Crisis Management – How to Appear Confident & Self-Assured, Even When You’re Not

Stereotypes are tough to challenge or break.  Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive director, school superintendent, hospital administrator, businessperson, consultant or one of a thousand other job titles, the usual, and unfortunate, model of gravitas and accomplishment is the 60-year-old, gray-haired male.  Especially when it “hits the fan,” clients look for both the familiar, the trustworthy – and the person they think can save the day.

The piece below was written for the American Bar Association Journal.  While aimed at attorneys, we think the observations and advice are universal.  Let us know if you agree or not.

Into your mind pops the image of a lawyer. Is it Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird? Is it the Atticus Finch of Go Set a Watchman? Vinny Gambini in My Cousin Vinny?

In other words: Who is your role model? And how do you measure up?

Every generation of lawyers has its own challenges. When I started practicing, way back in the last century, there were very few female lawyers, meaning that my role models were mostly male. And of course, we all need role models—at work, in court, among our colleagues—because we are always playing a role.

Today, there are many more and more diverse role models for young lawyers. Yet the older male persona is still what people think of when they think “lawyer.”

We all want to be the kind of lawyer whom our clients trust, our colleagues admire and judges respect. Usually, it takes time to build trust, admiration and respect.

To read the rest, click here.

Photo Credit:  ABA Journal