Someone once asked me if I could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? I did not even have to think about it for a minute…it would be Dale Carnegie. For those of you not familiar with Dale Carnegie, he was most famous for his Public Speaking and Human Relationship courses. He also wrote the books, How to Win Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, two excellent books I highly recommend.

Why Dale Carnegie, you ask? Because his advice is practical and it works. Though it is really just common sense, it is not always common practice. Treat other people the way you would like to be treated. Because people are our business we should know how to inspire and motivate them. In the book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Mr. Carnegie talks about three fundamental techniques in dealing with people:  

1) Don’t criticize, condemn or complain;

2) Give honest, sincere appreciation; and

3) Arouse in the other person an eager want.

It all sounds so simple, but ask yourself - when was the last time you went 24 hours without criticizing, condemning or complaining? We all do it.  It is human nature. Life is not perfect and neither are we. I tell my staff that negativity breeds negativity, but in reality, I am just as guilty of complaining as the rest. If we want our employees to stop complaining, we need to set the example. When we are critical of our employees, they respond in a negative manner, usually trying to justify their actions. We need to find another way to correct their behavior and fill the void left by no longer criticizing, condemning or complaining. 

What can we do with the cup that is now half empty – or half full, depending upon your interpretation? We fill it by giving honest, sincere appreciation. When was the last time you gave someone honest, sincere appreciation, meaning you did not expect anything in return? We all want to be appreciated; in fact, we “crave” appreciation. If you start by finding something that you appreciate in your employees and point it out, no matter how small, they will respond. If you keep giving appreciation, they will excel.  The fact that we all need to feel appreciated means we will work harder to get the recognition, if we know someone will notice and respond. We are not used to getting appreciation. Just to prove that fact, try giving someone a compliment today. More than likely they will not know how to respond and will throw the compliment back at you because they are not used to receiving praise or think you have ulterior motives. Do not let that stop you from trying again.   

Arouse in the person an eager want. Wouldn’t it be great if all our employees were enthusiastic about work and wanted to work to their highest potential without us pushing them? I have a clerical employee who does not have any supervisory responsibilities but she absolutely thrives when I give her management projects for which she is 100% responsible. Not only does she take ownership and see them though to the end, but she often suggests better ways to complete the project than I ever would have thought of myself. The more responsibility I give her the better she becomes! We just need to find out what motivates our employees and inspire them. Most employees do not leave a place of employment because of money; they leave because they are not motivated or recognized.

Bottom Line: If you want to be a better administrator, boss, co-worker or friend, try these three things. They work. Go ahead -- “Stretch yourself.” In the meantime I am going to see if I can find Mr. Carnegie for those dinner reservations.

Don't forget to participate in the ALA Compensation and Benefits Survey.  Just one of the many benefits offered by ALA.  Please complete your survey by May 22.

Recession-Proof Your Career

In today’s business climate, anything that differentiates you from the crowd and emphasizes your commitment to your profession is career critical. Earning a voluntary certification (such as the Certified Legal Manager) can give you a professional edge and is important and attractive to employers. Learn more about ALA’s Certification program and view the fall 2009 CLM exam dates and application deadlines.

Nominations

Please remember to nominate members for ALA President-Elect, Director and Regional Officer positions. The nomination form was included in the April/May issue of ALA News, and is also available online. The deadline for nominations is July 31.

Burton Award Winners Honored June 15

In 1999, a unique national awards program was established which was dedicated principally to rewarding effective legal writing. The program honors partners in law firms and law school students who use plain, clear and concise language and avoid archaic, stilted legalese.

ALA members were allowed to submit a magazine, compendium, newsletter or other communication that was published by their firm. The entry must have been in written form (rather than Internet disseminated), published during 2008 and must have been intended to inform clients or the public about legal issues or subjects.

This year’s winners are:

Best Law Firm Advertisement:  Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP, Linda Lehmann

Best Law Firm Compendium:  Morrison & Foerster LLP, Hilary O'Brien

Best Law Firm Newsletter:  Fisher & Phillips LLP, Angela Pinto

Best Law Firm Profile:  Nixon Peabody LLP, Elizabeth Kennedy
           
Best Law Firm Publication:  Butler Snow O'Mara Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, Lance Bonner

Best Law Firm Comprehensive Analysis:  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meager & Flom LLP,
Anthony Arbisi

The 2009 Burton Awards Program will be held in Coolidge Auditorium and will be followed by dinner in the Great Hall of The Library of Congress. More than 400 guests are expected to attend, including judges, deans, managing partners in the nation’s largest law firms, partners, professors, and other members of the legal community.

 

May 18th to May 21st	Annual Conference – New Orleans, LA
May 21st	No chapter meeting due to Annual Conference
May 28th	Small Firm Administrators Meeting Berkowitz Oliver et al.
June 2nd	Human Resource Meeting Stinson Morrison Hecker
June 17th	Webinar: Strategies for Digging Out of the Email Bog
October 9th - 10th	2009 Region 3 Educational Conference & Exposition in St. Louis, MO

April

 

Chapter Meeting

Speaker Karen McLeese and Jeannie Foster

President Teri Young and Past President Dave Smiley

Leadership Event: Boomers vs. Busters

Speaker Marilyn Moats Kennedy and Janet Gooch

Levi Snow, Speaker Marilyn Moats Kennedy and Janet Gooch

"Cheers"

Levi Snow and Shirley Mitchell

Mary Ecklund and Ingrid Dinkins

Do You Have Something To Say?

If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the newsletter or if you'd like to write an article for the newsletter, please contact Annette Gutierrez at agutierrez@swansonmidgley.com or 816-842-6100.