Peer to Peer Magazine

78 PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ILTA | WINTER 2016 whisper louder than many people can yell, and I think he meant that people are always watching you for clues on the right thing to do, what is acceptable or the real temperature of a situation. The first time I had an employee put me on that stage was transformational. What mistakes have you learned from along the way? Chuck: I've learned to be more cautious about how I communicate with people and how I describe or characterize things because your words have more meaning to others. An innocuous comment as a staff member or working lawyer becomes a potentially troubling comment to someone when you're in a leadership role because people put extra importance on what you say and how you say it. Recognizing the power of your message, particularly to whom you're The Ins and Outs of Professional Development and Leadership ASK THE EXPERT CHARLES BALDWIN Charles Baldwin, a shareholder at Ogletree Deakins, has over 25 years of experience as an advocate for management in all aspects of traditional labor and employment matters. As a trial lawyer, he served as lead counsel defending employers at trial and on appeal in class actions, multiplaintiff and individual lawsuits arising out of every conceivable type of workplace dispute. Chuck has been recognized for innovation in legal project management by a number of prestigious publications and organizations, including the College of Law Practice Management and Association of Corporate Counsel. He was also a finalist for ILTA's 2016 Distinguished Peer Award for leadership. Contact him at charles. baldwin@ogletreedeakins.com. BRIAN DONATO Brian Donato is Chief Information Officer at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. He brings 30 years of experience to his current position at Vorys, where he has worked for the last 17 years. Brian is the firm's Security Officer, a member of the firm's information governance (IG) committee and technical advisor to many practice groups. He currently serves on ILTA's LegalSEC Steering Committee and for the Law Firm Information Governance Symposium. Brian frequently publishes and speaks on IT and IG topics, and he won ILTA's 2016 Distinguished Peer Award for leadership. Contact him at bjdonato@vorys.com. giving it, is key. People view you differently, even your long-time friends at work, and you have to recognize the responsibility that comes along with that. Brian: Earlier in my career, I didn't do a good enough job of investing in relationships. I'm prey introverted, so the hard part was sharing, opening up more. Not just asking what's going on with you but being willing to share my thoughts and feelings. It was hard to be an authentic leader until I was willing to connect. I also wish I had been more inclined to understand office politics and position myself correctly. And one thing I learned both for my professional effectiveness and my personal happiness is everything is beer when I choose to trust those around me. What does "professional development" mean to you? Sco: Professional development is all of the growth opportunities that contribute to an employee's job satisfaction. Salary is important to people, but it's that feeling of contribution, feeling heard, feeling like you're cared about and have a good relationship with your team –– that makes an employee happy to come to work. Is there a pivotal moment in your career when opportunities for growth paid off? Sco: The closest thing to a pivotal moment for me was in my second year at my first law firm. It was the early days of technology, and I pointed out that they needed solid plans for using technology in their law practice. I raised my hand and asked if I could lead that effort, and they said yes. I would broadly say you need to have your own interests and pursuits in mind, and doors will open. Surround yourself with good people that are smarter than you, be a sponge and learn from them. That will cause pivotal changes in your career. What advice would you offer to someone just starting a career in a law firm and looking to climb the ladder? Sco: Develop a plan or map by looking at yourself and doing a skills inventory. Are you an introvert or an extravert? Are you a specialist or a generalist? Make decisions based on that introspection. That said, don't sweat the journey. You will change your mind, and that's okay. Along the way, seek advice from those whom you admire in similar positions.

• Cover