THE LUCK EQUATION

Luck is often seen as something out of our control, like an unpredictable force that favors us or doesn't. However, luck isn't just about chance; it's about positioning ourselves to recognize opportunities, building relationships, and developing skills and habits to increase the likelihood of success.

In this edition, we'll explore how we increase our chances to "get lucky" in our work environments and consider what actionable steps we can take to get there. Aren't you lucky for being here today! (Wink)

Luck in the workplace isn't merely a stroke of random good fortune. It's often the result of preparation, hard work, and a mindset geared toward recognizing and seizing opportunities as they arise. When people describe someone as "lucky" in their career, what they're often seeing is the culmination of deliberate actions and decisions that have placed that person in the right place at the right time.

Preparation + Opportunity = Luck

A famous quote by Roman philosopher Seneca states, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." This captures the essence of how we can influence our own luck:

• Preparation: Developing skills, building knowledge, and maintaining a proactive approach to learning and growth.
• Opportunity: Being in environments or situations where potential benefits or advantages can arise.

While we can't always control the opportunities that come our way, we can control how prepared we are to meet and take advantage of them. This preparation increases our chances of getting lucky when opportunities do present.

Action Steps for Getting Lucky with Work

Cultivate a Growth Mindset

• A growth mindset is being open to change and discovery; developing both hard and soft skills through intentional practice and discovery. Embracing this mindset encourages us to seek out challenges, learn from failures, and continuously improve, making us more adaptable and ready to accept opportunities when they arise.
• Developing self-awareness is essential
• Understanding ourselves, the whole of who we are, will direct us, just as sun or shade directs the growth of a tree

Build a Strong Network

Networking isn't just about meeting people; it's about building meaningful relationships. We can

• Attend industry events, though there is not much opportunity for the "non-professional" here in our area
• Engage with colleagues and participate in professional communities, and again, there is not many opportunities for those of us in legal support in this area, but be watchful for them anyway
• Engage in conversation with your court reporters and schedulers - they work with most of the firms and know many of the people in the industry
• Engage in conversation with other vendors who work with the firms and the people in the industry
• Take an opportunity to make a run to the courthouse and while there make quick introductions
• Louisville paralegals can accept the opportunity to become a member of the local paralegal association and attend meetings and other networking opportunities
• Join online communities for legal support personnel and engage from time to time with the others in the group

The more people you connect with, the more likely you are to hear about opportunities, gain new insights, and receive support when needed. Needs just might one day include

• moving to another state - national online community members and organizations may help you relocate, assist in finding a role in the new location, and introduce you to others in the area
• serving a subpoena in a different state - your online community members may be able to assist you locally
• a cruise vacation - The Perfectly Paralegal online community offers a cruise with CLE opportunities each year

Stay Curious and Keep Learning

Being curious and continuously learning keeps you ahead of the curve and prepared for unexpected opportunities. Ways you can continue learning are

• Furthering our education
• Reading about and discussing new trends and changing platforms
• Experimenting with systems and to use them to the teams' advantage
• Developing hobbies or volunteering for roles requiring the development of natural or additional skill sets unrelated to work

Take Initiative

Don't wait for opportunities to come—create them and prepare to meet them. By being proactive, we demonstrate our value and put ourselves in positions where others are more likely to recognize our potential.

• Take on new projects
• Volunteer for leadership roles such as committee membership, communications work and mentorship
• Suggest innovative ideas
• Have an updated resume always on hand
• Assess skills and prepare to articulate how the skills and experience (both work and life) can transfer to different opportunities
• Record your "invisible" contributions, awards, and acknowledgements (keep a personal portfolio updated and ready)

Be Open to Change

Flexibility and openness to change are crucial in today's work environment, Those who can adapt quickly are often the ones who find themselves in the right place at the right time. We can

• Embrace new technologies
• Embrace new supervisors, new practices areas, jurisdictions, or industries
• Be willing to pivot

Practice Resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks. In our roles, we will inevitably face challenges and failures. Instead of viewing these as defeats, see them as opportunities for learning and growing. Resilient individuals are more likely to take risks, and with risk comes the potential for reward.

• Setbacks can be anything from not making it to work on time to losing a job. Bounce back, learn and grow!

Be Visible

Make sure your efforts are noticed. Whether it's by tracking your achievements and communicating them to a supervisor or sharing insights while networking or in meetings, we should ensure that our contributions are recognized. Visibility increases the chances that you'll be considered when new opportunities arise.

• Be humble, not arrogant
• Exercise your intuition and communicate your achievements appropriately

Seek Feedback

• Constructive feedback is invaluable for growth. Actively seek out feedback from peers, mentors, and supervisors, and use it to improve self-awareness and performance. The more you refine your skills and approach, the better prepared you'll be when an opportunity knocks.

Manage Time Effectively

• Prioritize tasks and activities that align with your long-term goals and invest time in activities that increase your chances of success.

Keep a Positive Attitude

• Positivity can be contagious and can open doors that might otherwise remain closed.
• A positive attitude helps build strong relationships, inspires confidence in others, and makes us more approachable.
• People are more likely to offer opportunities to those they enjoy working with.

We all know there is little opportunity for legal support staff to "get lucky" within the law office or firm. But opportunity is everywhere! We need not feel stuck in place, if we've committed to and applied ourselves to personal development rather than role development. Most of the skills we've developed are transferable to innumerable roles. We just have to adjust our thinking and envision our skill sets applied in different ways for different purposes.

Whether you're in a legal support role, looking to get into a legal support role, or looking to move out of a legal support role, I believe by implementing the strategies above we all can increase the chances we have to "get lucky" in our careers. It is personal. We have to prepare ourselves to meet and accept the opportunities presented.

What opportunities are you hoping for? Are you prepared to meet them?

Till next time,

-dt

P.S. FREEBIE: I have created a digital Personal Preparation Plan and accompanying workbook based on the above action steps. They're free to download from the LOUSILegal online community. Link is the logo graphic below.

I publish a brief edition of The Lever on Saturdays to support the legal assistance folks. Subscribe now and never miss another issue!

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