Peer to Peer Magazine

September 2011

The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association

Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/43128

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ASK THE VENDOR Refusing to Accept Limitations name ................................. . Donna Payne company ........................... . PayneGroup, Inc. website ..................... www.payneconsulting.com There's a quote by author Richard Bach that pretty much describes the first part of my career path advice: "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours." Call it naivete, bravado or what you will, throughout my career people have been more than willing to tell me what I should or should not do — setting artificial limitations or even going so far as to laugh when I made a suggestion that they thought was out of reach. But I have realized many of my goals through sheer perseverance, simply because I refused to accept these limitations. I also believe there is something to be learned from everyone and everything. Early on, before starting PayneGroup, I decided that I needed to work for a variety of companies while putting myself through school. My goal was to work for as many organizations as possible on a temporary basis; government contracts at that time were for a maximum of 90 days and there were always corporations looking for people with good computer skills. The jobs varied from receptionist to database developer to programmer, and there were lessons to be learned at each business. Some of the most valuable lessons can't be taught in business school, such as how to treat others regardless of the title they hold. I also learned that it's possible to make yourself invaluable to an organization; however, it's amazing how few people actually know how, or care enough, to do this. It was during the time I spent working at these organizations that I focused on building my leadership skills. I quietly watched good leaders lead and bad managers fail, tucking away these lessons for future use. My motto has always been to learn something new every day (and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty at any level). I truly feel that if you don't learn something new on a regular basis, you begin to mentally stagnate and lose your edge. This goes for every level in the professional food chain. Secretaries need to cross-train and helpdesk technicians need to continually learn new skills. CIOs and CEOs need to be in touch with what their people do on a daily basis in addition to developing their own professional skills. One thing that I do is to teach about five Master Series: Word for Law Firms classes each year. This is a tough class and it forces me to work hard in order to deliver good content. Even my kids have now gotten into the habit of asking me each night (as I do them), what did you learn today? Knowing that I have to answer this question makes learning not only a goal, but a way of life. Reflecting upon the past 17 years since PayneGroup began, I think it truly boils down to believing in yourself and your products/ services; not taking "no" for an answer; putting yourself out there and making yourself visible; and being a life-long learner. Lastly, I would recommend checking and then rechecking your ethics on a regular basis and focusing on treating others the way you would want to be treated. While it's business, it's also life; ultimately, you sleep a lot easier if you first do no harm. ILTA Supporting Others name .......... Lance Waagner company ........... .Intelliteach website .... www.intelliteach.com I have found the number one ingredient to launching and sustaining my own career is being passionate in helping others. This is particularly important in any support organization. I have met many people that had the background, education and other credentials to technically be outstanding at a job, but lacked a burning desire to help others; the motivation to go the extra mile and see things through to completion just wasn't there. One of my role models, my mom, often says, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care," and that could not be truer. A second key ingredient in my formula is to always be in learning mode. With the pace of technology, this is no small task, but finding energy from learning new things has always been exciting to me. Another ingredient would have to be teamwork. The higher you climb the corporate ladder, the less you personally produce, and the more you must rely on your team. Having a strong team that works well together can make or break any executive. Surrounding myself with highly skilled, passionate individuals who can and will work together towards the same goal or vision has been paramount to my (and my company's) success. ILTA Vendor Thought-Leader Peer to Peer the quarterly magazine of ILTA 31

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