Stress in the Time of Corona: How to Lead Yourself and Other Attorneys During Extraordinary Times

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Program Instructor:

Anne E. Collier, MPP, JD, PCC
CEO, Arudia

  • In today’s world of uncertainty, attorneys must intentionally lead themselves and others as they adapt to daily challenges of providing client service during these extraordinary times. Attorneys need to upgrade their personal “operating system” so that even during the chaos caused by COVID-19, they are able to create their new “normal,” embrace innovation, confronting their own, colleagues,’ and clients’ fears with optimism, objectivity, and aplomb. This is on top of the pressures to deliver excellent work product, on a timely basis, while meeting billable hour requirements, which make maintaining a healthy outlook difficult and positive self-leadership a must. Unlike in other professions, lawyers are judged on a monthly, if not weekly basis on both quality and quantity of work.

    Each participant takes the short-from version of an assessment called the Actualized Leader Profile (the “ALP”), developed by Dr. William Sparks and based on years of research tested for validity and reliability. The ALP reveals the person’s core motive drivers and corresponding strengths, and what these drivers mean for how a lawyer manages his or her stress.  In particular, the assessment highlights the person’s “shadow” thoughts and behaviors, which are indicative of a stressed and catastrophized outlook. The program imparts tools for recognizing when the shadow has taken over, and how to step out of the shadow and into the light. Each lawyer learns how to pinpoint triggers before they cause unmitigated stress, burnout, and pessimism. Once pinpointed, the lawyer then learns short-term strategies for successfully stepping out of the shadow in that moment, and longer-term strategies for building resilience and reducing reactivity and susceptibility to said triggers. The reduction in the frequency and severity of “shadow” experiences is essential to improving firm culture.

    In summary, participant lawyers will be able to:

    • Mitigate the effect of triggers by understanding “shadows,” (the distorted ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving when under stress,) and reframe the catastrophized and “shadowed” story objectively;
    • Improve one’s ability to operate in the face of difficult circumstances, which improves firm culture by reducing the number and severity of “shadow” experiences;
    • Maintain an optimistic outlook, thereby preventing burnout;
    • Improve the ability to operate better in the workplace because the lawyer understands and recognizes the sources of stress, and is able to reframe events such that the feeling of stress is either entirely avoided or minimized; and

    Transform culture by reducing the severity and frequency of the bystander’s experience of “shadow” behavior.

    Program Fee: Free for Members | $50 for Nonmembers

  • Anne Collier is the CEO of Arudia, a firm dedicated to catalyzing individual and organizational transformation. She guides clients to step into their power by creating a fulfilling professional and personal life, giving them a competitive edge that gets them to their goals quicker and with more ease. Her work includes leadership and team development, improving resilience, personal branding and executive presence, business development coaching, and managing daily stressors. Anne guides clients to discover a fresh perspective through proven assessment tools such as the Actualized Leader Profile, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory. She fosters the insight necessary to be more confident and effective, communicating with gravitas, presence, and intention. Anne practiced law for 11 years, and is a published author, Professional Certified Coach and has her JD cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and her Master in Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

  • 12:00 pm – 12:05 pm
    Each participant takes the short-form Actualized Leader Profile via a link:
    http://alpfree.com/

    12:05 pm – 12:08 pm
    What it means to be self-actualized, have a fulfilling career, reduce reactivity to triggers and difficult situations

    12:08 pm – 12:18 pm
    Concept of Motive Driver, based on David McClelland’s work
    Overview of leadership styles; all styles are perfect

    12:18 pm – 12:28 pm
    Deep Dive Into Three Motive Drivers, and How They Show Up In The Practice of Law

    • Affirmer: Client services, working with colleagues
    • Asserter: Driving results for clients and colleagues
    • Achiever: Being the best technical lawyer

    12:28 pm – 12:30 pm
    Worksheet Step 1: each lawyer identifies how each motive driver shows up in his or her practice

    12:30 pm – 12:50 pm
    Shadow Behaviors, and How They Show Up In The Practice Of Law

    • Affirmer Shadow Fear of Rejection: Needy, feeling undervalued, indecisive and ineffective (worksheet Step 3, circle signs that are in shadow)
    • Asserter Shadow Fear of Betrayal: Bully, pushing for results in unproductive ways (worksheet Step 3, circle signs that are in shadow)
    • Achiever Shadow Fear of Failure: Micromanager, doing it oneself, critical and pessimistic (worksheet Step 3, circle signs that are in shadow)
    • Discussing corresponding ladders of inference, and how to objectively think about one’s own thinking so that the lawyer stays effective, focused

    12:50 pm – 1:08 pm
    Worksheet Steps 2, 3, and 4: Clarifying Your Shadow and Its Impact on You and Your Practice of Law

    1:08 pm – 1:10 pm
    Connect How Think, Feel, and Behave

    1:10 pm – 1:18 pm
    Explore the Nine Attributes of Actualized Leaders

    • Overview of how a person thinks, affects how feel, affects how behave
    • Understanding of Three Sequences and Relevance to Practice of Law
      • Confidence
      • Performance
      • Renewal
    • Define of each attribute (in worksheet page 5 and each lawyer’s individual report; see sample report page 11)

    1:18 pm – 1:23 pm
    Building Long-Term Resistance to Stress By Strengthening One’s Nine Attributes

    • Understand the Nine Attributes (see sample report pages 12 and 14)
    • Select Attributes to Improve – one or two only

    1:23 pm – 1:28 pm
    Accessing On-Demand Resilience: Tapping Into Nine Attributes

    1:28 pm – 1:30 pm
    Questions

  • CLE Credit
    New York:
    1.5 Law Practice Management
    New Jersey:
    1.5 General
    California:
    1.5 General
    Pennsylvania:
    1.0 General
    Connecticut: Available to Licensed Attorneys

  • Sponsorship Opportunities are Available! Please Contact:
    Angie Avila, Manager, Membership Outreach and Sponsorships | (212) 382-6608 | aavila@nycbar.org

    ______________________________________________________________