“Mummy, yesterday some of the kids forgot all their lines and the teachers had to keep reminding them….”
Yes, it’s the festive season and yesterday our boys were regaling me with tales from their school Christmas show ‘preview’ performance before the main event today.
Oscars surely await.
I love their school Christmas shows.
I also sort of love that our kids are completely nonplussed by it. They tend to completely neglect their roles as teddy bear no 3 or toy soldier no 5 to pick their noses or scratch their bums.
These shows are also a useful counterpoint to working in the legal profession or any professional services role.
Because we take it all so seriously when we’re adults, don’t we?
I’m not suggesting that it’s ok to scratch your behind at work.
Or to be chaotic and not on top of things at all.
But some missteps in certain areas are ok I think.
Like client handling. You might get it wrong sometimes. But usually, if you handle your response well (don’t avoid, apologise, make amends), the situation can be recovered.
I actually think lots of problems are caused, not by the initial misstep, but by our response to them. Because we’re so pent up and convinced that the client is going to lose it and sack us. So we act defensively. Or we avoid. Or both. And that can be what does the damage.
I’m not going to tell you that it’s ok for lawyers to show vulnerability. I can’t imagine clients being into that much.
But there’s a difference between that and showing humanity.
I think we can take off the big shoulder pads and the spiky heels (both metaphorically and literally) and show who we are as people (to some extent).
Also, when we are putting on a front like that over time, that’s when we start to lose the meaning of what we do. When who we are as people and what we believe becomes too disconnected from our work.
I don’t mean to sound naive. But I do think it’s crucial to find a job where you can show your humanity (to some degree).
That’s why I write the way I do. Because I’m sick of reading articles and books for lawyers which are written in this hoity toity dry way. Why not write like a human being instead?
And that’s why I don’t apologise when my baby joins me occasionally on a networking or marketing call. Or at conferences.
She wouldn’t join me when I’m delivering training or therapy of course (although Sherlock the pug has once or twice).
But I think it’s fine to show a bit of messiness on occasion. Even when, as happened yesterday, my baby was highly active in a certain area leading to a rescue operation during a work call. (Don’t worry – it was a Zoom call so Paul Linsell and Gillian Bishop didn’t suffer too much).
And maybe even sometimes it’s OK to forget your lines (in certain circumstances)?!
How do you show humanity in your work? I’d be intrigued to know.
PS here is one of our little humans yesterday (on an increasingly shabby carpet).