FROMTHEPRESIDENT
Thomas V. Girardi • President I have a mandatory assignment for all members of this extraordinary organization: Pick up the roster and read all the names of the organization. I guarantee you it will make you very proud that you are part of it. Obviously, these people and you represent the very best in a very difficult profession. The obstacles are high and the dedication must be higher. As leaders of the trial bar, I think we have to do a little bit better to make civility as important as the other legal steps we perform in representation. I think we should take a page out of Abraham Lincoln’s book. From an article by Bob Burg: The 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln was one of the best when it came to mastering the art of positive persuasion — what I often refer to as, Winning Without Intimidation. He knew how to make friends out of enemies, and keep conflict to a minimum. I believe the following story is an excellent example of the president’s abilities in this regard: “…{On one occasion}, when another official sharply criticized Lincoln’s judgment, the president responded to a reporter’s interrogation by saying he had great respect for the other man, and if this official had concerns about him, there must be some truth to it. Such discretion disarmed divisiveness that was intended to draw Lincoln into side-skirmishes, it won the hearts of his friends and foes and it allowed Lincoln to maintain focus on more important issues.”
4 x The Trial Lawyer
What Lincoln did was to utilize the tactic of “deflection.” This means to softly “parry” a strong challenge or accusation, deflecting it into another direction where it is now harmless. I was at a seminar recently which defined habits of phenomenally successful leaders. Listen: Great leadership comes from understanding your organization and its people. Understanding comes from listening to your partners, your clients and the market. Share: Share your vision and goals. Set the bar high. People want to feel like they’re part of something great. Recognize: Always recognize and celebrate your team. Great leaders share credit for success and accept responsibility for failure. Also, they
praise in public and criticize in private. Commit: Make a commitment to yourself to be the best firm leader you can be. Read books and articles. Attend conferences. Collaborate with other leaders, both in and out of the legal profession. Finally, I think Frank Sinatra had us in mind when he sang the song “Winners.” Here’s to the winners — lift up the glasses. Here’s to the glory still to be. Here’s to the battle whatever it’s for, To ask the best of ourselves, then give much more. All the best, Tom