1-Hour Program

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Overview

Have you ever wondered why some very bright lawyers who are well educated and know the law very well struggle in their career while others who may possess solid, but not extraordinary, intellectual and technical legal skills soar through the promotional ranks of business to great success? Research shows that the difference is that the latter has the “right stuff”, “x-factor” or “people skills” to navigate key inter- and intrapersonal aspects at the core of any work. They can connect with colleagues and clients, form meaningful relationships, stay motivated in their pursuits, and are a catalyst for teams. The underlying skills generally fall under the umbrella of what is referred to as Emotional Intelligence (EI).

EI, which is our "capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and our relationships," has been shown to be a significant force behind professional success. (Van Rooy & Viswesvaran, 2003). EI becomes increasingly important for everyone in a high-level position as it “accounts for 85 to 90 percent of the success of organizational leaders.” (Cherniss & Goleman, 2001). Law students and practicing attorneys are well known for above average levels of IQ, but lawyers score below average in measures of EI (Muir).  While this statistic is troubling in a profession dedicated to client service, this briefing will introduce participants to ways to meet this challenge and tell them how they can develop their EI skills (among others) to advance and succeed in the legal profession.

EI in the law is of primary focus of late for several reasons.  It has been found to be as important if not more than IQ for academic and job performance, EI can be developed (Goleman, 2012), many lawyer functions such as making a persuasive presentation require moderate to high levels of EI, EI is essential in leadership, and EI skills hold promise to reduce the mental health challenges facing the legal profession. Higher levels of EI lead to greater happiness, life satisfaction, and wellbeing, and therefore is thought to decrease lawyer burnout and boost productivity and performance. The time is also ripe because the scientific understanding of emotional and social intelligence has arrived. The academic literature in neuroscience and psychology offers several key insights about what exactly EI is and how it can be developed in certain key professions. 

Please join Dan DeFoe, J.D., M.S. of Adlitem Solutions and Rob Durr, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Northwestern University for this briefing on Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Lawyers.  Participants will learn:

  • What emotions are, how to understand and manage them, and why they matter in legal practice
  • What emotional intelligence is and how it distinguishes outstanding form typical lawyers
  • The latest scientific findings on EI and what they mean for legal practice
  • How EI relates to personal and organizational success
  • Next steps to develop an emotionally intelligent team and law firm
  • Tools to increase self-awareness and self-management of personal emotions
  • How to stay poised under pressure in legal practice

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