Listen to the Voice

Have you ever had someone propose an idea that you felt was wrong but couldn’t, in that moment, articulate what you didn’t like about it or what made you nervous?  Here are 3 suggestions for what to do when that little voice says no but everyone else is saying yes.

1. Speak up. Even if just to say “I’m not sure how I feel about that,” it puts people on notice and requires everyone to think about the issue in a different way.
2. Slow down. Don’t let anyone rush you. Rarely are you required to make a split second decision.  Sometimes sleeping on it helps you to figure out where your hesitancy is coming from.
3. Talk it through. Bend the ear of a colleague or your assistant. Sometimes just saying it out loud helps you work through your thoughts.

Whether you realize it or not, your instincts are a combination of your education, your legal experience and also your life experience.  Good lawyers don’t ignore their instincts – they respect them.