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Advice
to the Workworn |
Dear
Weary Administrator:
Your invitation struck a chord. A myriad of ideas came flying
through my mind. One suddenly grabbed me. From time to time
I have thought of a bit of advice for my friends still active
in legal administration. Instinct tells me to accept this opportunity
to render it.
A career in legal is all about your three well-chosen words,
“achievements, challenges, rewards.”
Each time I think of a fourth word I realize it is already covered
by one of those three.
I remember a smiling administrator saying goodbye and smugly
announcing to some of us his happy news. He was about to escape
the demands and stresses of the legal environment and begin
a new position at “XYZ Company.” I sensed a degree of sympathy
for those of us left behind. A few months later that same administrator
attended a Chapter meeting, again smiling, and again employed
within the legal community. More than once I have known a legal
administrator to leave the profession, only to return.
Take pride in the knowledge that today you diffused a bad situation,
salvaged a good plan, or solved a problem that most people would
be unable to solve. I retired from what I often referred to
as the best job in town. I hope most ALA Chapter members are
fortunate enough to feel that their own job is the best job
in town. It’s a great feeling.
I do enjoy retirement. I have enjoyed taking courses at local
schools, travel, participating in Elderhostal programs such
as a weeks study of the Dead Sea Scrolls in San Francisco, living
for a week in a dorm at the University of Southern Oregon, studying
Shakespeare and attending the Shakespeare festival in Ashland,
playing bridge, and building closer bonds with my grandchildren.
My son is a single parent. He told me I was a Godsend when I
spent two weeks in his home while he was away for serious back
surgery and rehab. I was glad I could relieve some of his concerns,
although I did not enjoy nagging my grandson until he finally
dragged himself from the bed and got ready for school. Neither
did I enjoy constantly chasing the cat away from the kitchen
cabinets. She seemed to win every race I had with her.
I am active in a 110-member woman’s club which raises money
for charity and conducts organized bridge play. A former Chapter
member told me she could not believe I would join a woman’s
club. I did, and I enjoy it. But we have things to do and to
talk about other than how our husbands like their eggs.
None of this sounds very bad. The simple truth is I miss working,
and not only on the 1st and the 15th. I miss sharing ideas and
solutions to common problems with members of ALA. One may grow
weary, but legal administration is a challenging profession.
We have the energy and ability to meet the challenge. Go ahead
and dream of plans for retirement. Most of the fun is in the
anticipation anyway. My advice to you is to consider the timing
carefully. Retirement can be boring.
Eunice is a Life member
of the Dallas Chapter. She served as Administrative Manager
of the Law Department at Dresser Industries from 1959 to June
1985, when she became eligible for one of many early retirement
offers made by Dresser prior to its acquisition by Halliburton.
She joined Strasburger and Price as Human Resources Manager
in January 1986, and retired once again at the end of 1995.
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Next
ALA General Meeting – September 8th. |
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Presidential
Pencilings Board Meeting Minutes |
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Board Meeting Minutes
by Patty Stewart |
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It’s been a full quarter
since the new Board took office so it seems like
an appropriate time for an update of what’s been
happening behind the scenes.
First, let’s review who makes up the “Board.” It’s
the President (me), President-Elect (Joe Offutt),
Vice President of Programs (Deborah Carlton), Secretary
(Lily Bussey), Treasurer (Sandy Reinhardt), Director
– Past President (De Lyla Alexander), Director at
Large (Jeff Gill) and Director at Large (Brenda
Homan). We meet the fourth Wednesday of each month
to review the financials, approve new |
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members and make operational and other decisions on behalf
of the Chapter.
At every Board meeting, we review the minutes from the
past month as well as the Treasurer’s Report. The Board
is also provided with a report on the monthly (or bi-monthly)
meetings of the Sections. Each Section/Committee has a
Board liaison and that individual typically attends the
Section/Committee meeting and is available to provide
guidance and/or assistance to the Section Chair(s). The
Board liaison is also responsible for making the Section/Committee
report to the Board. It is through this process that the
Board considers and approves requests made at the Section/Committee
level.
Here are some of the highlights of what’s been discussed
or approved at Board meetings to date:
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APRIL |
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2006
Budget was discussed but it is still a work in progress.
Sandy has been in contact with the officers and
section/committee chairs to get their input with
regard to their individual budgets. |
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Gifts
for guest speakers were discussed and approved. |
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An
honorarium for Susan Koran (March speaker) and Sue
Umbdenstock (May speaker) was approved. The honorarium
is a $100 donation to FALA. |
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Guidelines
and parameters for the Job Bank were discussed and
approved. |
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The
roll-out of the salary survey was discussed and
fees approved. |
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A
report was given regarding the Silver President's
Award presented to the Chapter in San Francisco. |
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Patty
Stewart gave a report to the Board regarding the
Region 4 Council Meeting which was held at the Conference
in San Francisco. |
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It
was reported that the Chapter has been contacted
by the Law Firm Financial Management Conference
Committee to provide assistance in finding speakers. |
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MAY |
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Deborah
Carlton reported on speaker suggestions for upcoming
meetings: Dr. Helen Harkness is scheduled for the
July 14 meeting. Dr. Harkness' speaker fee is $150
per hour (estimated to be two hours which includes
travel time). |
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Approval
was given to the Newsletter Committee to purchase
a digital camera. |
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Jeff
Gill presented suggestions for the Chapter's community
challenge efforts. In July, Jeff will be presenting
"Support the Troops" to the membership. |
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The
Golf/Vendor outing was approved for October 6 at
the Oak Cliff Country Club. |
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The
website is still under construction. |
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A
full scholarship to the Law Firm Financial Management
Conference to be held September 29 – October 1 was
approved. It will be awarded via a drawing at the
July membership meeting. |
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JUNE |
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$4,000
was approved as the speaker’s budget for the 2005-2006
chapter year. |
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Logo
gifts for the speakers were ordered. |
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Approved
a Happy Hour to be held July 21 at Campisi’s. |
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Approved
the location (Hotel Za Za) for the Holiday Party. |
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Approved
offering the salary survey to employment agencies
for purchase. |
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Approved
distributing the newsletter via e-mail effective
in July until the website is totally up and running. |
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Reported
that the Bylaws, as well as the Policies and Procedures
of the Chapter, are currently under review by Patty
Stewart, Joe Offutt, and De Lyla Alexander. They
will be presented to the Board for discussion in
July and to the membership for approval in September. |
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A
report was given by Joe Offutt and Patty Stewart
regarding attendance at CLI in Denver. (Detailed
information was provided to the membership via the
President’s Report of the June newsletter.) |
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Discussion
regarding the registered agent of the Chapter. |
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There’s never a dull moment at a Board
meeting. We’re always hard at work for you but we have
a lot of fun doing it. Thanks for the privilege.
EDITORIAL POLICY: The
Lonestar Administrator is
published by the Dallas Chapter of the Association of
Legal Administrators ("Dallas ALA"). The
Editor welcomes articles, letters, suggestions, and comments.
Reprint requests and articles should be directed to the
Editor. Vendors interested in advertising in the newsletter
should contact the Advertising Manager. Opinions expressed
in articles and advertisements contained herein are strictly
those of the contributors and advertisers and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of Dallas ALA or its members. Reprinting
of any portion of this newsletter by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any
information storage and retrieval system, is prohibited
without permission of both the Editor and the Author.
Newsletter Editor: Nita Starnes - Law Department Administrator,
Centex Corporation,
2728 N. Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201-1516,
Voice: 214.981.6531,
Fax: 214.981-6849,
E-mail: nstarnes@centex.com.
Advertising Manager: Cindy Stanley - Office Manager,
Little Pedersen Fankhauser LLP,
901 Main Street, Suite 4110,
Dallas, TX 75202,
Voice: 214.573.2302,
Fax: 214.573.2323,
E-mail: cstanley@lpf-law.com
Article Deadline 11th of Every Month
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Section
Meetings |
All ALA Section Meetings are held at the Belo
Mansion, unless otherwise noted.
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Dallas
Chapter ALA announces an opportunity to Support Our Troops
Overseas! |
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Please help the Dallas Chapter
ALA afford to send some much needed items to our family members
and friends stationed overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. Personal
care products, snack foods, reading material and fun stuff to
help pass the time are in short supply on the front lines. Here's
how you can get involved and make a difference for a soldier
or an entire unit.
1. Provide contact information for a family member or friend
who is stationed overseas. We will ship them a gift box of assorted
necessities, some fun stuff that will help remind them of home,
and a note letting them know that we support and appreciate
their bravery.
2. Make a donation to this cause so that we can generously support
as many family and friends (and the unit) as possible. Your
check should be made payable to "Dallas Chapter ALA" and can
be mailed to Sandy Reinhardt (our Treasurer) at Hartline, Dacus,
Barger, Dreyer & Kern, LLP., 6688 N. Central Expressway, Suite
1000, Dallas, TX 75206. We would greatly appreciate donations
of $20 or more, but we will gladly accept smaller contributions,
pocket change, and gold bullion.
3. Volunteer to assist with collecting donations (in July),
shopping for the supplies (in August) and packing the gift boxes
for shipment (in September). Contact Jeff
Gill at 214-939-5720 or jeff.gill@hughesluce.com
to volunteer and for more information.
Following is a list of the items that
we want to purchase and send to your family members and friends.
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Personal Care Products:
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Baby
wipes (for personal hygiene; showers can be rare) |
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Toothpaste,
toothbrushes, dental floss |
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Deodorant |
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Waterless
antibacterial hand sanitizers |
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Lotion
(to combat the low humidity, heat, blowing sand, and sun) |
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Disposable
razors |
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Sun
block & aloe vera |
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Insect
repellent and fly paper |
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Eye
drops (again, the blowing sand) |
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Blistex,
Chapstick, Vaseline, Carmex |
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Saline
spray |
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Q-tips |
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Ointment
for athletes foot and foot powder |
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Small
portion sized laundry detergent |
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Socks,
socks, socks |
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T-shirts |
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Food Items: |
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Drink
mixes including, coffee, cocoa, tea, Tang, Crystal Light
& Gatorade |
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Gum,
Lifesavers, mints |
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Nuts,
sunflower seeds, peanuts, trail mix |
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Fruit
cocktail in cans |
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Cheese
& crackers |
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Canned
tuna fish |
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Power
bars, nutrition bars, granola bars, pop tarts |
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Candy
(no chocolate due to temperatures > 120 degrees) |
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Slim
Jims |
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Nacho
cheese dip |
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Fun Stuff: |
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Frisbees,
Nerf footballs, hackey sack balls |
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Deck
of cards |
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CDs
and DVDs |
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Batteries
- AA, AAA & C |
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Books
& magazines |
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July
7th Facilities Meeting - Scrapbook |
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July
28th HR Meeting - Scrapbook |
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| Kris
Marohn & Becky Longmore |
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| Nancy
Bennett & Oma Conn Pam |
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| Pam
Breier & Barbara Seymour |
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| On
Tuesday, June 28th, Brian
Dodge inspired and entertained the group
with his message entitled, “How
to Build a Better You”.
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July 14th
General Meeting |
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Need Help with Your Worklife? |
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Downsized
or Outsourced? |
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Searching
for Meaning and Money? |
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On
a Treadmill Going Nowhere? |
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Living
Only for Your Free Time? |
At our July 14th General Meeting
- Capitalizing on Career
Chaos - Dr. Helen Harkness, Ph.D., detailed
the attitudes needed to support a radical new approach
to aging and working in the coming century. With
inspiring stories of people who created their most
satisfying careers at an |
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| Speaker
Helen Harkness & Patty Stewart |
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of
people who created their most satisfying careers
at an age when others were being “put out to pasture,”
Dr. Harkness shattered the myth that growing older
equals biological, mental, psychological, and creative
decline and encouraged us instead to reset our career
clocks. She charted a course for rethinking our
future and finding career fulfillment in later life.
She gave practical information showing us how to
find the order in the chaos of our Information Age,
how to shake loose from old stereotypes to creatively
integrate aging and working, how to tell time differently
- functionally, not chronologically - and how to
develop success criteria and the action steps needed
to get there. “Freedom
is Knowing your Options” is her creed.
She is the author of four books, “Best
Jobs for the Future,” 1995; “The
Career Chase,” 1997; “Don’t
Stop the Career Clock,” 1999; and “Capitalizing
on Career Chaos,” 2005. In these books, she
teaches adults how to work and thrive in our current
age of constant change and complexity.
Helen Harkness, Ph.D., is a career consultant and
the founder of Career Design Associates, Inc. You
may contact her at options@career-design.com or
972.278.4701 to explore your options of career moves
and to discover your best worklife path. Lori Bounds
& Brenda Homan Bob Rapp, David Turner & Bob Gordon |
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| Rhonda Hudson & Mona Seidl |
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| Lori Bounds & Brenda Homan |
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| Bob Rapp, David Turner & Bob Gordon |
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The
next ALA general meeting is our Vendor Appreciation
Luncheon and it will be held September 8th at the
Belo Mansion located at 2101 Ross Avenue. Our speaker
will be Barbara Miller and her topic will be “How
to Communicate with an Impact.” Lunch service begins
at 11:45 a.m. Please RSVP no later than noon August
29th to the ALA General Meeting Reply Line at 214/746-5737
or via email to dcarlton@jenner.com.
Please be sure to note whether you are bringing
a guest. Guest fee is $20. We look forward to seeing
you there! |
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Confronting
Substandard Behavior by Chris
Kane |
| Our
images associated with confrontation are usually negative,
probably accounting for our avoidance whenever possible.
Most of us have only bad memories of attempts to confront
lack of performance or unacceptable conduct in the workplace.
Yet we all know that confrontation is sometimes necessary
and deplore the unwillingness or inability of supervisors
or colleagues to confront substandard behavior when necessary.
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In the law firm, the organizational
tendency to avoid confrontation is aggravated by the legal personality—so
comfortable with problem solving and confronting a hostile witness,
yet so ill at ease with the world of feelings. Yet, confrontation
is unlikely to succeed without acknowledging the importance
of feelings. To increase competency in this crucial skill, we
borrow from the litigator’s manual by exploring confrontation
from the following perspectives: What, Why, Who, When, and How1
…we can think of confrontation as the bringing together of people
face-to-face to look at the same situation-to place the truth,
as one person sees it, in front of another.
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Confrontation
Defined |
A dictionary definition of
confrontation is “to bring face-to-face.” Thus,
contrary to common usage, this definition allows people to come
together as friends as well as adversaries. For present purposes,
we can think of confrontation as the bringing together of people
face-to-face to look at the same situation—to place the
truth, as one person sees it, in front of another.
Notice that this definition leaves room for differences of opinion
as to truth. We all view the world from different and limited
perspectives—no one has a monopoly on truth. The successful
confronter will be genuinely interested in hearing the other
person’s story and communicating his own.
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Why
Confront? |
One reason to confront is
to hear a supervisor’s version of the facts concerning
the alleged harassment of a subordinate. Let’s say the example
involves a male partner and a female paralegal. To be successful,
an investigator must communicate to both the alleged harasser
and the victim that their respective accounts are important—that
the entire truth does not lie in one individual but in all the
witnesses—and that a search for the whole truth motivates this
confrontation.
A pre-arranged agreement for accountability can be another reason
for confrontation. If an employee has agreed to meet certain
expectations, a supervisor has the right to confront if performance
or behavior is inconsistent with such expectations.
Care and concern for a colleague can also motivate confrontation.
For example, a confrontation of a colleague with a drinking
problem, if motivated by genuine concern for the individual
has a real chance for success. But if the message is simply
that the colleague must change or leave the firm, the result
is more likely to be anger and denial.
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Who
Should Confront? |
In a law firm, the supervisor
who is charged with confronting substandard performance or behavior
is likely to be the managing partner, practice group leader
or, in the case of staff, the firm administrator. If the supervisor
conveys an impression that confrontation is a distasteful job
that is reluctantly undertaken, the process is probably doomed
from the start. Communication of care and concern for the subordinate
is necessary for real dialogue and agreement.
This is a difficult challenge in law firms because most lawyers
are not feelers by nature. A recent study of more than 3,000
lawyers who completed the Myers-Briggs personality preference
test confirms what lawyers and law staff already know-78% of
all lawyers prefer thinking over feeling. This explains a lot
about law firm miscommunications and avoidance of difficult
conversations in the workplace. Thinkers prefer a quick, decisive,
efficient confrontation while outnumbered feelers urge a more
gradual, individualized, and personal process. The adversarial
mentality of thinkers in a partnership meeting wears thin on
feelers concerned about how other lawyers will feel about a
decision.
Sensitivity to personality preferences—particularly the supervisor’s—is
important to successful confrontation. Thinkers can also search
out and consult with a feeler before confronting a subordinate.
With practice and forethought, thinkers can become proficient
in exploring a subordinate’s story, invariably involving feelings
as much as facts. It’s not that thinkers don’t care; rather,
they prefer to keep their feelings under wraps. Their challenge
is to develop their “right brain” weak side to communicate better
in difficult conversations.
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Choosing
the Best Time and Place |
It is important to choose
a time and place that will give the best chance for success.
A supervisor should avoid confronting a paralegal for a mishandled
exhibit when the trial team has been working around the clock
preparing for trial. Physical or emotional exhaustion can easily
lead to hostile shouting matches. Don't ask a subordinate if
he or she has a couple of minutes to discuss something that
has been bothering the supervisor. Too often a lack of control
moves a confrontation into a conflict. Instead, a supervisor
might state that
(1) he or she would like to discuss an issue;
(2) it will probably take "x" minutes; and
(3) what would be a good time and place to meet.
It is usually advisable to inform the person in advance of the
issue to be discussed. This eliminates the element of surprise
triggering defensiveness. Offering the other person an opportunity
to reflect or talk with a third person before a meeting delivers
a message that both parties should have time to prepare. Showing
fairness and respect for the other person often creates an environment
for mutual understanding. On the other hand, if there is a prior
understanding that issues should be resolved immediately, prior
notice may not be necessary. Similarly, in situations involving
alleged work-place harassment, surprise may be necessary to
search out the truth or stop the conduct in question. Unilateral
scheduling of a confrontation in the supervisor's office can
also backfire because the subordinate feels a loss of control.
Obviously, delivering observations of substandard performance
from behind the boss's oversized desk is not conducive to constructive
dialogue. If the subordinate has a private office, that can
be an ideal place for a confrontation. A neutral conference
room is a good second choice. If the supervisor's office pro-vides
the only privacy, the subordinate should be invited to sit around
a conference table or coffee table.
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How
to Confront? |
The skills needed to effectively
confront another in the work-place can be boiled down to the
following principles and guidelines:
1. Confront, if possible, in the first
person. Phrases, such as “It has come to my attention
that…or “Several of your co-workers say…”
communicate that the organization is “ganging up”
on the person being confronted. If the per-son doing the confronting
can speak from personal observation, this usually increases
the chances for a successful outcome.
2. Own your own thoughts and feelings.
Don’t confront on behalf of others. Sometimes a leader
will be asked to confront a colleague on behalf of other partners.
If a leader does not share the group’s concerns, he or
she should work with the group to clarify the issues and goals.
If the leader is still unconvinced, the group should be encouraged
to communicate directly with the individual.
3. Be assertive. Assertiveness
means expressing a supervisor’s own wants and needs (and
those of the organization if shared by the supervisor) while
respecting the wants and needs of the person being confronted.
Assertive personalities communicate openly, honestly, directly
and appropriately. Notice that there is an essential element
of caring and compassion in this definition. Initiators of confrontation
who are direct but lack understanding and respect for the other
person’s story are often met with hostility. The goal
is to combine direct and honest communication with a sense of
caring for the other person. Being assertive also implies that
the supervisor has communicated clear standards of behavior
as well as previous failures to comply.
-
Communicate clear standards of behavior.
Many employers rely on periodic reviews and employee
manuals to communicate the employer’s standards.
Whatever the form, the employer must clearly communicate
its standards before a supervisor initiates a conversation
about substandard behavior.
-
Use the performance review process.
Being assertive also requires covering the organization's
behavior expectations during the annual review process.
All too often supervisors
(1) fear confrontation either because they are not
natural "feelers" or are unskilled in this area;
(2) fear becoming unpopular with their staff; or
(3) hope that performance will improve on its own.
So, supervisors tend to soft-soap the evaluation-circling
a 2 for "good performance" when a 4 for "needs improvement"
would be more honest. Thus, poor employees are evaluated
as competent, satisfactory performer and good employees
as deserving of sainthood. The result is that important
performance issues are ignored for another year and
the employer cannot effectively confront these issues
when they became intolerable. Misleading evaluations
also give employees a false sense of security and
rob them of a chance to improve. Worse, an inflated
performance appraisal or one with mention of unacceptable
behavior gives fired employee's evidence that the
stated reason for termination - poor performance or
unacceptable behavior - is a pretext for unlawful
discrimination. If past performance reviews have been
candid and accurate, they will be helpful both in
encouraging remedial behavior and in discouraging
lawsuits.
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4.
Confront concrete examples of the behavior - not the employee.
Focusing on behavior and not the person is sometimes a challenge.
Nor can a supervisor assume that the person being confronted
will be able to make the same distinction. Nonetheless, the
goal should be to avoid the perception that the observations
attack personal values and identity. Don't start out, "I was
very upset by what you said in front of our client." The implicit
message is that you undermined me-at best, you were stupid.
Instead think "out-of-body" like a mediator who describes two
stories-yours and the person being confronted-as a disinterested
observer. The goal is to get both parties to sign on to the
same description of what's happening.
5. Focus on the behavior-not the intent.
Any behavior can and usually does have multiple causes
unknown to both participants. Mind readers are cautioned to
avoid speculation and stick to the facts.
6. Be an active listener who is willing
to be confronted. Recalling the basic premise that each
person has only part of the truth, the initiator must encourage
the other person to share how the situation looks from his or
her perspective. This mind frame challenges supervisors to suspend
assumptions and keep an open mind. Listening well means paying
attention to body language. Be careful not to give the impression
that the initiator of a confrontation is too busy to give this
matter his or her full attention (by taking a telephone call,
for example). Remember that 80% of communication is body language.
7. Explore their story and yours as
the confrontation moves from observations through feelings and
needs to requests. Express your feelings/needs and tune
into the feelings/needs of the other person. Explore issues
and negotiate needs/wants of both parties. Seek solutions that
benefit both parties-a win/win for the employer and employee.
Summarize and bring closure: What has been agreed? How will
the agreement be evaluated? What has been learned?
Conclusion:
There are no magic bullets that will assure success in confron-tation.
Learning to be assertive yet compassionate is a difficult balance
to achieve. Success usually comes only after much trial and
error. Nonetheless, it is a skill that law firms and law-yers
need to develop and promote. The reward will likely be fewer
complaints from disgruntled employees as well as more loyalty
and commitment to the organization and its mission.
Reprinted with permission from Soundings,
the newsletter published by the Puget Sound Chapter of the Association
of Legal Administrators, December 2002.
1. Difficult Conversations-How to Discuss What Matters Most
(Stone-Patton-Heen) Penguin-Putnam, Inc. 1999, and Collaboration
(Sofield-Juliana) Ave Maria Press, 2000
2. Lawrence R. Richard, The Lawyer Personality, Altman Weil,
Inc., 1993.
Chris Kane is an attorney as well as a consultant associated
with Seattle-based Reid & Associates Consulting. Chris focuses
most his energy on helping organizations and their leaders become
more effective in managing conflict and change. He also has
investigated allegations of employment discrimination and harassment
for organizations as an independent contractor. Chris can be
contacted at ckane@rediconsulting.biz
or at (206) 528-3780.
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Member
profiles |
The Dallas Chapter is fortunate
and proud to have Tina Cunningham’s and Sandy Robertson’s contributions.
Although they have been members only one year, they have already
assumed leadership roles by serving as Co-Chairs of the Facilities
Section.
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Gardere
Wynne Sewell LLP |
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Director of Administrative Services |
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| Q. |
What
are your responsibilities and title at your present
law firm/organization? |
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| A. |
I
have been at Gardere Wynne Sewell, LLP, for 28 years.
I started my career at Gardere as a legal secretary,
then moved into adminis-tration after approximately
two years. A few years later, I assumed the newly
created role of Facilities Manager. I am now Director
of Administrative Services. The firm’s contin-ued
growth and expansion into other cities has afforded
me challenging growth opportu-nities. |
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| Q. |
What
outside interests do you have? Tell us something
about your personal life. |
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| A. |
Married
to Randy Robertson, have a 21 year old daughter,
27 year old stepson, the cutest 4 year old grandson
you have ever seen, and three weenie dog/people
that run our house. Quilting is my hobby. The saying
“She who dies with the most fabric wins!!” would
qual-ify me for first place. I also love to read
and garden (newly acquired hobby since moving to
the country last year). |
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| Q. |
What
do you enjoy best about being a part of ALA? |
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| A. |
Dallas
legal facilities managers have rec-ognized that
a professional organization has been needed for
many years to address our needs. I joined ALA last
year after the Facilities Section was formed. We
have a great group of Section members. It is so
ben-eficial to be able to discuss issues and share
information and resources with others who are facing
the same issues as I face every day. I am very impressed
with the ALA members, not only in the Facilities
Section, but through-out the Chapter. |
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July 21th
Summer Social |
The Chapter escaped the heat
at the Summer Social at Campisi’s. This great event was generously
sponsored by Scott Sweet of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
and Steve Gwinn of Strategic Employee Benefit Services Competition
for door prizes was fierce, but the final winners were:
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Sandy Reinhardt
- Campisi’s gift certificate |
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Pam Breier - Borders gift
certificate |
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Sandi Corcoran - Borders
gift certificate |
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Bob Gordon - Luna De Noche
gift certificate |
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Terri Barton - Rangers
tickets |
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Cindy Stanley - Rangers
tickets |
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Lily Bussey - Neiman’s
spa certificate |
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Cindy Stanley is going
to a Rangers game! |
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Terri Barton - Rangers
tickets |
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Amy Flowers with Hosts
Scott Sweet and Steve Gwinn |
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| Amy Flowers
with Hosts Scott Sweet and Steve Gwinn |
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| Cindy
Stanley is going to a Rangers game! |
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| Sandi Corcoran with her
winning Ranger tickets ...prior to trading them for a Borders gift
certificate! |
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| Pam Breier snagged a Borders
gift certificate |
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| Sandy Reinhardt’s gift
certificate came disguised as a NAPKIN! |
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| Sandi Corcoran, Terri
Barton & Barbara Seymour |
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| Deborah Carlton & David
Stine Richard Sims & Lori Bounds |
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Linda Fussell &
Gwen Shell |
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Deborah Carlton
&
David Stine |
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New
Members |
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Deanna
Shelton
Director of HR
Cowles & Thompson, P.C.
901 Main, Suite 4000
Dallas, TX 75202 |
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JoAnn Ross
Office Manager
Chamblee & Ryan, P.C.
2777 N. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 1157
Dallas, TX 75207 |
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Dallas
Chapter ALA JOB BANK and JOB POSTINGS |
The Dallas Chapter ALA Job Bank (DCJB) has
been created to place prospective employers in touch with legal
administrators seeking employment. Firms may contact De Lyla
Alexander (dalexander@gardere.com)
to discuss potential candidates.
It is important to note that the DCJB will not evaluate or recommend
firms or applicants that participate in the DCJB, and that all
inquiries are handled in strict confidence.
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The
DCJB is pleased to provide the Job Bank-Job Posting
service to Chapter members and local firms seeking
qualified individuals for law firm administrative
positions. Positions in corporate/government law
offices will also be accepted. Positions will be
posted for 60 days and unless otherwise noti-fied,
the position will be removed at the end of the 60
day period. To advertise in this column
(1) the position must be focused on law firm administration;
and,
(2) your firm must have a Dallas office and an employee
who is a member in good standing of The Dallas Chapter
Association of Legal Administrators.
The Dallas Chapter ALA Board reserves the right
to reject any and all advertisements. |
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Accounting
Manager
Cowles & Thompson Supervises
billing, accounts payable, matter setup and rate maintenance.
Does e-billing setup with the e-vendors as well as
maintenance on the e-billing sites and spends approximately
50% of the time doing collections. Applicant will
be trained to back up the Controller in preparing
monthly S/H reports as well as balancing the system.
Please email resume to
Deanna
Shelton.
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Controller
Meadows, Owens, Collier, Reed, Cousins & Blau, L.L.P.
A downtown Dallas law firm
has an opening for a Controller. Duties include
the preparation of monthly and year end financial
statements, annual budgets, monthly cash requirements
planning, financial analysis of the firm's operations
for management's guidance and all trust accounting.
The position will manage the accounting department
and the accounting systems/software. Responsibilities
include interviewing, hiring and training employees;
planning, assigning and directing work; and appraising
performance.
A BS in accounting and CPA certification are required
along with excellent communication skills, creativity,
ability to multi-task under pressure, leadership,
and computer skills. Previous law firm or professional
services experience is a prerequisite.
Please email resume to:sschultz@meadowsowens.com.
or FAX resume to:Susan
Schultz at 214-747-3732
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2005
Annual Golf Outing |
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July
2005 Monthly Focus |
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Log onto alanet.org
for information on the following:
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Understanding your needs is one thing - fulfilling
them is quite another. And that's where Robert Half
Legal* comes in. As North America's leading provider
of legal professionals, we offer law firms and legal
departments the highest quality project and full-time
professionals. We act quickly to pinpoint and fulfill
your needs, because our account executives are practicing
attorneys - with a network of experienced legal
professionals that offers clients a range of skills,
including:
o Attorneys and paralegals skilled and experienced
in a wide variety of practice areas
o Reliable legal support professionals from legal
secretaries to records personnel
o Cost-effective project teams
So no matter how high you raise the bar, Robert
Half Legal has the right person - with the specialized
experience to suit your needs. To find out more,
call or visit us online today.
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Océ Business
Services is one of the world's leading providers of
total solutions for the management of document processes
that are vital to your business. Thse company pioneered
outsourcing of on-site document management nearly25
years ago.
Océ offers globally integrated services for customers
seeking single site, multi-site or multi-national
document management support. Through a proven methodology,
Océ Business Services delivers best-in-class solutions
including print and copy management, mail services,
and records and imaging management.
Oce's years of experience helping clients reduce costs
and optimize their document processes means we probably
can help your organization become more efficient and
productive. |
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Sacred
Cows Make the Best Burgers |
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This
book has five steps to "show you how to coach yourself
and your people to be Change-Ready
so that your organization can respond quickly to the challenges
and opportunities of the twenty-first century."
1. Round up Sacred Cows
2. Develop a Change-Ready
Environment
3. Turn Resistance into Readiness
4. Motivate People to Change
5. Develop the Seven Personal Change-Ready
Traits |
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Sacred
cows are "well-worn beliefs, assumptions, and practices"
that have outlived their usefulness. You must identify
the "cows," "round 'em up," and "put 'em to pasture."
You may spend hours each month preparing the same monthly
report you've done for years. Do your partners read that
report or "file" it away? Would a condensed report better
serve your purpose? Is a hard copy necessary or could
the report be sent electronically? |
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In order to have "an environment in which people are more
open to innovation and new ideas," you must create an
enthusiasm for change. This takes careful, long-term planning.
You must build blocks of trust by identifying "trust buster"
traits in your employees and turn them into "trust builders"
that help you create enthusiasm.
"Understanding resistance is the first step in transforming
it into a catalyst for change." You must learn how to
coach "yourself and others to recognize and overcome the
four resistances to change." Each person has "individualized
reason for opposing change." If you ignore their resistance,
you will be "creating far greater problems down the road."
Getting people excited about change and motivated is comprised
of four mechanisms -
(1) feel the necessity to change is urgent,
(2) be inspired with a vision,
(3) be empowered with information, responsibility, and
the authority to make decisions,
(4) be given extrinsic (money) and internal (praise) rewards.
"Change-Readiness means feeling excited and challenged
by change, anticipating and initiating it rather than
simply reacting to events." Change-Ready people possess
the necessary personal characteristics needed to thrive
in a changing environment. However, these traits frequently
need to be cultivated.
Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers
outlines and explains each of these steps (and more) in
great detail. |
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The
Lonestar Administrator - Officers and Directors |
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Mark
Your Calendars! |
| July 2005 |
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| August 2005 |
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SM
Small Firm |
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SM
Facilities |
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SM
Multi-Office |
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Future
ALA Conferences - 2006-2009 |
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Start
Planning for Future ALA Conferences.
The sites for ALA's international conferences in years
2006-2009 are: 2006
– Montreal • 2007 – Las Vegas • 2008 – Seattle • 2009
– New Orleans |
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