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Emotional
Intelligence: The Key To Being a "Star" Lawyer?
KC Councelor
- 03.01
By Jim Dugan, Ph.D, Fortisan Group
What makes a lawyer a "star" performer? Is it
the money, the legal victories or achieving the
right balance between home and work? Is an
attorney successful because he/she attended a
prestigious law school, made law review, or
ranked in the top 10 percent of the class?
Studies of star performers in both law and
medicine suggest that raw brainpower or IQ does
not guarantee a flourishing practice. A recent
issue of Harvard Magazine, (1998) an alumni
publication, notes "practically all lawyers will
have an IQ of 110 to 120, good enough to handle
law school and pass the bar." Yet, if the
majority of lawyers are on this high end of the
IQ range, then why are some lawyers more
successful than others?
It's their "emotional intelligence," says Daniel
Goleman, Ph.D., the reigning expert on emotional
intelligence and author of two best selling
books on the topic. He credits a solid dose of
"emotional intelligence" as what distinguishes
star performers from the field. Goleman states,
"rainmakers at law firms bring in new clients
not because of their LSAT scores, but because of
the kind of people they are‹charismatic,
likable, and trustworthy--intellect and
technical expertise gets you so far, but it¹s
the human qualities that make you a star."
Emotional intelligence has been described as "a
new way of being smart," "extraordinary people
skills," and an ability to tune into and mange
your emotions with self and others. A solid dose
of emotional intelligence may be a powerful
compliment to your legal/analytic prowess.
In recent years, emotional intelligence has
generated a real buzz in the business world.
More than 600 organizations, such as Lucent
Technology, Chase Manhattan, U.S. Air Force,
Army and Navy, and San Francisco Chamber of
Commerce have integrated principles of emotional
intelligence into their operations. However,
emotional intelligence's impact in the legal
world seems to have been relatively unnoticed. A
search of the ABA Internet database generated
only a handful of references specific to
emotional intelligence.
Lawyers may be missing out on this promising
approach in building a successful practice.
Unlike IQ, which experts claim pretty much stops
growing in our teens, it is never to late to
hone and develop the skills of emotional
intelligence. There are four reliable and valid
tests of emotional intelligence that pinpoint
strengths and areas for growth. An executive
coach or psychologist trained in emotional
intelligence may help you chart a
"self-directed" plan to build your emotional
intelligence. Enhancing emotional intelligence
does not happen over night. However, investing
in developing your emotional intelligence may
help you reach that "star" status both
professionally and personally.
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