for your client and ultimately the firm?

When I have the opportunity to work with attorneys, whether they have just graduated, passed the bar or are seasoned lawyers, I try to lead by example with regard to positive energy, goal-setting and organizational skills. Understanding how to evaluate the task you are undertaking, (new matter, client resolution, an appeal, even turning in or inputting daily timesheets, etc.) is essential to successfully accomplishing your goals. You should ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you clear on the assignment, case or transaction?

If not, ask questions and review whatever is necessary to get you to a point of clarity before you get started or decide to undertake this client's case, etc. This will save time, money and energy that might otherwise be spent to no avail.

2. How complex is the assignment, case or transaction?

What resources, tools and manpower are needed in order to achieve the best results for your client, corporation and firm?

3. What challenges need to be met?

In the case of timesheets, if the time entries are not turned in daily, time, money and efficiencies are immediately affected. Firm income and revenue is based on this one factor and if you cannot meet the challenge, stay organized and set your goal to accomplish this task daily, it will escalate into a multitude of days or even weeks missed and there is no true way to replicate this task. The results will be costly.

4. What kind of commitment will this client, matter or task require?

You need to understand from the outset what the commitment will be to the firm and to you. What are the required resources (upfront out lay of cost(s), time to achieve result, etc.)? What are the client's expectations? What will it take to achieve a successful result within the required timeframe? Also, you must consider the other matters the firm is currently handling and if this matter will get the attention it needs when answering this question.

5. Who will be responsible for gathering and reporting feedback?

It is necessary to have feedback as each goal is achieved. This will allow the attorney and the team working on the matter, transaction, etc. to remain positive and create energy moving forward to completion. Feedback will help determine if adjustments are required to the matter/project and allow the attorney to reevaluate, regroup and reorganize the game plan in order to achieve the most positive outcome for the client and the most profitable outcome for the firm.

Conclusion

If you want to change the energy level of your practice, following these ideas and directions will make a positive change in your practice and in your life.

Bianca Moreiras, Legal Administrator at Wintter & Associates, Hollywood, FL, brings 30 years of top-level management expertise to the legal profession. She is past president of the South Florida Chapter Association of Legal Administrators, and can be reached at 954-920-7014 or [email protected].

After working 30 years in the legal arena with highly skilled, highly skeptical attorneys, I have learned that keeping ourselves in a positive “can-do” frame of mind helps keep our sanity. Executing the feeling is another story.

About Change

Each day is brand-new, even though it might bring challenges or “change.” This is something that is inevitable, but it is something that attorneys will try and avoid at all costs. How do you stay positive? How do you focus on the positive outcome when you are working in an urgent environment like a law firm?

Smile! This may sound simplistic. But a smile is very powerful. It sends a message that you are in control; it says, “I am confident.” And this confidence will inspire those around you. Wellness comes from smiling. Your day will run smoother and throughout the day, even in adverse situations, a smile will allow you to respond differently and with a positive attitude. Best of all, a smile makes you approachable, allowing those around you to feel comfortable and want to perform at their very best in order to please you and get the job done. After all “you get more flies with honey then you do with vinegar.”

Positive Energy

Buddha said, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.” Positive energy arises from what you project outwardly to others. If your thoughts are clear and concise, you will stimulate this energy. As Buddha says in this quote, the mind is everything. Attorneys are very intelligent people. Controlling your mind to find only the positive in each person, each task and each day will allow you to achieve much more, even twice as much. Positive thinking and positive energy is like a magnet attracting all those that cross your path. All people, even introverts, want to be around positive people because positive energy has a way of breathing life into the lifeless. Your positive energy will change lives. Most of all it will change your life.

Some say you are born positive. Not true. Being positive is a choice. I believe it is the only choice. There is no alternative, especially if you want to be happy and succeed in life.

Setting Goals

It is easy to keep your positive energy level if you set goals. Goal-setting is a very old maxim. Dr. Edwin Locke is a pioneer in research directed in the area of goal-setting. In his 1968 article titled “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives,” he stated that employees were motivated by clear goals and appropriate feedback. Locke says that working toward a goal provides a major source of motivation to actually reach the goal ' which, in turn, improves performance.

Use Technology

Today's technology is superb when it comes to setting and reaching your goals. Outlook task, your Outlook calendar or a good management/timeline legal software program such as TimeMatters or Practice Management will keep you and your staff on target. The most important element is recording the goal(s), making them realistic, reflecting the time needed to accomplish, and checking the goal off when completed. Once that goal is achieved, and before moving on to the next goal, recognize yourself and those who helped you reach your goal with positive reinforcement and praise. By doing this, everyone will celebrate the achievement and move on to the next goal with great energy and a sense of ownership.

Be Organized

Another aspect that will set the tone for positive energy and goal-setting is being organized. Organizational skills can be learned despite what you're feeling as you read this article. Let's go back to your mind. When working on a case or a transaction, how do you organize your mind? How do you motivate yourself to get organized and get started (set your goal)? And how do you achieve the highest level of success for your client and ultimately the firm?

When I have the opportunity to work with attorneys, whether they have just graduated, passed the bar or are seasoned lawyers, I try to lead by example with regard to positive energy, goal-setting and organizational skills. Understanding how to evaluate the task you are undertaking, (new matter, client resolution, an appeal, even turning in or inputting daily timesheets, etc.) is essential to successfully accomplishing your goals. You should ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you clear on the assignment, case or transaction?

If not, ask questions and review whatever is necessary to get you to a point of clarity before you get started or decide to undertake this client's case, etc. This will save time, money and energy that might otherwise be spent to no avail.

2. How complex is the assignment, case or transaction?

What resources, tools and manpower are needed in order to achieve the best results for your client, corporation and firm?

3. What challenges need to be met?

In the case of timesheets, if the time entries are not turned in daily, time, money and efficiencies are immediately affected. Firm income and revenue is based on this one factor and if you cannot meet the challenge, stay organized and set your goal to accomplish this task daily, it will escalate into a multitude of days or even weeks missed and there is no true way to replicate this task. The results will be costly.

4. What kind of commitment will this client, matter or task require?

You need to understand from the outset what the commitment will be to the firm and to you. What are the required resources (upfront out lay of cost(s), time to achieve result, etc.)? What are the client's expectations? What will it take to achieve a successful result within the required timeframe? Also, you must consider the other matters the firm is currently handling and if this matter will get the attention it needs when answering this question.

5. Who will be responsible for gathering and reporting feedback?

It is necessary to have feedback as each goal is achieved. This will allow the attorney and the team working on the matter, transaction, etc. to remain positive and create energy moving forward to completion. Feedback will help determine if adjustments are required to the matter/project and allow the attorney to reevaluate, regroup and reorganize the game plan in order to achieve the most positive outcome for the client and the most profitable outcome for the firm.

Conclusion

If you want to change the energy level of your practice, following these ideas and directions will make a positive change in your practice and in your life.

Bianca Moreiras, Legal Administrator at Wintter & Associates, Hollywood, FL, brings 30 years of top-level management expertise to the legal profession. She is past president of the South Florida Chapter Association of Legal Administrators, and can be reached at 954-920-7014 or [email protected].