<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>flexible working Archives - Braving Boundaries</title> <atom:link href="https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/flexible-working/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/flexible-working/</link> <description>PROFESSIONAL LIFE COACHING & TRAINING</description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:04:28 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-ZA</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <image> <url>https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Asset-1.svg</url> <title>flexible working Archives - Braving Boundaries</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/flexible-working/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>6 ways to create a harmonious work environment</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:12:43 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Effective communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team building]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Work life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Working environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[effective workplace]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enneagram training]]></category> <category><![CDATA[flexible working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hybrid working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[life at work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team dynamics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team enneagram]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic teams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic work environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[toxic workplace]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work life blend]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working mom]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working parent]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=4944</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/">6 ways to create a harmonious work environment</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_0 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_0"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_0 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></em></h5></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_1 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When we think of harmony, most of us imagine a type of Utopia where everyone we meet and interact with is peaceful, agreeable and lives in perfect bliss with the people and the environment around them. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s all seemingly very “kumbaya”, at least, that’s what the </span><a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/harmony" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cambridge dictionary</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> intimates.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For me though, harmony can often be found in diversity and balance. In recognising – within the diversity – how everything (and everyone) </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">can</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> fit together. Like a beautiful dance between partners. Not everyone is the same, but when moving together in unison a beautiful sway emerges. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps it’s the words of French mathematician, </span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-Poincare" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Henri Poincaré </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">that is more accurate (I’m married to a man who believes maths is the answer to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">every question</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – actuaries, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">what ya gonna do?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">) – </span></p> <blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is the harmony of the diverse parts, their symmetry, their happy balance; in a word it is all that introduces order, all that gives unity, that permits us to see clearly and to comprehend at once both the ensemble and the details.”</span></p></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And it’s these words that ignite a thought. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps harmony in its real, basic form, is far more straight forward. Perhaps harmony is all about embracing what is different or diverse amongst us and learning to appreciate those differences anyway – learning the different moves, so you can </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">fox-trot</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> your way to a peaceful, happy place.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After all, in real life, we are all different. We all want and look for different things in life. We all have differing ambitions and therefore will seek different stimuli to achieve a different result.</span></p> <p><b>Different. Diverse. Distinct. </b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And that’s not just in life. It’s at work too. We may have a “work persona” but we are still who we are. Deep down. And our differing needs will obviously bubble to the surface. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, it’s within this framework that I wonder – how does one create a harmonious work environment? Because let’s be frank about one thing. We spend (according to Andrew Naber, an alumni of </span><a href="https://www.gettysburg.edu/news/stories?id=79db7b34-630c-4f49-ad32-4ab9ea48e72b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gettysburg College</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) one third of our lives at work. That is, on average, 90 000 hours of work over a lifetime!</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shouldn’t we be looking at how to make our work lives better? More harmonious? Happier?</span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I would say so – yes!</span></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Creating a harmonious working environment</strong></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_0"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1440" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment-1.jpg" alt="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment" title="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment (1)" class="wp-image-4949" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It should come as no surprise that to have a harmonious working environment and to work within a cohesive team, takes work. It doesn’t just happen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Again, let me repeat – we are all different. And our differences will – on occasion – cause tension. Causing our “harmonious working environment” to be out of whack. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And while I would love to say that you can all just snap back into position and continue happily as if nothing happened, that’s not always the case. It’s just not always that easy. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But you can work on it. It takes a good action plan (as formal as that sounds) to ensure that everyone works together in a way that promotes a happy work-life. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It can be done!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The question therefore – inevitably – is:</span><strong><span style="color: #c69229;"><i> what are the strategies that you can implement to encourage a harmonious work environment?</i></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After looking at several sources, most notably </span><a href="https://interaction-training.com/9-strategies-help-create-harmonious-team/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interaction Training</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the </span><a href="https://hr.un.org/page/create-harmonious-workplace"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UN HR Portal</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.simplilearn.com/building-high-performing-teams-article"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simplilearn, </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">the following points can and should be practiced in order to encourage harmony both within teams, at work and (consequently) within your own life as well: </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_1 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_1 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_1"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_2 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Have mutual respect</i></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – practice awareness of each person within your team’s unique attributes, what they bring to the table, how they are different, what they are experts at. Recognise the part each person has to play. By doing so, a strong bond will naturally be created – because when someone feels recognised, when they feel appreciated and when they are respected, the opportunities to create, to brainstorm, to encourage, to support will naturally flow freely. This is important in order to be productive and to overcome challenges as one single organism, building shared values and a sense of integrity as you go.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_2 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_3 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_2"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_4 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Practice inclusivity</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– in fact, make it your rule. This is where the differences in each of us shine through. Remember, it’s the value of our individual uniqueness that helps open a team up to new ways of doing things. And that’s important. You should also keep in mind that when encouraging new ways of doing things, how you act, your behavior and your beliefs will affect how you treat team members. Therefore, practice patience, kindness, open-mindedness, especially when someone’s beliefs are different to your own. Be proactive in asking for feedback to understand another person’s viewpoint. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_3 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_5 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_3"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_6 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_6 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Embrace diversity</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– “diversity” as a concept, often makes one think of cross-cultural differences first i.e. the differences in each of us because of our distinct cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Sure, these are important, but paying attention to diversity also means considering the differing perspectives that come from different genders, races, religions, sexual orientations and mental/physical difficulties and characteristics. You can embrace the diversity found within your team by using respectful language when referring to various groups and displaying supportive signs or posters in your office. Be prepared and willing to learn about your own personality type (most notably by incorporating the </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – discussed below – which can become invaluable when embracing diversity), because this can help you become more self-aware, engaging more easily with team members. Be open to explore your own personal biases too as this is a critical step when learning about the root of possible prejudices. And it can teach you both how to fix that bias and how avoid it in the future.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_4 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_7 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_4"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_8 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_7 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Remember that your words and actions are important</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– choose your words carefully. Don’t speak without thinking how what you say will affect someone else. It also helps to stay mindful of what your body language demonstrates to others (remember the article on </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/effective-workplace-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Effective Workplace Communication</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – body language is key). Ask people about what they think and would do in each situation. Truly listen to your team members. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_5 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_9 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_5"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_10 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_8 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Manage the Self</i> </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">– when one talks about the “self” we often refer to our emotional intelligence—how well we can relate to others, even when the going gets tough. Especially when a work environment is not as harmonious as we would like it to be. This can take work on oneself too – for instance, try and empathize with and understand the perspectives of others, remain open to working on (and overcoming) your own mistakes or failures, be consistent with your interactions with others. Stop and take notice when you are not. Do what you say you will do – be true to your word. Hold yourself accountable. Ask your team members if you haven’t “walked the talk”. And then, do better! Managing the Self is an ongoing thing – you will always be working on you. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_6 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_11 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_6"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6.jpg" alt="" title="6" class="wp-image-1491" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_12 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_9 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong><i>Encourage open communication</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– not speaking up is quite common in teams. You wouldn’t be alone if you were afraid to speak up, especially during meetings. Perhaps it’s the vulnerability that keeps us all quiet. A lot of us feel this way. So, encourage other team members to speak up, to voice their opinion and support them when they do! Listen to them and then applaud them for doing so. If you cheer someone else on, when it’s your turn, they will do the same for you. Encourage an environment of open communication. And creating this sort of team culture will motivate and encourage one another, helping creative innovative ideas thrive. That’s harmonious indeed.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_7"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_13 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_10 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may be thinking – wow that’s just as bad as “kumbaya”. I hear you. They are just pointers. You can take them – or leave them – the choice is yours. But the fact of the matter is, practicing the above pointers in your day-to-day life</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encourages harmony within a team. And within you. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And it’s not just the external factors to take into consideration. It’s also about knowing yourself. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_11 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Know thyself, first!</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before you can really incorporate any of the above points into your life (and into your working environment), it’s crucial to gain a better understanding of who you are – deep down – first.</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Know yourself”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the sum of all philosophical commandments, Socrates once observed. Aristotle in all his wisdom, echoed that sentiment by saying </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> How right they were!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because to encourage diversity and actively embrace new ways of doing things – creating a harmonious working environment – requires the embrace of different personality types, while at the same time, knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">who </span></i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you</span></i></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are – </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">as a member of that team. What is your personality type? How do you fit into a team? How can you work better within a team?</span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_7"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1440" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment-2.jpg" alt="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment" title="6 ways to create a harmonious work environment (2)" class="wp-image-4950" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_12 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All pertinent questions in this journey to create harmony in your work (and personal) life. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And this is where the </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can become invaluable to a diverse team all having diverse needs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As you may recall in the article – </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/investing-in-you-the-world-of-the-enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Investing in You – The World of the Enneagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – I set out just </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how beneficial taking the Enneagram was</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in better understanding myself and the reasons why I do the things that I do. It has highlighted my core motivations and the impact they have on my personality, how I think, how I feel and how I act.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Enneagram has been invaluable in my own journey of self-discovery, self-development, relationship building, how I can better resolve conflict according to my own personality type and how I can work better in a team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And I think for anyone looking to better understand team dynamics and looking to create a harmonious working environment, the following found on the Braving Boundaries </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">is highly enlightening – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The power of the Enneagram lies in its subtle complexity, in its flexibility, and in its open-endedness, allowing it to take into account the myriad characteristics of human personality, how these traits blend in each person, and how they change depending on circumstances. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">The Enneagram is all about the WHY. It delves into our motivations and explains why we do the things we do. It offers profound insights into what makes us tick, such as the unconscious fears buried deep in our psyches that affect our everyday decisions.”</span></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The feedback session – as I said previously – was where I was able to gain a real understanding of my personality or archetype style. It’s how I got better acquainted with myself. It’s how I have been able to implement the changes suggested to me in the report. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And for </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any team</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">any business</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, this would be worth its weight in gold. The perfect way to ensure a harmonious working environment, as well as effective, positive communication. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To find out more about the Enneagram Team Session and how you can both better understand team members within your oganisation whilst also discovering ways you can improve on your own communication skills, take a look at the </span><strong><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/work-with-me/">Braving Boundaries website </a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><strong><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/contact-me/">get in touch</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with Frieda Levycky today. There are fantastic programmes for both individuals and teams.</span></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Truly invest in yourself and your team. Ensure you create a positive, harmonious working environment!</span></i></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_8"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/enneagram-inquiry/"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/End-of-blog-post-CTA-image-1.jpg" alt="Book a Team Enneagram Sessions with Frieda Levycky" title="End of blog post CTA image (1)" class="wp-image-4875" /></span></a> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_8"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_14 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_0 et_pb_divider_position_center et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_9 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_15 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_9"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_16 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_13 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">About the writer, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">[email protected]</a> </strong></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/">6 ways to create a harmonious work environment</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/6-ways-to-create-a-harmonious-work-environment/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Saying “Yes” when you should be saying “No”</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/saying-yes-when-you-should-be-saying-no/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/saying-yes-when-you-should-be-saying-no/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 25 Oct 2021 08:57:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category> <category><![CDATA[attorney life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[boundaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[braving boundaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[flexible working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[happy lawyer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hybrid working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[it's ok to say no]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law firm life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law firm mentality]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer lifestyle]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[learn to say no]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[live your life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[love your life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[personal boundaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[preserve your time]]></category> <category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[professional]]></category> <category><![CDATA[professional boundaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[professionals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[saying no]]></category> <category><![CDATA[take control of your time]]></category> <category><![CDATA[time management]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[workaholic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[working mom]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=3273</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Learning to say NO is an important step towards creating healthy boundaries. Here are some strategies to help you say NO!</p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/saying-yes-when-you-should-be-saying-no/">Saying “Yes” when you should be saying “No”</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <h5 class="wp-block-heading"><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></em></h5> <p></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>The pressing need for boundaries…</em></h3> <p>By now, we all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many of us to work from home. <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-work-from-home-saga/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A new saga</a> has inevitably emerged and <em>it is not going anywhere. </em></p> <p>In fact, companies are looking to extend the work-from-home situation into a <a href="https://ajs.co.za/2021/08/10/the-best-of-both-worlds-awaits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hybrid model</a> where employees will be working part time at home and part time in the office. The so-called “best of both worlds”. In fact, according to the <a href="https://hbr.org/2021/07/4-strategies-for-building-a-hybrid-workplace-that-works" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard Law review</a>, global research has revealed that<em> “72% of corporate leaders plan to offer a hybrid model”</em>. </p> <p>And that may sound encouraging, but there is a saying that continuously pops up – <em>“if it’s too good to be true, it usually is”. </em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>A silver lining or a storm cloud waiting to burst?</em></strong></h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/1-1024x768-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3279"/></figure> <p>We have set up home offices in our spare bedrooms or on our dining room tables and have made the most out of our new situations, often forcing ourselves to find the silver-lining of it all. </p> <p>So we have focused on the positives by relishing in the flexibility our work-from-home lives have afforded us. Many of us have even become more productive, resulting in an almost new-found “extra time” on our hands. <em>Who knew you could get so much done in one day by simply staying put?</em> </p> <p>But the article on Business News Daily, <a href="https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15259-working-from-home-more-productive.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Working From Home Increases Productivity</a>, supports this theory by revealing that <em>“remote employees work 1.4 more days per month than their office-based counterparts, resulting in more than three additional weeks of work per year”.</em></p> <p>And again, that seems encouraging. </p> <p><em>But… is that too good to be true?</em></p> <p>Despite this flexibility and productiveness, our work-from-home situation has made the separation between our work-lives and home-lives extremely difficult. A single door is often not enough to keep the family noise at bay. The inevitable result? <em>The lines between work and home have become extremely blurred.</em></p> <p>And for many of us who have been striving for the comfortable equilibrium that is work-life balance (or <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2020/06/01/how-to-blend-work-and-life-without-losing-your-mind/?sh=1cdf3ea63bbf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work-life blend</a> as the millennials call it), it seems like all our efforts have gone up in smoke. <em>Is work-life balance/blend </em><a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>even possible anymore</em></a><em>?</em></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/4-1024x768-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3282"/></figure> <p>Let’s be honest, the pandemic has changed the way we feel about prioritising our responsibilities. With all this flexibility and new-found ”extra” time on our hands (due to being <em>“so productive”</em>), a lot of us (especially those of us with our own small start-up businesses) have inevitably <em>started saying “yes” more often than we should be. </em></p> <p>We say yes to please other people, to be team players, to seem more capable, more reliable, more trust worthy and ultimately to help others at our own expense. We say yes because we need the work and the money. Times are tough. So we are resorting to “making hay while the sun shines”. At the cost of our own mental health. </p> <p>Our theme song has changed from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlY90lG_Fuw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Freedom</a> by Pharrell Williams where we were once shouting our <em>“first name is Free, last name is Dom”</em> to Roy Orbison’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNAVrQ96mpA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">You Got it</a> – </p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p><em>“Anything you want, you got it.</em></p><p><em>Anything you need, you got it.</em></p><p><em>Anything at all, you got it”.</em> </p></blockquote> <p>“You got it” is not a bad song, it’s just not what we should be saying. All. The. Time.</p> <p>Because while we might want to say “yes” to everything and “no” to nothing, we need to realise that <em>that is simply not possible</em>.</p> <p>And whilst we continue looking for our silver linings, it kind of feels like <em>storm clouds are rolling in</em>. And waiting to burst. Because with all the “Yesses” being thrown around, <em>something has got to give</em>. </p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>It’s raining, it’s pouring!</em></strong></h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/3-1-1024x768-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3281"/></figure> <p>The storm clouds have indeed burst and your ”Yesses” are falling to the earth amidst thunder and lightning, drenching the ground all around you with your unfulfilled promises. </p> <p>You are feeling overwhelmed (understandably) with all the things that you have said yes to. Work is mounting up and the possibility is increasing that in fact, you won’t have any extra time on your hands to get all the work done, that you may miss deadlines and that you may let people down. </p> <p><em>After all, life is full of trade-offs. </em></p> <p>Saying yes to everything, means you are automatically saying no to everything else. And your priorities will start to suffer. And so will your work and your family commitments. </p> <p>Are you asking yourself the right questions here? Are you saying yes to the things you really want to say yes to? <strong>Or are you saying yes because you </strong><strong><em>don’t know how to say no</em></strong><strong>? Or do not know when </strong><strong><em>it is ok to say no?</em></strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.lollydaskal.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lolly Daskal</a> believes that saying <em>“no is one of the most important skills you can cultivate. Done right, “no” can help you build better relationships and free you up to do the things that are important to you”</em>. </p> <p>Overextending yourself by over-promising and under-delivering, will inevitably get you trapped in the viscous cycle that is stress, anxiety and possible depression because you will, inevitably, burn out. Do not repeat the mistakes of our <em>pre-work-from-home</em> lifestyles. We should have learnt better by now… </p> <p>After all, World Mental Health Day (which was on Sunday the 10<sup>th</sup> of October this year), reminds us that our mental health is as important as our physical health. Sometimes even more so. And we need to be aware that spreading ourselves too thin has consequences that often result in our mental health suffering. </p> <p>And that is just not ok. Not anymore. Not when we do actually know better.</p> <p>Perhaps it is about time that we <em>learn to say no instead of saying yes!</em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Let’s change our narrative!</em></strong></h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2-1024x768-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3280"/></figure> <p>Perhaps the first way to combat the possibilities of continuously saying yes when we should be saying no is by changing the idea that work-life balance (at the moment) may not be as attainable as it once was (when we were working at our respective offices). And that perhaps our focus should be more on <em>the balance between saying yes and saying no</em>. </p> <p>An article titled <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/the-prioritization-plan-that-brought-balance-to-my-work-and-home-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How saying ‘yes’ and ‘no’ could revolutionize your work/life balance</a> states that we need to <em>“learn to say “no” in order to be able to say “yes” </em><strong><em>when it matters most”.</em></strong><em> </em></p> <p>And that is crucial – remember in life there are always trade-offs. So make sure you are choosing the right ones. </p> <p>In addition – </p> <p><em>“When you know your priorities and values – what you want time and energy to say yes to – saying no becomes much simpler” – </em><a href="https://www.mas.co.nz/hub/how-to-say-no-so-you-can-say-yes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to say ‘No’ so you can say ‘Yes’</a>.</p> <p>And that again, is not only crucial but is the crux of doing away with this “Roy Orbisonism” of “<em>Anything you want, you got it”</em> mentality. </p> <p>Because you need to learn what your priorities are so that when it comes time to say no, you are actually able to. The answer will be easy because your goals will be clear. </p> <p>In fact, <a href="https://psychcentral.com/blog/boundaries-why-you-say-yes-when-you-really-mean-no#1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PsychCentral</a> states that <em>“A true yes — a yes that is in line with your values and best interest — you feel with your whole body. It’s easy. There is no doubt. There is no worry.</em></p> <p>And this starts by firstly knowing that <em>it is actually ok to say no in the first place.</em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>No is an answer</em></strong></h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/5-1024x768-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3283"/></figure> <p>Not only is it ok to say no but it is sometimes necessary. </p> <p><em>Saying no is actually a perfectly acceptable answer. </em></p> <p>Remember – when you say yes to one thing, you are automatically saying no to something else. And vice-versa. So your choices as to what is more important become ever more relevant. </p> <p>At this point, you may be asking – <em>but how do I go about actually saying no? </em></p> <p>Well, it starts with a number of things – acknowledgements about what you can and cannot do, admissions as to what means most to you and what you are willing to sacrifice, and prioritising those things – </p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1486"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p><strong><em>Firstly, acknowledge that you are not superhuman (read: you cannot do everything)</em></strong> – saying yes to everything will leave you feeling trapped, drowning and struggling for air. You will have no time or energy for yourself and your own best interests will fall by the wayside. So start by choosing the things that you can genuinely do and want to say yes to. Align your life and your choices with your values, with the things that you can do and the things that bring you joy. Stop saying yes for the sake of saying yes.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1487"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p><strong><em>Set your own personal boundaries</em></strong><em> </em>– by setting boundaries between yourself and others you can get closer to a feeling of equilibrium (that so-called sweet spot of work-life balance). You will show others that you know your own value and are willing to stick up for it. And this starts by making sure that you are clear about what you are actually able to take on. So be clear on what is non-negotiable to you and what you are willing to consider. By having well defined desires, responsibilities and goals, you not only gain clarity over your work but also gain control over your <em>work-life and home-life</em>. Again defining those boundaries. And these boundaries need to be communicated to work colleagues, to clients as well as to family and other personal relationships (which are often harder to do). By doing this, you will be able to prioritise tasks more effectively and efficiently. And feel more capable and more able to do the things you genuinely say yes to.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1488"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p><strong><em>Prioritise proactively</em></strong>– in order to say “No” confidently you need to understand what is important to you. Define those things. Understand them and be clear about them. By doing so, you will find yourself saying “no” more often to ensure that you can pursue the things that are most important to you and to your job. As <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/the-prioritization-plan-that-brought-balance-to-my-work-and-home-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ester Banque puts it</a> – by learning to proactively prioritise she has learned to <em>“divide and conquer, making sure the right level of oversight or involvement is in place without the need for unproductive “face time.” We are also identifying non-negotiables at work and at home, managing the all-important expectations”.</em> And managing expectations is key in prioritising your work-life and home-life. Again, when you are clear on what is most important, you will know exactly where to focus your energy.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-4 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1489"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p><strong><em>Never compromise your integrity</em></strong>– as <a href="https://www.lollydaskal.com/leadership/stop-saying-yes-when-you-want-to-say-no/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lolly Daskal puts it </a> – <em>“Your integrity sets your standards and gives you a code of morality and ethics. Use it to guide you in saying no and you’ll always make consistent choices that are grounded in your beliefs”</em>. So ensure to keep your integrity in check – if you have to question your integrity or the morality of something, say no. Always.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1490"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p><strong><em>Deciding on whether it is really worth it</em>?</strong> – sometimes it is as simple as that. Maybe you find yourself in the position where you have committed to something but later find yourself doubting as to whether you can actually cope with the work. You may start to think of ways of getting out of the commitment. You may start to think up excuses, risking being caught out on a white lie. <em>Is it worth it?</em> The stress, the anguish and the doubt? Saying no outright may be the absolute best option. Remember – No is a perfectly acceptable answer. As Paulo Coelho said – <em>“If it costs you your peace, it is too expensive”. </em>So saying no should be easy.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-6 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1491"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p><strong><em>Realise that you will not please everyone</em></strong><em> – </em>this is a recipe for disaster, for stress, anguish and fear (of disappointing others and yourself). By saying no, you may be afraid that your boss, your client, or your family will think less of you. Truth is – they won’t. Saying no actually ensures that you are promoting self-care and are ensuring that you always operate at your best. And that can only be respected.</p> </div> </div> <p>Simply put – you need to be able to protect yourself from burnout. You need to give yourself a break by giving yourself balance and by <em>being ok with saying no</em>. Understand your limits and realise that your own best interests are important too. Finding a balance between meeting your own needs and saying yes to others (and saying yes to work) should start by asking yourself – </p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p><em>“What are my needs?” </em></p><p><em>“How much of my time, energy and resources do I need to meet those needs?” </em></p><p><em>“What can I genuinely do for others?” </em></p><p><em>“How much can I take on?”</em></p><p><em>“How much of my time can I dedicate to others?” </em></p></blockquote> <p>Everyone will answer these questions differently. But the important thing is <em>to find the balance that works best for you.</em></p> <p>To gain clarity and control over your life (and your work) may include seeking guidance from a trained professional who can guide you as you navigate saying “No” (it sometimes takes practice). Get in touch with <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/my-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frieda Levycky</a> of <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/contact-me/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Braving Boundaries</a> for a consult on getting your priorities on track. </p> <p>To close off and to illustrate the importance of <em>saying no</em> we turn to the quote by James Altucher from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17977529-choose-yourself" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Choose yourself</a> – </p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p><em>“Every time you say yes to something you don’t want to do, this will happen: you will resent people, you will do a bad job, you will have less energy for the things you were doing a good job on, you will make less money, and yet another small percentage of your life will be used up, burned up, a smoke signal to the future saying, “I did it again.”</em></p></blockquote> <p>Don’t risk “doing it again”. Change the cycle. Change the narrative and learn that <em>setting boundaries, managing expectations and saying no is perfectly fine. </em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/book-a-call/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/End-of-blog-post-CTA-image.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3291"/></a></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-default"/> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist-1024x1024-1.jpg" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p>About the writer, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism. </p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">[email protected]</a> </strong></p> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/saying-yes-when-you-should-be-saying-no/">Saying “Yes” when you should be saying “No”</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/saying-yes-when-you-should-be-saying-no/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The best laid plans of mice and lawyers!</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-lawyers/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-lawyers/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:30:09 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Lawyer Life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Life after Law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[attorney life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[attorneys]]></category> <category><![CDATA[beyond law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[big law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[big law life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[braving boundaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[career change]]></category> <category><![CDATA[climbing the corporate ladder]]></category> <category><![CDATA[flexible working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[good mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[junior lawyer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law recruiters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer careers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer tips]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal firm life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal professionals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal talent]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal world]]></category> <category><![CDATA[life after law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health matters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental wellbeing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental wellness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[millennial legal talent]]></category> <category><![CDATA[office dynamics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[self care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[transition]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/mind-the-gap-how-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-legal-talent-copy/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>For some of us, practising law is a life long passion. We love the adrenaline, the intellectual challenge, the structure and identity the Law provides. But for others - there is a realisation that the Law is not for us. What then? What does life look like after law? Let's find out.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-lawyers/">The best laid plans of mice and lawyers!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="written-by-alicia-koch-founder-of-the-legal-belletrist"><em>Written by Alicia Koch, Founder of <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist</a> </em></h6> <p>When I studied law I imagined that I would do great things – be a defender of justice. Of sorts. I had planned on building a name for myself, having an Ally McBeal kind of reputation – the “benchmark” when I was still studying law.</p> <p>But sometimes the <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-men-often-go-awry#:~:text=No%20matter%20how%20carefully%20a,Gang%20aft%20a%2Dgley.%E2%80%9D"><em>best laid plans of mice and men often go awry</em></a>. And I have started to understand that it <em>is</em> actually <em>ok</em> – the going awry bit.</p> <p><em><strong>It is ok to change your course, to change your focus, to change your career. To simply change.</strong></em></p> <p>As my friend, Adaptive Attorney, CEO & Founder of <a href="http://www.impassion.co.za/">Impassion-Transcend Yourself</a>, Jennifer Amy Stoler would say – <em>“You are not a tree, you can move”. </em>And that really puts things into perspective. Having roots can be a very powerful thing. Especially when you think about your home and your family. But roots can also keep you “stuck” in a place you do not fully want to be in. Preventing your evolvement into something new.</p> <p>Suffocating you, without you fully realising that you have stopped breathing…. </p> <p>So stop. Take a deep breath. And let’s dive in – the water is fine (I promise).</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="diving-in">Diving in!</h3> <p>Like many people who have studied law, I thought – this was it. I would be in a law firm all my life. I would pay my dues, work the long hours and deal with the back stabbing and corporate politics (which I despised). I convinced myself that the money I would earn would be enough. Enough to sacrifice everything else – like my happiness. And for a while it worked. I believed I was <em>“happy”.</em> I had the flashy car, earned a decent six figure salary and was able to buy the things that made up for the hollowness I felt deep inside. But after more than a decade of practising, I slowly began to realise that money was not enough (not by a long shot). And the soft whisper of <strong><em>“I don’t want to do this anymore”</em></strong> started ringing louder and louder in my ears.</p> <p>Until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/give-up.jpg" alt="I give up"/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>But what would I do? My specialty was the law. In drafting contracts, in advising, in giving opinions and in winning arguments. I didn’t know anything else. I didn’t know how to <em>really</em> change (like fundamentally change). Not that I hadn’t tried over the years….</p> <p>I mean, I had moved around quite a bit in my career (in search of <em>“my place”</em> in the world) – from law firms, to my own legal consulting practice, going into corporate to be in house-counsel trying renewable energy and insurance law on for size. But nothing quite fit. At least not comfortably.</p> <p>Lana Del Rey’s song <em>“Blue Jeans”</em> comes to mind – <em>“You fit me better than my favourite sweater”</em>. But I simply was not feeling it – <em>the legal sweater kind of made me itch</em>.</p> <p>And I realised (after having a very honest and frank discussion with myself in the mirror) that it wasn’t <em>them</em>, it was <em>me</em>. And a break up was imminent.</p> <p>You see, it wasn’t the law I disliked. I actually appreciate the mechanics of the law and have the utmost respect for my colleagues who practise with fervor day in and day out. It takes guts, it takes grit, it takes dedication and it takes sacrifice. To practise law requires an unwavering passion – because being a lawyer is a true calling. The practice of law is a vocation to be respected. And I honestly do. I am just not sure I have the right amount of grit to <em>grin and bear it</em>.</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="but-what-is-life-without-the-law">But what is life without the law?</h3> <p>Acknowledging that you want to take a path away from the law and actually <em>stepping on to a path</em> are two very different things. </p> <p><em><strong>What path should you take? What path can you take? What path do you want to take?</strong></em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Which-way.jpg" alt="Which direction should i take?"/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>And therein lies the problem – because I do not think any of us (that have studied law) have really been equipped with the right tools to understand that there is more “out there” than just working in a law firm. That <em>there is more to us than <u>just </u>being a lawyer</em> (even though being a lawyer <em>is </em>enough, if that is what you want).</p> <p>In fact, in various discussions regarding the future of law, many have said (myself included) that lawyers need to do more than <em>“just” expense legal advice</em>. Lawyers need to be in the thick of it, getting their hands well and truly dirty. Lawyers need to focus on the business end of doing business in order to better advise their clients – who now expect their lawyers to be <em>“more” than just lawyers </em>(whatever that means).</p> <p>And in this same vein of <em>“being more”, </em>lawyers like myself, are coming to their own conclusions that they <em><u>can</u> be. More</em>.</p> <p>They just need to figure out what they want that <em>“more”</em> to look like.</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="sisters-doing-it-for-themselves">Sisters doing it for themselves!</h3> <p><em>Frieda, Jennifer and I walk into a bar</em>, all with the same vision of wanting to change the legal profession. In some small, <em>but significant way</em>.</p> <p>While we are all in the general vicinity of law, the three of us have found our own little niches within the legal space that are both new and exciting. And most importantly, <em>right for us</em>. We have all found a way to utilise our individual legal backgrounds and skills gained over the years to <em>“be more than <u>just</u> lawyers”</em> –</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist-1024x1024-1.jpg" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="a-content-management-company-the-legal-belletrist-by-alicia-koch">A content management company – <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist</a> by Alicia Koch</h3> <h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-want-to-remove-the-stigma-that-all-lawyers-are-uptight-and-only-speak-in-legalese-we-are-people-with-a-sense-of-humour-and-a-sense-of-irony-too"><strong><em>“I want to remove the stigma that all lawyers are uptight and only speak in legalese. We are people, with a sense of humour and a sense of irony, too”. </em></strong></h6> </div> </div> <p>I am an admitted attorney with over a decade of post qualification experience (PQE). I started <em>The Legal Belletrist</em> <em>(TLB) </em>during lockdown of one of the most difficult years in recent history. It initially came out of necessity (as I was out of work and did not really have any idea what my next step ought to be) but in truth, starting TLB resulted in the discovery of my “<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/heartsong#:~:text=Noun,identity%2C%20and%20reason%20for%20existence.">heartsong</a>”. I mean, I had always loved writing and had been writing legal articles for <a href="https://www.golegal.co.za/author/alicia-koch/">GoLegal</a>, for a number of years. But it had never occurred to me that I could actually make a living from writing full time. I mean, e<em>arning a living from doing something you absolutely loved</em> was a completely foreign concept to me. Until I did.</p> <p>After panicking about how I was going to find a job during a global recession in an industry inundated with brilliant legal minds, I bit the bullet, changed my title on LinkedIn from Legal Counsel to Legal Writer and Researcher (a big moment for me), built my own website using <a href="https://www.wix.com/">Wix</a> and designed a logo using <a href="https://www.canva.com/q/pro/?v=2&utm_source=google_sem&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=REV_ZA_EN_CanvaPro_Branded_Tier1_Core_EM&utm_term=REV_ZA_EN_CanvaPro_Branded_Tier1_Canva_EM&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiA5IL-BRAzEiwA0lcWYu-mSCcRlYAoNO-8sAjURl0cl7xIYYYGSkjbNuGggi6GSQHL0PPaYhoCT_0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">Canva</a> (all free platforms that are easily accessible). But my vision was absolutely clear. It still is. I knew exactly what I wanted my future to look like. And I built it – from scratch. Without knowing <em>for sure</em> it would work, without much of a plan. But I started. And within a few days of doing so, had secured my first regular client and have been happily writing ever since. And earning a living! I can’t believe it – <em>I sometimes pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming</em>….</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li><em>My determination to succeed comes down to this – is the juice worth the squeeze? Because the truth is – you can do whatever you want, if you put your mind to it. If it is worth it and truly meaningful to you, no amount of difficulty will stop you. You just need to start.</em></li></ul> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Me-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Frieda Levycky - Braving Boundaries"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="life-coaching-for-legal-professionals-braving-boundaries-by-frieda-levycky">Life coaching for legal professionals – Braving Boundaries by Frieda Levycky</h3> <h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-want-to-provide-a-safe-place-for-lawyers-to-discuss-their-struggles-both-professional-and-personal-without-the-fear-of-judgment-or-repercussions-so-that-they-can-start-to-build-happier-healthier-and-more-fulfilling-lives"><strong><em>“I want to provide a safe place for lawyers to discuss their struggles (both professional and personal) without the fear of judgment or repercussions, so that they can start to build happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.”</em></strong></h6> </div> </div> <p>Frieda is an admitted (and practising) English solicitor with over 15 years’ of PQE. She has navigated her way through the <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-fear-around-mental-health-in-the-legal-world/">legal world</a> from trainee to in-house counsel to partner (in a “Big Law” law firm) and now life coach. She loves the practice of law and has thrived in her international M&A practice. But it was the structure and hierarchy of law firms that made her realise that they are sorely short of the all-important “soft skills”. The skills that most people take for granted, but desperately require, in order to not only survive each day but also to thrive in their careers (and personal lives).</p> <p>Law firms are unfortunately notorious for paying lip-service to mental health issues, but doing little to encourage good mental health practices amongst their staff. This is an area of the legal profession that Frieda wants to change both at the corporate and individual level. Being a solicitor herself, she is fully aware of the range of situations in which a lawyer’s health and well-being is challenged. Through her <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/">Braving Boundaries</a> practice, she provides a safe space for lawyers to voice their personal and professional struggles and supports them in making the changes they desire to create happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives (both professionally and personally). She also seeks to help law firms and corporates tackle poor practices contributing to poor mental health and well-being issues through group coaching and workshops.</p> <p>For a lot of her clients, it is the <em>need for a change</em> that drives them to seek her guidance – because they simply do not have the first clue about how to make a meaningful change themselves. Again, they do not possess the tools they require to recognise <em><u>what else</u> they are good at</em> in order to create change in their lives. And this is where Frieda steps in – she helps you discover the skills and capabilities that you <em>already possess</em> to make the fundamental change you desire.</p> <p>To this end, Frieda is on a mission to humanise the law – to bring it into the modern world – and rid it of institutionalised and archaic practices that no longer serve the industry.</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li><em>Frieda’s determination to succeed comes down to finding courage in one’s self to make the change. And we all have it in us. </em></li></ul> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-11 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-10 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:100%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Jennifer-Amy-Stoler-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Jennifer Amy Stoler"/></figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="an-alternative-legal-practice-impassion-transcend-yourself-by-jennifer-amy-stoler">An alternative legal practice – Impassion – Transcend Yourself by Jennifer Amy Stoler</h3> <h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-want-to-empower-and-educate-my-clients-so-that-they-can-envision-and-achieve-their-own-goals-the-power-is-not-only-in-the-hands-of-the-lawyers-but-in-the-hands-of-the-clients-as-well"><strong><em>“I want to empower and educate my clients so that they can envision and achieve their own goals – the power is not only in the hands of the lawyers but in the hands of the clients as well…”</em></strong></h6> </div> </div> <p>Jennifer’s life was full of law – she had surrounded herself in and with it. She always understood where she wanted to be, but she knew it would take small steps to get there. During her (decade long) legal career, with the assistance of her erstwhile mentor, she ran a thriving family practice which, from the get-go, she had decided would be run differently to other family law practices. Not everyone agreed with her methods – but she powered on, always setting out to develop a trust relationship with her clients ensuring that she could <em>engage the law in a way that would serve her clients in the best way possible</em>. <strong><em>For them</em></strong><em>.</em> She took on a very active role in setting up her successful practice by speaking at events and seminars, by creating a podcast called the <strong><em>“Lawyer and the Layman<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></em>”</strong>, by doing radio and TV interviews and by presenting workshops to educate and empower people with legal information. </p> <p>This took immense sacrifice on Jennifer’s part – creating the content for the workshops and the seminars, ultimately resulted in her complete burn out. She suddenly recognised that she was missing out on some fundamentally important aspects of her life – like <em>simply living</em>.</p> <p>But, through this burn out, she came to understand that all the time she was spending creating content for the workshops, seminars and podcasts, fueled her soul and helped her discover what she wanted to focus on. She sought to build a practice where she could connect with people and impact the legal space in a new way – in her own, unique way. Her aim was to build a practice surrounded by trust, where she was <em>seen as a human being before being seen as just a lawyer</em>.</p> <p>Jennifer started to think outside the box and discovered that her power was not only found in the law, <em>her power lay in the education and empowerment of her clients</em>. Her practice is designed to encourage trust, both in the process but also in the legal system (a term she has defined as “trustice”) through the development of small “self- help”, practical and actionable steps to ease her clients through their legal crisis (a term she refers to as “legal easement”). Through the use of <em>trustice</em> and <em>legal easement</em>, Jennifer assists her clients to attain the justice that had previously eluded them.</p> <p>Essentially, Jennifer’s successful alternative legal practice comes down to four important pillars – empowerment, education, trust in the legal system and practical actionable solutions.</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li><em>Jennifer’s determination to succeed came from trusting herself and her vision and just taking the leap. When taking this leap, she didn’t know how she was going to fly, but she built her wings on the way down, and they are purely liberating.</em></li></ul> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="i-want-what-they-have">I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE!</h3> <p>If you are looking for a change from the law, but are struggling with where to start, Frieda, Jennifer and I have come up with the following “pearls of wisdom”:</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/new-career.jpg" alt="New career chapter one"/></figure> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-12 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1-1024x1024.png" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Get to know yourself</strong> – what is your vision, what do you want, what do you want your future to look like, what are your passions, what are your beliefs, what is your purpose, what gets you out of bed? Get clear on who you are. It’s the most important step. If you need some support in discovering your skills and capabilities, seek the help of a coach, like <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/">Braving Boundaries</a> to help you develop a plan to get you to your end goal.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-13 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1487"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Research</strong> – Get on to the internet, speak to recruiters, talk to law professors, talk to family friends – find out about what other careers lawyers have switched into. There are plenty of us out there. I know of journalists, geologists, CEOs, entrepreneurs, doctors – all who have been lawyers too!</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-14 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail is-style-default"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1488"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong><strong>Educate yourself (humbly becoming a student again)</strong></strong> – Once you know what you want to do, work out if you’ve got the skills to do it. If not, it’s time to go back to school (well, figuratively) – do workshops, webinars, whatever it takes to get you to your end goal.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-15 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1489"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>If time is on your side, use it </strong>– Sometimes we are thrown into situations where we have to find new jobs and careers merely to pay the bills. When it comes to a change in career though (and you have the job security), use the time wisely. Don’t jump until you are sure you like where you will be landing.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-16 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1490"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Do not entertain doubt – </strong>acknowledge that imposter syndrome is something which you are highly likely to experience – and is very real! Shake the monster from your head, look yourself dead in the eye (in the mirror of course) and repeat “<em>You have got this”</em> until you believe it.</p> </div> </div> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/impostor-syndrome.jpg" alt="impostor syndrome"/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-17 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1491"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>If you are going solo, acknowledge that things are going to feel pretty uncomfortable for a while – </strong>Be prepared for <em>“</em><em>comparisonitis</em><em>”</em> (constantly comparing yourself to other businesses in the same area), overwhelm, self-doubt and the crazy notion of <em>“What was I thinking!”</em> – Don’t worry! This is all perfectly normal. You’ve merely stepped out of a well-oiled corporate machine and are learning to build a new (and improved) one from scratch. Be patient. Freak out with your support network (I know I have). And remember why you decided to make the jump of faith in the first place.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-18 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/7-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1882"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Understand that even the <em>best laid plans of mice and men go awry</em></strong> – even with the most well thought out plan of action, things don’t always go according to plan. But having a plan fail, does not mean all is lost – <em>“it is never rejection, it is re-direction”. </em>Get up, dust yourself off and try again.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-19 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/8-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1883"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>How you feel today will influence how you feel tomorrow</strong> – so change the thought and the feeling will follow.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-20 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/9-150x150.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1884"/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Get up and show up</strong> – Every time<strong>. </strong>Make your bed, have a cup of coffee (or tea) and take a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Sometimes a simple change in perspective can help you see clearly.</p> </div> </div> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/coffee.jpg" alt="coffee"/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-juice-will-be-worth-the-squeeze">The juice will be worth the squeeze!</h3> <p>Remember change and transition is very difficult. For anyone and everyone. But if the regular legal route is not your thing, <em>you can become something else</em>. In fact, <em>you should become something else</em>. And there are so many other options out there. We have given you only three examples of alternate legal routes that <em>three female legal professionals</em> have taken. During 2020 of all years! But there are many more routes. Many more possibilities which are (honestly) endless. And better years to make a change….</p> <p>There is no limit to what you can do – <em>think outside the box.</em></p> <p>Change is good, even if it is hard – <em>the juice will be worth the squeeze!</em></p> <p>And if you need some more encouragement –</p> <p><strong><em>”If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living”</em> – Gail Sheehy</strong></p> <p><strong><em>“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance”</em> – Alan Watts</strong></p> <p>So dance, dance and dance. And if you don’t know the steps, seek a partner who can teach them to you….</p> <p><strong><em>Cha-cha-cha</em></strong><strong> my friends, <em>cha-cha-cha</em></strong>!</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" sizes="(max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px" srcset="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change.jpg 810w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change-300x167.jpg 300w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change-768x427.jpg 768w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change-500x278.jpg 500w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change-800x444.jpg 800w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change-480x267.jpg 480w" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/time-for-a-change.jpg" alt="time for a career change?"><br></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-21 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist-1024x1024-1.jpg" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism. </p> <p>About the Author, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email: [email protected] </strong></p> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-lawyers/">The best laid plans of mice and lawyers!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-lawyers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Mind the Gap! How to attract and retain Millennial legal talent</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/mind-the-gap-how-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-legal-talent/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/mind-the-gap-how-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-legal-talent/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:42:46 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Flexible working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lawyer Life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Working environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Young lawyers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[attorney life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[attorneys]]></category> <category><![CDATA[big law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[big law life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[braving boundaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[climbing the corporate ladder]]></category> <category><![CDATA[flexible working]]></category> <category><![CDATA[good mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[junior lawyer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law recruiters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[law students]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyer tips]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lawyers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal firm life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal professionals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal recruiter]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal recruitment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal secretaries]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal talent]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal world]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health matters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental wellbeing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental wellness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[millennial legal talent]]></category> <category><![CDATA[millennials]]></category> <category><![CDATA[office dynamics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[self care]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/10-tips-for-lawyers-who-want-to-improve-their-mental-health-copy-2/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Attracting and retaining young Millennial legal talent today is not easy. They are a new breed of lawyers operating on a different set of priorities and values. This brings a welcome and healthy change to the legal world, but certainly leaves the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers scratching their heads in confusion and frustration when trying to grow their businesses. So how can the legal sector better adapt in order to not only attract but also retain this valuable, young talent pool of lawyers? </p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/mind-the-gap-how-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-legal-talent/">Mind the Gap! How to attract and retain Millennial legal talent</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="co-written-by-frieda-levycky-founder-of-braving-boundaries-and-alicia-koch-founder-of-the-legal-belletrist"><em>Co-written by Frieda Levycky, Founder of <a href="http://www.bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>, and Alicia Koch, Founder of <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist</a> </em></h6> <p>Say what you will about <a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a30644196/what-is-millennial-generation-age-range/">Millennials</a>, they bring a refreshing and much needed change to the <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-fear-around-mental-health-in-the-legal-world/">legal world</a>. Technologically savvy – they are efficient, innovative and capable of re-shaping the <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-legal-sector-has-a-very-real-mental-health-problem/">legal sector</a> into a much more flexible and streamlined animal. But they are also emotionally and mentally aware and believe in self-preservation. Their personal needs are considered, if not before, at least alongside those of the business. Something quite foreign for the <a href="https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2008/06/25/baby-boomers-the-gloomiest-generation/">Baby Boomer</a> and <a href="https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/these-are-generation-x-characteristics-in-the-office-and-their-new-label">Gen X</a> lawyers whose personal lives have always been <em>secondary to their careers</em>. One could say that Millennial lawyers are a “new breed” altogether.</p> <p>It is no surprise that the older generation of lawyers are struggling to get to grips with this new breed of lawyer, often finding themselves scratching their heads in both confusion and frustration. A group of young, self-aware, confident, capable and innovative individuals whose values and work ethic are very different to that of their elders. Gone are the days of lawyers entering a law firm “for life” or sacrificing their personal lives. Millennials are a generation who graduated during the Global Financial Crisis and have watched their parents and seniors struggle with stress, workaholism, divorce, drinking and substance abuse. As a result, they are more frugal, less money driven, and more focused on a career that provides for a proper work-life <em>blend</em> (not just a balance).</p> <p><em><strong>So how can the legal sector better adapt in order to not only attract but also retain this valuable, young talent pool?</strong></em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/41.jpg" alt=""/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-millennial-lawyer-psyche">The millennial lawyer psyche</h3> <p>Millennials are one of the largest and most important generations of <em>our</em> time. They account for about a quarter of the world’s population at around 1.8 billion people and, although they are still young, <em>how</em> they conduct business and <em>how</em> they view a company is crucial.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/mind-the-gap">ABA Journal</a>, incorporating this divisive yet influential generation into the business is <em>crucial</em>. So the Baby Boomer and Gen X colleagues will need to learn how to <em>successfully</em> integrate their Millennial counterparts into the businesses. Quickly. And this will be particularly important for law firms, where the power of Millennial lawyers is huge—by virtue of sheer numbers alone.</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/i-quit.jpg" alt="I quit!"/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>But Millennials, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahlandrum/2017/11/10/millennials-arent-afraid-to-change-jobs-and-heres-why/#1ff2c4d19a50">Forbes</a>, are not afraid to job-hop. They are not satisfied with being stuck in a “dead-end job” and as a result will leave a company should it not be <em>the right fit</em>. Whilst this may seem ‘flaky” to the older generations, Millennials are more likely to earn a higher wage, develop their career on a faster track and find a better fit in work culture by changing jobs more frequently.</p> <p>But in a sector of the economy where annual turnover is already extremely high, legal recruiters are seeing an uptick in young associates changing jobs at a disconcerting pace. Millennial lawyers are leaving a job, not just when they are unhappy, but when they are not happy <strong><em>enough</em></strong>. And that is an important consideration as it requires “more” from the respective employers.</p> <p>Law firms need to look at <em>what</em> will motivate young Millennial lawyers to stay in their firms (or corporates), long term. Although this may take some effort, NOT trying to retain these young lawyers will result in additional training and additional costs. Neither of which comes cheap.</p> <p>According to a <a href="https://www.acc.com/sites/default/files/2019-06/ACC_Benchmark_062019.pdf">study</a> by the Association of Corporate Counsel, law firm turnover costs the legal industry nearly US$1 billion annually as law firms spend time and money on-boarding associates (from recruiting to training) and must thereafter reinvest when <strong><em>anothe</em>r</strong> associate needs to be hired to replace one that has left. A continuous and expensive cycle.</p> <p>And this is where it gets interesting … because for a law firm to remain relevant and in order to solidify their future in an ever-changing and unpredictable world, firm leadership must focus on <strong><em>what motivates and inspires Millennial lawyers</em></strong> in order to not only ensure continuing business but also to save millions and millions of firm capital.</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-millennial-lawyer-mindset-explained">The Millennial lawyer mindset explained</h3> <p>JP Box, a Millennial and writer of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Millennial-Lawyer-Motivate-Retain-Associates/dp/B079R8FYY2">“The Millennial Lawyer: How Your Firm Can Motivate and Retain Young Associates,”</a> while aiming to help frame the generational divide that leads to misunderstandings between associates and partners, also illuminates the Millennial mindset in order to help law firms understand <strong><em>how to connect with, motivate and retain</em> </strong>the very best young (Millennial) lawyers:</p> <p><em>“Millennials, Gen Xers and Boomers share many common values, but differ in how they prioritize, express and act upon those values.</em></p> <p><em>Let me provide an example. Millennials overwhelmingly believe in doing well by doing good – that is, working hard to make the world a more beautiful place through their chosen professions. Some Gen Xers and Boomers chose careers to fulfil this value, while many others used their careers as a springboard to engage in social-minded activities outside of work (for example, by serving on non-profit boards and donating to worthy charities). In contrast to those Gen Xers and Boomers who are comfortable finding outlets outside of work to give back to their communities, millennials believe that work should be the vehicle through which they make the world a better place.</em></p> <p><em>Importantly, millennials are not comfortable compartmentalizing their lives between work, family, friends, charity and play. While “<strong>work-life balance” became a rallying cry of Gen Xers in the 1990s, millennials opt for “work-life blend,</strong>” in which they wish to achieve personal, professional and charitable goals on a continuous spectrum of life experiences. Millennials chafe against the notion of balancing work’s ambitions against life’s desires because, to this generation, <strong>they are part of the same continuum</strong>.</em></p> <p><em>By recognizing this critical distinction, law firm partners and recruiters can begin to understand how to motivate the youngest generation of lawyers. Hint: it’s not just by the promise of a billable hour bonus at the end of the year. Rather, by focusing on the noble practice of law (that is, doing well by doing good), partners can unlock the talents, passion and work ethic of millennial lawyers”.</em></p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/44.jpg" alt=""/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="ok-so-what-will-attract-young-lawyers-to-a-law-firm">Ok, so what <em>will</em> attract young lawyers to a law firm?</h3> <p>Essentially it really boils down to bringing back humanity, collaboration and involvement into the legal working environment. <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/the-work-from-home-saga/">Flexibility</a> is already a given. But bringing “heart” back into the work space seems to be the overarching factor. It amounts to a proper <em>work-life blend</em> (not just a balance) – a little like having your cake and eating it too. And what is <em>really</em> wrong with that?</p> <p><em><strong>I like eating my cake!</strong></em></p> <p>So, here are some key strategies we believe will help attract (and retain) young lawyers:</p> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-22 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Collaboration & involvement</strong> – Make an effort to ensure that Millennials feel like they are an integral part of the team from the get-go. That they have a voice, that they are making a difference. It’s about giving them visibility of the bigger picture so that they can see why the hard work is benefiting their client and the world at large.</p> <p>A fun idea is to perhaps create a physical space that will enhance a collaborative and engaging work environment, for example some firms, like Morrison & Foerster, are offering <a href="https://www.attorneyatwork.com/what-motivates-millennials-retaining-young-lawyers/">“lounge-braries”</a> — a hybrid lounge and library where lawyers and staff can work and socialize together.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-23 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Bring them into the business side of things early</strong> <strong>on</strong> – Millennials are a generation of influencers – you’ve seen them on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Tik-Tok – they have followings into the thousands! The thing is, the clients of today (and of the future) are also influencers and therefore use the same communication platforms. They talk a different language to the old guard, so law firms and corporates need to start talking the same language by utilising the valuable tools at hand – the Millennial lawyer. This links to the collaboration and involvement point that we spoke about above. But this benefits the firm as well as the Millennial lawyer.</p> </div> </div> <p> </p> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/42.jpg" alt=""/></figure> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-24 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Provide mentoring and support </strong>– This is absolutely key.</p> <p>We can all learn from each other, and the millennial generation knows that. They may be “<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/technoid#:~:text=technoid%20(comparative%20more%20technoid%2C%20superlative,%2Dsounding%3B%20resembling%20techno%20music.">technoids</a>” and able to operate every communication channel under the sun, but they lack the legal experience that is only gained by working in the legal industry for a number of years. They still need to learn the ropes. The Baby Boomers and Gen Xers still have a lot of valuable lessons to be conveyed to the younger generations about law but also about office politics (which, as we know, can be a jungle).</p> <p>Remember it was the Gen Xers who started the move towards a work-life balance. So the Millennials should take a page from the Gen Xer’s “hard learnt lessons” book. Where at all possible, there should be access to a mentor and/or coach which supports the young lawyers in being made to feel like an integral part of the team, early in their careers and from Day 1. Group coaching and access to work shops is also a valuable resource as it promotes a meaningful career success path that is aligned with the Millennial lawyers’ values and strengths.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-25 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Training </strong>– Law is a business and not a purely advisory role anymore. In order to achieve this ‘all in one’ package there needs to be skills training on negotiation, management and business development and this needs to begin at the junior level, not left to when the lawyer reaches seniority (<em><strong>#toolittletoolate</strong></em>). Never mind something to be “expected” anymore, juniors and mid-level associates are going to <em><strong>need to/have to</strong> </em>learn how to take on business development earlier – it’s where the new pool of clients are – and they are the ones who speak the same language. It may be a pertinent (scratch that, “good”) idea to give these young lawyers the tools they require early on and support them as they grow.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-26 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Regular and practical feedback so that they can grow and “bounce back” if they are</strong> <strong>struggling</strong> – Described by <a href="https://nation.time.com/2013/05/09/millennials-the-next-greatest-generation/">Time</a> as narcissistic, lazy, “coddled” and even a bit delusional, Millennials are constantly seen as hard-work and demanding of attention. But regular (not just annual) feedback helps. And Millennials (and other future generations) will want this regular and <em>practical </em>feedback in order to grow and improve. And this is the best way to help them to do so. Providing clear guidance on <em>how</em> to improve is key. Just because regular feedback was not provided to older generations to enable improvement, does not mean it is the correct course of action to take. After all, how else do you (really) learn?</p> </div> </div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/43.jpg" alt=""/></figure> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-27 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Checking-in </strong>– Whilst linked to mentoring, Millennials need to <em>know</em> that their difficulties and struggles in the workplace are being taken seriously and that their overall well-being is a priority. People are more likely to stay (and be loyal to) and <strong><em>want</em> </strong>to work in an environment which cares about them. And shows it.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/7-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"> <p><strong>Flexible and agile working arrangements </strong>– Tech works. It is that simple. And 2020 has proven it. Tech provides for more work-life blend. Not being in the office doesn’t mean that you are not working – it doesn’t mean you are lazy. With regular communication and check-ins, this model can keep the team feeling like a unit without the need to be physically present <em>all</em> the time. It is also more efficient. As simple as that. Remember, the aim is not to <em>erase</em> the physical model, after all we recognise that there is benefit that comes from social interaction in order to avoid professional stagnation. But it is undeniable that tech and flexibility in the workplace creates a much better work-life blend.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-29 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/8-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:85%"> <p><strong>Educate around career options </strong>– We know Millennials (and generations to come) will job hop. But this means that they may become clients in the future or that they may operate in roles that can support law firms in other ways. And this can only be beneficial, if advantage is taken of it. What do we mean? Well, Millennials are (generally) loyal to the people that they like and have treated them well. It may not be a case of staying in the same firm long term, but they will stay in touch with a firm that they had a positive experience at. Even Gen Xers know that people can come back and our paths cross later down the line – so being supportive and understanding that variety in a career is a necessity (and a long-term game), will be beneficial. Especially in the long run. And especially when paths cross again. You know the old adage – <em><strong>“Don’t burn your bridges”.</strong></em></p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-30 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/9-1024x1024.png" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"> <p><strong>Address mental health issues head on </strong>– We have covered issues around mental health for a number of weeks now. And by now, we are all familiar with the alarmingly high incidence of depression, substance abuse and suicide amongst lawyers. Millennial lawyers want to know that their firms/companies are not sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to mental health problems and that they have <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/law-firms-8-ways-to-improve-your-staff-mental-health/">practices and programmes</a> in place to support and address these issues openly and supportively. And not just in 2020. But for years to come.</p> </div> </div> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MG_4552-1024x683.jpg" alt=""/></figure> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="let-them-eat-cake"><strong>“</strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_them_eat_cake"><strong>Let them eat cake</strong></a><strong>”</strong></h3> <p>Whilst this quote made Marie Antoinette very unpopular amongst her French citizens, having your cake and eating is what has made Millennials a generation to be reckoned with. </p> <p>And if one were to ask this Gen Xer what would have kept her in a law firm, I would have been very happy with the simple but over-used – I want a good “work-life<em> balance</em>”…. Kind of like asking for a slice of bread when cake is being offered on a golden platter. But with Millennials driving the way that firms operate and how they treat their staff in the workplace, it very much sounds like cake will be on the menu for a long time to come.</p> <p>And one might say –”<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4iEdMMjqdA">Please, Sir I want some more</a>”!</p> <p>#worklifeblend</p> <p>#thanksmillennials</p> <p>#haveyourcakeandeatittoo</p> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" sizes="(max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px" srcset="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1.jpg 810w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1-300x167.png 300w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1-768x427.png 768w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1-500x278.png 500w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1-800x444.png 800w, https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1-480x267.png 480w" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Well-being-workshops-1.jpg" alt="Well-being Workshops"><br></p> <div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background no-border-radius" target="_blank" rel="https://bravingboundaries.com/work-with-me/individual-coaching/ noopener">WORK WITH ME</a></div> </div> <p>_______________________________________</p> <div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-31 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:15%"> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist-1024x1024-1.jpg" alt=""/></figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:66.66%"> <p>About the Co-author, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism. </p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email: [email protected] </strong></p> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/mind-the-gap-how-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-legal-talent/">Mind the Gap! How to attract and retain Millennial legal talent</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/mind-the-gap-how-to-attract-and-retain-millennial-legal-talent/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>