Why Winning Cannot Be Your Goal At Trial
Transcription
Sari de la Motte here, the attorney whisperer. I specialize in helping you communicate with jurors. In today's video we're going to talk about why winning cannot be your goal at trial.
When I talk about that, either one on one with my clients or at seminars in front of hundreds of attorneys, I always get a bunch of confused looks. Attorneys tend to say things like, "What? Winning is not the goal? Isn't that the entire point of trial?"
That's a great question. Is it? Is it the entire point of trial? Let's think back for a minute. Why did you become a trial attorney in the first place? For most of you, it was because you wanted to help people. You wanted to right wrongs. You wanted to hold corporations responsible. What those 12 people in a room end up deciding doesn't change why you're there in the first place.
There are three reasons why focusing on winning is problematic at trial. The first one is that winning is out of your control. There are things you can do to, of course, help that along. But ultimately, you don't get to decide whether you win at trial or not. Tying your self worth, quite frankly, to winning is very dangerous, and it's terrible for your job satisfaction, both now and in the future. You don't get to decide whether you win or not. It's not in your hands.
Two, focusing on winning takes you out of the present moment, because winning happens in the future. The present moment is where you have the most power. If you're so focused on what's happening, not here, but in the future, you're not going to win, because the present moment is where you have the most power.
Third, focusing on winning communicates desperation that jurors can smell a mile away. Body language starts in the brain, therefore what you think will get communicated. If you are so focused on winning, you can bet that the jurors are going to pick up on that and think, "I know he or she is focused on winning. He'll do anything to win. He'll cheat. He'll steal. He'll lie." That does not help you.
What you're there to do is give truth a voice. No matter what those 12 or eight or six individuals end up deciding, that doesn't change what's true. It just determines an outcome. Those two things are not the same. Instead of tightening your grasp on the idea of winning, I suggest instead that you let go.
If you have an upcoming case that you'd like to talk to me about, I invite you to go to our website, www.attorneywhisperer.com. And on our homepage, you can schedule a complimentary 30-minute strategy session with me. We'll talk about your case and answer some questions, and then explore whether it makes sense to work together.
Until we meet again, I invite you to be bold, be real, and be a communication rock star.
When I talk about that, either one on one with my clients or at seminars in front of hundreds of attorneys, I always get a bunch of confused looks. Attorneys tend to say things like, "What? Winning is not the goal? Isn't that the entire point of trial?"
That's a great question. Is it? Is it the entire point of trial? Let's think back for a minute. Why did you become a trial attorney in the first place? For most of you, it was because you wanted to help people. You wanted to right wrongs. You wanted to hold corporations responsible. What those 12 people in a room end up deciding doesn't change why you're there in the first place.
There are three reasons why focusing on winning is problematic at trial. The first one is that winning is out of your control. There are things you can do to, of course, help that along. But ultimately, you don't get to decide whether you win at trial or not. Tying your self worth, quite frankly, to winning is very dangerous, and it's terrible for your job satisfaction, both now and in the future. You don't get to decide whether you win or not. It's not in your hands.
Two, focusing on winning takes you out of the present moment, because winning happens in the future. The present moment is where you have the most power. If you're so focused on what's happening, not here, but in the future, you're not going to win, because the present moment is where you have the most power.
Third, focusing on winning communicates desperation that jurors can smell a mile away. Body language starts in the brain, therefore what you think will get communicated. If you are so focused on winning, you can bet that the jurors are going to pick up on that and think, "I know he or she is focused on winning. He'll do anything to win. He'll cheat. He'll steal. He'll lie." That does not help you.
What you're there to do is give truth a voice. No matter what those 12 or eight or six individuals end up deciding, that doesn't change what's true. It just determines an outcome. Those two things are not the same. Instead of tightening your grasp on the idea of winning, I suggest instead that you let go.
If you have an upcoming case that you'd like to talk to me about, I invite you to go to our website, www.attorneywhisperer.com. And on our homepage, you can schedule a complimentary 30-minute strategy session with me. We'll talk about your case and answer some questions, and then explore whether it makes sense to work together.
Until we meet again, I invite you to be bold, be real, and be a communication rock star.