Merri's Tips - Part 5

30. Make Monday a really good day. Get going early, focused on the priorities for the day vs. your email or social media accounts. The results you bring in on Monday set the tone for the week. So get a jump on things right away, feel good about your results, and drive the same discipline and focus toward the rest of the week. I know attorneys put in countless hours, often in thankless ways. We all feel it worse on Mondays unless we consciously make the effort to turn it around. In summary, don't let Monday get a bad name.      

31. Shape your attitude. Anyone can feel the duldrums, have a bad day or get rejection. Respond  remembering you still have so many things MOST people don't have. (and maybe even more so than your clients) Could be your health, your quality relationships, your basic needs and even your good name. Your results are based on yourself, not anyone else. Same is true with your attitude. You are already doing really good work for people who can't do it for themselves.Drive your attitude to be hopeful, curious and humble.

32. Do what needs to be done. Imagine you have only 3 minutes before your maker "poofs" you away. Based on your actions, you will be given more time. Do what needs to be done. Make the phone call, give the apology, cut the grass and/or fold the laundry. Just do it. Then you have something to celebrate.

33. Say thank you. Your mother, your kindergarten teacher, and countless others had it right when they taught you this priceless treasure. Saying thank you only goes out of style when it isn't sincere. Think about saying it, say it and then smile or touch those you are thanking. You will be remembered and those you thank will keep doing what you just thanked them for.

What other communication tips, especially for the attorney world, (talking to ourselves or others, or even public speaking) do you have?

Lawyers stumble over business development

Attorneys are notorious for staying behind the desk, in front of a computer, avoiding business development. Most are introverts, so they think they won't relate well and prefer not to appear "salesy" so they simply put information out in passive ways. This inactive behavior doesn't make the phone ring.

"We need to decide what our priorities are," says Cordell Parvin. When attorneys state it's most enjoyable to serve their clients, then they need to make sure they keep developing the pipeline.

Parvin insists new attorneys must first develop themselves. This includes their communication skills, their interpersonal (relationship and trust-building) as well as their intrapersonal (managing self) skills.

Communication Skill Barriers

Whether we are attorneys or not, we all have what it takes to communicate effectively. Either we were born with the skills or we learned (directly or indirectly) what it takes to develop relationships and influence. On the contrary, we all have what it takes to hold ourselves back from communicating well, whether in public speaking, interpersonal effectiveness or intrapersonal (self-talk) effectiveness. It's from this platform of barriers that we most often make judgements about our effectiveness. And often we feel ineffective. The good news is, we can break down those barriers.

Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding barriers.

3 Reasons for Starting Mondays Well

This week I got off to a bad start, starting on Monday. I didn't get up with my alarm, missed my time at the gym telling myself I needed a slow segue from my vacation week to my work week. Then I realized I had appts to keep.

Rushing through the shower and out the door, I headed to the coffee shop where my networking colleague and I last met, then discovered from my phone calendar that I was not only heading to the wrong place, I needed 25 minutes to get there. The appt was scheduled for in 7 minutes. Checking my contact file, I realized I was missing the appointee's phone number. Rats.

In the meantime I needed to google directions to the new location in Dublin and my GPS wasn't coming in. Hoping for him to call me, I realized my morning actions weren't measuring up. Fortunately, he did call and I got to the appt, very embarassed. The rest of the day seemed full of mishaps that by 6pm I was ready to end. Actually, I wanted to redo Monday.

When Mondays go well, the rest of the week is full of possibility. When it doesn't, we're just the average Joe, wishing things were different. There are 3 reasons I have for starting Mondays off well.

3 energies that impact any work environment

A few years ago I explored the topic of Highly Sensitive People when I picked up Elaine Aron's book from the library. The title and topic made an impact on me, for I have a need for quiet, calm, tranquil environments. When in these environments I get focus and clarity. Seeing a book with a label like this immediately gave me a connection to a group of people I assumed I belong in. Now that I've read it I can affirm membership in this category. (If you are feeling the same way, I recommend you find a copy of Aron's book and/or workbook to gain insight for yourself as well.)

Sensitive person or not, there are 3 energies at work in all workplaces that will affect you. Without knowing this, all we can say for sure is, we are experiencing something that gives us hope or that saps us. But knowing these energies we can monitor and address them for best results.

Merri's Tips - Part 4

19. Take the edge off. Learn what works best for you - a cold beer, a shot of something stiffer, a good laugh, a massage, or just getting up and walking away. Telling yourself you can handle it without that just makes you edgier. We all need to take the edge off. Otherwise we treat others or ourselves in regretful ways.

20. Know what is worth saying YES to. Once we identify what is worth making a commitment to, we can then say NO to other things that get in the way.

21. Don't take things personally. But understand that others will. Especially kids. And kids who never grew up.

Merri's Tips - Part 3

13. Thinking doesn't replace doing. Although thinking is hugely important, deciding is moreso. Better yet is acting on the decision. Action is what makes thinking powerful.

14. If you have questions, ask them.  Take advantage of time spent with peers, trainers, coaches, supervisors and mentors. Any moment can be a teachable moment for someone needing to inform us. Help them get that opportunity.

15. If there is tension in the room, work through it. Tense moments, themselves, are teachable moments. Avoid shutting down or ignoring it. Instead, put on your curiousity cap and discover what's going on.