ATL’s “Quote of the Day” on November 14, 2013, featured an excerpt from my comments about the linkage between positive attitudes and successful law careers, as included in an article in a recent edition of the National Jurist.
Here’s the quote:
“Complaining openly and presenting a negative persona is not a good strategy for the office or most places, for that matter. Even if you have every good reason to complain, people do not want to hear it.”
The ATL post also included my recommendation to young women lawyers to demonstrate “true grit” in the workplace, as I further address in Best Friends at the Bar: The New Balance for Today’s Woman Lawyer, and the explanation that women must avoid making victims of themselves.
You wonder why I am just getting to this. Well, all I can say is that it has been a busy holiday season, and apparently my Internet search engines are failing me. Note to self: Do something about that!
Several of the comments to the ATL feature failed to focus on the word “openly” which is key to the quote. Complaining openly and indiscreetly in the corridors of the workplace is different from having a private conversation with a superior or supervisor. The latter is definitely encouraged where the facts are in your favor — but never in a whiny manner or as a victim.
Women lawyers are professionals, and they need to act like professionals at all times. You should plead your case to a superior or a supervisor the same way that you plead your case to the judge. Do it professionally and advocate for yourself in the same manner that you would advocate for your client.
Thanks to Staci Zaretsky of ATL for the shout out. For more on this discussion, see the full reference on page 14 of the November issue of the National Jurist.
