The Unique Psychological World of Lawyers

Transcription

1 The Unique Psychological World of Lawyers Strategies for Successful and Satisfying Careers Yale Law School March 13, 2013 Ronda Muir, Esq Copyright Ronda Muir, LPM

2 Are Law Firms Manageable? 1. The problem of trust 2. Skepticism 3. Professional detachment 4. Approaches to decision-making Analysis paralysis Risk averse David Maister,

3 What Makes Lawyers Different? Positive Psychology Conflict Resolution Caliper* Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)* Emotional Intelligence *Some statistics related to the Caliper and MBTI results are drawn from articles by Dr. Larry Richard.

4 What Makes Lawyers Different? Positive Psychology Optimists or Pessimists?

5 What Makes Lawyers Different? Conflict Resolution Fighters or Lovers?

6 What Makes Lawyers Different? 6

7 What Makes Lawyers Different? 100 Lawyers Average Caliper Personality Traits Skepticism Autonomy Abstraction Urgency Resilience Sociability

8 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI ) Carl Gustave Jung ( ) Swiss psychiatrist Attempt to reconcile theories of Freud (Extraverted) and Adler (Introverted) Wrote Psychological Types in 1921 about 3 types Katherine C. Briggs ( ) Reconciled her type theories (1917) with Jung s Added Perceiving/Judging types Isabel Briggs Myers ( ) Katherine s daughter; married a lawyer! Developed MBTI Questionnaire (1943) MBTI is a trademark or registered trademark of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries.

9 Distinctions of MBTI Preference Type vs. Psychological Trait Dichotomy Indicator Clarity, not Strength or Ability Lengthy History and Research Worldwide Most Common Assessment

10 The Eight MBTI Preferences 1: Extraversion E vs 2: Sensing S vs 3: Thinking T vs 4: Judging J vs Introversion--I Intuition--N Feeling--F Perceiving--P MBTI is a trademark or registered trademark of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries.

11 Characteristics of Extraverts and Introverts E--Extraverts Prefer to communicate verbally Outgoing and action-oriented Learn best by doing or talking Have many friends and acquaintances Enjoy sharing ideas at gatherings I--Introverts Prefer to communicate in writing Private and inwardly focused Learn best through thinking and processing Have a select circle of friends Appear to be good listeners Need external stimulus and input Need time alone to reenergize self MBTI is a trademark or registered trademark of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries.

12 Characteristics of Sensing and Intuitive S--Sensing Types Focus on what is here and real; use history as a guide Observe and easily recall data and specifics Gain understanding through hands-on experience Tend to be factual and concrete; are creative in a step-by-step manner N--Intuitive Types Attuned to possibilities in the future Think in concepts and theories Are concerned with meanings and patterns in information Trust gut feelings Tend to be imaginative and creative; use flashes of insight MBTI is a trademark or registered trademark of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries.

13 Characteristics of Thinking and Feeling T--Thinking Types Value logic Use cause-and-effect reasoning Objective, striving for what s fair and just Critical and analytical F--Feeling Types Value compassion Consider effects of their decisions on others Seek to maintain harmony Empathetic MBTI is a trademark or registered trademark of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries.

14 Characteristics of Judging and Perceiving J--Judging Types P--Perceiving Types Value organization Methodical and disciplined Decisive and need closure Prefer to make plans Flexible and adaptive Tend to be spontaneous Prefer to be loose and open to change Prefer to keep their options open MBTI is a trademark or registered trademark of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries.

15 Contributions of the Preferences Extraversion (E) Breadth of interests Sensing (S) Reliance on facts Thinking (T) Logic and analysis Judging (J) Organization Introversion (I) Depth of concentration Intuition (N) Grasp of possibilities Feeling (F) Warmth and sympathy Perceiving (P) Adaptability

16 MBTI TYPE: US vs. US Lawyers vs YLS What Energizes You? E 55-?% of US Population I 57% of US Lawyers I 61% of YLS What Data Do You Pay Attention To? S 73% of US Population N 57% of US Lawyers N 88% of YLS

17 MBTI TYPE: US vs US Lawyers vs YLS How Do You Make Decisions? F 60% of US Population (65% of Women) T 78% of US Lawyers (60% of Women) T 57% of YLS How Do You Structure Your Time? J 54% of US Population J 63% of US Lawyers J 84% of YLS 17

18 MBTI TYPE: US Population Total Population Male Female ISTJ 11.6% ISFJ 13.8% INFJ 1.5% INTJ 2.1% Total Population Male Female ISTP 5.4% ISFP 8.8% INFP 4.4% INTP 3.3% Total Population Male Female ESTP 4.3% ESFP 8.5% ENFP 8.1% ENTP 3.2% Total Population Male Female ESTJ 8.7% ESFJ 12.3% ENFJ 2.5% ENTJ 1.8% Total = 3,009; male = 1,478; female = 1,531. Copyright MBTI

19 MBTI TYPE: US Lawyers ISTJ 17.8% ISFJ 4.2% INFJ 2.7% INTJ 13.1% ISTP 3.9% ISFP 1.4% INFP 3.9% INTP 9.4% ESTP 3.3% ESFP.5% ENFP 5.2% ENTP 9.7% ESTJ 10.3% ESFJ 2.7% ENFJ 2.9% ENTJ 9.0% Data derived from studies by L. Richard, Esq.

20 MBTI TYPE: US Lawyers/Yale Law School ISTJ 17.8%/3% ISFJ 4.2%/3% INFJ 2.7%/15% INTJ 13.1%/36% ISTP 3.9%/0% ISFP 1.4%/0% INFP 3.9%/1% INTP 9.4%/2% ESTP 3.3%/<1% ESFP.5% ENFP 5.2%/8% ENTP 9.7%/3% ESTJ 10.3%/1% ESFJ 2.7%/3% ENFJ 2.9%/11% ENTJ 9.0%/10%. YSL data supplied by permission of YLS

21 Definition of Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth. Mayer & Salovey,

22 Assessing Emotional Intelligence 22

23 Assessing Emotional Intelligence Senior associate Ben has just received some bad news about his brother s health. He has a lunch meeting with a partner and potential client where he wants to be upbeat and positive. Ben should: Listen to sad music to calm himself down Review his professional accomplishments Sit alone in his office until lunch 23

24 Lawyers and Emotional Intelligence EQ IQ

25 Lawyers and Emotional Intelligence Management Understanding Use Perception

26 Lawyers and Emotional Intelligence To deliberate well which requires both sympathy and detachment one must therefore be able not only to think clearly but to feel in certain ways as well. The person who shows good judgment in deliberation will thus be marked as much by his affective dispositions as by his intellectual powers, and he will know more than others do because he feels what they cannot. Anthony T. Kronman (1999) Dean, Yale Law School 26