The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/67910
smart moves Avoid Discouragement Bill: When I hit situations that aren't ideal, I work hard to connect with as many professional contacts as possible. It's great to reconnect with a lot of people in a short amount of time. In the six weeks I was between jobs, I got to hear about all the good things going on in the industry, which served as inspiration and really helped me hone aspirations for my next step. Tom M.: Always maintain a good perspective. TJ: I break down what has to get done into bite-sized pieces. I start with a "to-do" list of general tasks, and then I categorize and combine things. I also make sure to include a few things that are almost finished or that will happen even if they aren't on the list to give me something to cross off quickly. I prioritize the things that absolutely have to get done immediately and add something fun or something I really enjoy working on as an incentive to get through the tough things. When the list is too long, I break it down into sections so it's not so overwhelming. Run TO something, not FROM something. Joy: Several times in my career, I've been faced with a decision to leave my area of expertise (dare I say, my comfort zone) or leave my organization due to outsourcing, restructuring or other significant organizational change. Each time, it has been a challenge. I wish I could say it gets easier. But each time, the change was positive and resulted in growth. How did I keep from being discouraged in these situations? I forced myself to go through an exercise of "objectifying" the decision. Rather than seeing the decision only through the filter of emotion, I looked at the existing position, the new position and the position(s) available to me elsewhere, literally documenting the pros and cons. When reviewing the pros and cons, I kept one criterion at the forefront — run TO something, not FROM something. Overcome Your Biggest Challenge Kate: The land of disenchantment (LD) is NOT a good place to be. It is far too easy to slip into a rut and focus on nothing but the negative when viewing your day-to-day work through this particular lens. Breaking free from this trap requires a significant amount of willpower and deliberate action — at least it did for me. During a particularly discouraging stay in the LD, I sought advice from a cherished mentor — someone I knew would offer the right combination of support and tough love. He responded, "If you don't like where you are, look around. Identify a need that isn't being met, and explain how you're the best person to fill that gap." That is exactly what I did. I shifted my focus away from what was frustrating and toward the future. I developed a business plan for a new role that would complement the strengths of existing teams and fill a gap that was only going to get bigger. Turning the plan into reality required plenty of revisions, a concerted effort to build and grow relationships with key leaders, and patience … lots of patience. Fast forward one year and I happily relocated to another department in a new role that was a better fit for my skills, allowing me to contribute greater value to the firm. Tom Koulopoulos is President and Founder of Delphi Group, Executive in Residence at Bentley University, one of the industry's six most influential consultants (according to InformationWeek) author of nine books, including his most recent, "Cloud Surfing," and a frequent contributor to national and international print and broadcast media. Tom is one of the industry's most prolific thought leaders — his insights provide a beyond-the-edge view of the turbulence created by the collision of technology and business. He can be reached at tk@delphigroup.com. 34 Peer to Peer Bill Mertes is a Senior Associate and the Director of the Software Engineering Practice for Olenick & Associates. Previously, he held various technology leadership roles for over 20 years at Winston & Strawn LLP, focusing on software development, commercial system integration and architecture. Bill is an active member of ILTA, a board member of the LEDES Oversight Committee and an Eagle Scout. He can be reached at wmertes@olenick.com. Tom Morrissey has been the Sr. Director of IT Litigation at Purdue Pharma L.P for the last eight years. He is also the Vice President of ILTA's Law Department Peer Group. Previously, Tom spent five years with Summation and CaseVault, and 19 years in law firms as a litigation paralegal and litigation support manager. He can be reached at tom.morrissey@pharma.com.