Courage, Curiosity, and
Connection:
Practical Tools for Creating Space and
Keeping Your Head While Navigating a
Changing World
Introduction
Getting Stuck in Distress
• Something is going to happen
• That Happening is going to be awful
• That Something is Going to Be My Fault
• (Repeat)
Tools of the Trade
• Uniqueness of the Practice
• Seek and Present Information
• Work on Your Own
• Avoid Risk and Find Certainty
• Think Criticially (With Skepticism, Pessimism)
• Compete
• Follow the Rules
How Do You Use the Tools?
• Seek Compensation, Clients, Advancement
• Get Affirmation (from Clients, Decision-makers,
Higher-Ups)
• Avoid Blame in a Zero-Sum Game
• Extrinsic and Linear
How Are The Tools When Things
Don’t Go As “Planned”?
• When The Rules Change (Or There Are No
Rules)?
• In Your Personal Relationships?
And The New Tools?
Responses to Distress (Or the
Perception of Distress)
• The need to try and control it
• Suffering=Pain x Resistance
• Getting Stuck
• The Open Loop
What is Missing When Distress Hits?
• The Capability to Manage Emotion
• Space to Consider How to Respond And Adapt
Rather Than React
• Context/Awareness
• Cooperation/Collaboration/Communication
(Listening)
Another Tool
• Actively notice new things -->puts you in
the present -->makes you aware of context
• Awareness creates space (and vice versa)
One Definition
• Mindlessness- the application of yesterday's
business solutions to today's problems
• Mindfulness- attunement to today's
demands to avoid tomorrow's problems
• If you want to change it, you have to see it
for what it really is.
- Ellen Langer
Creativity= Curiosity>Fear
Be Aware of Your Blind Spots
Be Aware of Your Blind Spots
Change Your Mind
• Put some space between stimulus and
reaction
• Intrinsic Rewards
– Get quiet
– Get outside
– Get on a different schedule
– Get out and play
Fight Perfectionism
A Plug For Work-Life
Integration
• Treat yourself, at work or play, the same
way
• "You must have work-life balance"
Create Space in Your Day
(Build Energy)
• Exercise
• Leisure Time – Flow
• Reduce Distractions/Build Habits and
Routines
• Allow for Rest and Recovery
Get Some Space from Your and
Computer Technology
• Attention Is Fuel, Fallible, and
Finite
What Fuels/Preserves
Attention?
• Fewer Decisions
• Fewer Distractions
• Sustained Focus/Awareness
Make Space for the Good Stuff
• Document a Process Well One Time,
Never Have to Document it Again
• Documenting a Process- Fewer ?s
• Accept coaching and criticism
Benefits of Checklists
(Documented Processes)
• Delegates
• Reduces Mistakes
• Promotes and Standardizes Best Practices
• Stays with the Organization
• Encourages Revision and Improvement
• Capable of Application in Other Areas
• Rewards Input and Collaboration
Create Space with Computer
Tools
• Evernote
• Headspace
• Moment
• Podcasts
Find Some Space By Giving Time
(Connect)
• Be Generous of Your Time and Your Knowledge- Without
Expecting Anything in Return
• If You Are Taking Care of Yourself, You Will Take Care
of Others
• Build Empathy
Questions?
Jack Pringle
Adams and Reese LLP
(803) 343-1270
jack.pringle@arlaw.com
@jjpringlesc
http://pringlepracticeblog.blogspot.com
1501 Main Street, 5th Floor
Columbia, SC 29201
www.adamsandreese.com
Resources
• Baba Shiv, How Do You Find Breakthrough Ideas?, Stanford Graduate
School of Business, http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/baba-shiv-
how-do-you-find-breakthrough-ideas
• The Resilient Lawyer http://theanxiouslawyer.com/rl-23-jack-pringle/
• Farnham Street https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/
• One You Feed With Michael Taft http://www.oneyoufeed.net/michael-
taft/
• Tim Ferris with Brene Brown
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/08/28/brene-brown-on-
vulnerability-and-home-run-ted-talks/
• On Being With Ellen Langer http://www.onbeing.org/program/ellen-
langer-science-of-mindlessness-and-mindfulness/6332
• You Are Not So Smart http://youarenotsosmart.libsyn.com/062-naive-
realism-lee-ross-0
More Resources
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, by Atul Gawande
http://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/dp/0312430000
Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better,
by Clive Thompson
http://www.amazon.com/Smarter-Than-You-Think-Technology/dp/1594204454
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D
http://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Success-Carol-
Dweck/dp/0345472322
Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant
http://www.amazon.com/Give-Take-Helping-Others-Success/dp/0143124986

Courage, Curiosity, and Connection

  • 1.
    Courage, Curiosity, and Connection: PracticalTools for Creating Space and Keeping Your Head While Navigating a Changing World
  • 2.
  • 3.
    Getting Stuck inDistress • Something is going to happen • That Happening is going to be awful • That Something is Going to Be My Fault • (Repeat)
  • 4.
    Tools of theTrade • Uniqueness of the Practice • Seek and Present Information • Work on Your Own • Avoid Risk and Find Certainty • Think Criticially (With Skepticism, Pessimism) • Compete • Follow the Rules
  • 5.
    How Do YouUse the Tools? • Seek Compensation, Clients, Advancement • Get Affirmation (from Clients, Decision-makers, Higher-Ups) • Avoid Blame in a Zero-Sum Game • Extrinsic and Linear
  • 6.
    How Are TheTools When Things Don’t Go As “Planned”? • When The Rules Change (Or There Are No Rules)? • In Your Personal Relationships?
  • 7.
  • 8.
    Responses to Distress(Or the Perception of Distress) • The need to try and control it • Suffering=Pain x Resistance • Getting Stuck • The Open Loop
  • 9.
    What is MissingWhen Distress Hits? • The Capability to Manage Emotion • Space to Consider How to Respond And Adapt Rather Than React • Context/Awareness • Cooperation/Collaboration/Communication (Listening)
  • 11.
    Another Tool • Activelynotice new things -->puts you in the present -->makes you aware of context • Awareness creates space (and vice versa)
  • 12.
    One Definition • Mindlessness-the application of yesterday's business solutions to today's problems • Mindfulness- attunement to today's demands to avoid tomorrow's problems • If you want to change it, you have to see it for what it really is. - Ellen Langer
  • 13.
  • 14.
    Be Aware ofYour Blind Spots
  • 15.
    Be Aware ofYour Blind Spots
  • 16.
    Change Your Mind •Put some space between stimulus and reaction • Intrinsic Rewards – Get quiet – Get outside – Get on a different schedule – Get out and play
  • 17.
  • 18.
    A Plug ForWork-Life Integration • Treat yourself, at work or play, the same way • "You must have work-life balance"
  • 19.
    Create Space inYour Day (Build Energy) • Exercise • Leisure Time – Flow • Reduce Distractions/Build Habits and Routines • Allow for Rest and Recovery
  • 21.
    Get Some Spacefrom Your and Computer Technology • Attention Is Fuel, Fallible, and Finite
  • 22.
    What Fuels/Preserves Attention? • FewerDecisions • Fewer Distractions • Sustained Focus/Awareness
  • 23.
    Make Space forthe Good Stuff • Document a Process Well One Time, Never Have to Document it Again • Documenting a Process- Fewer ?s • Accept coaching and criticism
  • 25.
    Benefits of Checklists (DocumentedProcesses) • Delegates • Reduces Mistakes • Promotes and Standardizes Best Practices • Stays with the Organization • Encourages Revision and Improvement • Capable of Application in Other Areas • Rewards Input and Collaboration
  • 26.
    Create Space withComputer Tools • Evernote • Headspace • Moment • Podcasts
  • 28.
    Find Some SpaceBy Giving Time (Connect) • Be Generous of Your Time and Your Knowledge- Without Expecting Anything in Return • If You Are Taking Care of Yourself, You Will Take Care of Others • Build Empathy
  • 30.
    Questions? Jack Pringle Adams andReese LLP (803) 343-1270 [email protected] @jjpringlesc http://pringlepracticeblog.blogspot.com 1501 Main Street, 5th Floor Columbia, SC 29201 www.adamsandreese.com
  • 31.
    Resources • Baba Shiv,How Do You Find Breakthrough Ideas?, Stanford Graduate School of Business, http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/baba-shiv- how-do-you-find-breakthrough-ideas • The Resilient Lawyer http://theanxiouslawyer.com/rl-23-jack-pringle/ • Farnham Street https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/ • One You Feed With Michael Taft http://www.oneyoufeed.net/michael- taft/ • Tim Ferris with Brene Brown http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/08/28/brene-brown-on- vulnerability-and-home-run-ted-talks/ • On Being With Ellen Langer http://www.onbeing.org/program/ellen- langer-science-of-mindlessness-and-mindfulness/6332 • You Are Not So Smart http://youarenotsosmart.libsyn.com/062-naive- realism-lee-ross-0
  • 32.
    More Resources The ChecklistManifesto: How to Get Things Right, by Atul Gawande http://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/dp/0312430000 Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better, by Clive Thompson http://www.amazon.com/Smarter-Than-You-Think-Technology/dp/1594204454 Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D http://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Success-Carol- Dweck/dp/0345472322 Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant http://www.amazon.com/Give-Take-Helping-Others-Success/dp/0143124986