As social distancing and K95s finally become visible in the rearview mirror, communications expert Carol Sowers returns to the podcast to coach listeners through the yips of post-lockdown performance anxiety and rusty face-to-face social skills, and to discuss the remote advocacy habits we created that are worth keeping and refining. She also touches on a few subtle ways lawyers inadvertently undermine their authenticity and credibility. 

Topics

2:57  Staring down the yips

9:46  Our best work adaptations and habits  

14:20   Court activities that might remain remote

17:20  Framing yourself

19:45  New rules for eye contact 

22:02   Mumbling the play-by-play

24:00  Preparing for in-person presentations

28:22  Distractions and attention span

30:20  Practice, practice, practice

31:20  Virtual backgrounds

35:56  Signoff questions

Quote

“I know it’s so boring to hear communications specialists talk about practice. It’s what we all say, and what we all have said, and what we all will continue to say. But I think it’s even more vital now. If you’re not practicing, I think you’re doing yourself a disservice, and I think that you’re doing your case and your client a disservice.” Carol Sowers

Resources

NITA 1:1 Coaching (link)

Celebrating Carol Sowers’ Nearly 30 Years with KHQA (YouTube) 

Taste: My Life Through Food, by Stanley Tucci (book)

The Dropout (Hulu)