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Setting 2021 Goals, with Booz Allen Hamilton CLO, Nancy J. Laben
Setting 2021 Goals, with Booz Allen Hamilton CLO, Nancy J. Laben (Debbie Epstein Henry, Axiom, December 2020) As budgets contract, workloads expand, and the world continues to grapple with a global pandemic and systemic racism, planning for 2021 is more challenging than ever. Amidst this uncertainty, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nancy J. Laben, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Booz Allen Hamilton, on November 11th, and we explored the topic Setting 2021 Goals While Managing Increased Workloads and Smaller Budgets. Ironically, the first event we did together back in 2015 was titled Risk Taking: It’s Time to Jump in the Pool. Given how apropos risk-taking is today, we revisited that topic and delved into lots of others. Nancy shared thoughtful, actionable ideas. Here are takeaways that can help you and your organization as you plan for 2021.
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What Makes A Virtual Lawyer Happy?
What Makes A Virtual Lawyer Happy? (Debbie Epstein Henry, New York Bar Association, September 16, 2020) Prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, most lawyers had not worked exclusively from home. While the newfound family time, flexibility and elimination of long commutes were readily apparent gains of remote work, once the indefinite term of remote work became a reality, it lost its luster for some. Those with space constraints and a less productive work setup at home and those who are compartmentalizers, who like a separate locale for work, were frustrated by the protracted time away from the office.
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Effective Networking and Increased Connection in a Remote and Hybrid Workplace
Effective Networking and Increased Connection in a Remote and Hybrid Workplace (Debbie Epstein Henry, Chapter 6, Business Development for a New Legal Ecosystem, Published by ARK Conferences Ltd, a division of Wilmington plc, July 2020)
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Framing Your Career & Designing an Effective Job Search
Framing Your Career & Designing an Effective Job Search (Debbie Epstein Henry, Chapter 4, Career Development for Women Lawyers, Published by ARK Conferences Ltd, a division of Wilmington plc, April 2019) Think of a framed painting. It’s a square shape and the frame may be gilded and about two inches thick. That’s the image I want you to keep in mind as we explore your career. The exterior perimeter of the frame is your job search. The interior perimeter contains your constraints in evaluating the right career. The painting inside is the career you design.
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Make Your Ask a Give
Make Your Ask a Give (Deborah Epstein Henry, 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers – From Women Lawyers, 2019). Asking is uncomfortable. Many of you may be natural at developing relationships, but when it comes time to making an “ask” – whatever that ask may be – you fall short. Part of it may be a fear of failure that you ask for something that you don’t deserve, or someone else deserves it more, or you can’t deliver on it. It also may be a concern about jeopardizing relationships or trying to translate personal relationships into professional ones. Or, perhaps you are shy and not comfortable developing relationships in the first place, let alone making an ask for something that you want or need. Yet, not being able to ask – for that opportunity to represent a client, go on a pitch, or be considered for a job, promotion, leadership role or increased compensation – can impede your success. So how do you get there? Follow these tips and you should be on your way to mastering the art of the ask.
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Ambition: Women Powering Up
Ambition: Women Powering Up (Thomas L. Sager and Deborah Epstein Henry, Diversity & the Bar, January/February 2013) Webster’s Dictionary defines ambition as “an ardent desire for rank, fame and power.” That is not what senior executives and managing partners should be looking for in identifying future successors. Those who embrace this definition and use it as the lens through which to evaluate potential leaders are limiting, to an employer’s disadvantage, its talent pool and leadership pipeline. However, if ambition is defined as “an ardent desire to lead and influence the actions of others,” the pipeline opens, especially for women.
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