Number 13 of “19 for 19” – “Fearless”
#experience #publicspeaking #weshowup #courtroomsavvy #presence #fullon
I was pleasantly surprised as collective efforts came together for day one of a recent insurance coverage arbitration. When counsel is asked to make introductions to the room (where often people in my position are skipped right over because we have no speaking role*), my client said, “and our fearless graphics person, Suann Ingle.” More than pleasantly surprised to be acknowledged in an often underestimated moment of pressure, this got me thinking…
Getting to know a trial team in the trenches is one of my favorite aspects of this work because it takes a unique combination of skills and genuine interest in people to thrive among the chaos. More accurately, helping smart people at some of the most pressuring moments of their careers, is often reward enough. Helping them shine is a true source of joy for me. Every team is different, every trial is different. So it takes brand new approaches, every time.
Anyone in my position spends free moments amidst a healthy dose of fear, predicting what could go wrong, in order to be sure things go right. It no doubt helped after the team’s Herculean push, that the speaking attorneys were ultimately effective, poised and present. And their witnesses were genuine, smart and clear.
As I sat there thinking about “fearless,” I realized after all these years, that probably translates better to “fear faced.” That thought kept me present and poised, in the moment and ready.
#happytrails #happytrials #fearfaced
*I did get on the record during one trial, but I’ll save that for another post
