By David Daggett on 1/28/2008 6:57 AM

Play Doubles Tennis

     How well do we adapt to different and complementary roles in various aspects of our lives? Are we able to be flexible, cooperative, supporting, or yielding as the case may be? Perhaps these are some areas we can all work on.

Mike & Dave - Safe sober Prom Night Event

     Mike Lewis has been an avid tennis player for as long as I’ve known him. In fact, he and his wife Kathy have been among the top players in the Southeast since before I joined Mike in 1985. Their specialty is doubles tennis, and mixed doubles in particular. They play really well together as a team.

     During the recent conversation with Mike he used the term "doubles tennis." Crack! The term and the concept were metaphorically ingrained in my mind. He might not have realized the significance at the time, but I think he hit a winner!

     So, another goal for our firm in 2008 is to continue playing better "doubles tennis." For example, we have a buddy system at L & D so we are there to cover for each other. We also need to continue to work to recognize the ideas and accomplishments of others.

     Our law firm is full of fast paced, self confident, results oriented, effective people that get things done. Most of the folks on our team are already pretty good at playing "doubles tennis." We have discussed some of this previously when the subject was Teamwork.

     To continue to play better doubles tennis we will need to actively work on not always taking the lead, recognizing areas to be more complementary in action, perhaps yielding at times, and help the other person to better get the ball over the net when in the best interest of the team.

     "Doubles tennis" probably ends up being more fun, makes other people better, encourages team work, and maybe even helps us become better people along the way. Most importantly, it makes us better at serving our clients who are injured, disabled, or out of work.

     Thanks for joining us. We look forward share our "doubles tennis" experience with you!

Read More »

By David Daggett on 1/21/2008 7:49 AM

Ask More Questions

     Do you ever feel exuberant? Are you ready to jump right in and give answers? Perhaps it would serve us well to ask more questions. We are reminded of this at Lewis& Daggett every time we make a presentation at a school - the students love to ask questions!

Students naturally ask questions    

     First thing this morning, right after I got out of bed, my wife told me I was "exuberant!" Exuberant! I had not even gotten started yet… I hadn't had a workout, I hadn't begun working, I hadn't even gotten going and I was already exuberant. Perhaps this exuberance is related to Slow Down! and Take a Chill Pill.

     At Lewis & Daggett our exuberance has us always ready to go, and we help people with answers very quickly. Folks at a law firm are probably more inclined to give answers than the average person. We are always moving very fast, ready to go, and are "exuberant" in our willingness to answer questions.

     So, our next resolution is to ask more questions. Do you ask more questions or do you give more answers? The truth is, we all sometimes act like we know more than we really do. Of course, none of us knows everything, and one way we learn is by asking questions. In fact, children learn how to ask questions at a very early age.

     Our own children can get us trapped in the "why?" game very quickly. They always want to know more. Perhaps we can learn from children that we learn more when we ask more questions.

     Asking questions instead of giving answers (or even direction) is probably a more effective form of leadership. Asking questions gets others involved and participating in achieving a result. Perhaps the results are even more meaningful.

     The art of asking more questions will probably take some practice and some patience, so we will need you to help us along the way. The good part is we will probably become more interesting, more effective, and learn more along the way.

     Can you help us ask more questions?

Read More »

By David Daggett on 1/14/2008 7:44 AM

Renewal of Purpose

     In last week’s article we indicated that we would be writing about L&D goals or resolutions in future postings. Does the firm have some that can be made public? Of course we do - we can start with reviewing our firm philosophies and renewing our efforts in pursuing them.

Birthday Lunch - Tomisha Gladman, Susana Muniz, and Stephen Hamilton

     One thought we have about goals or resolutions in 2008 is tied in with that whole concept of newness, or starting fresh. After the stress of holidays some people experience the post holiday blues, a real let down from the busyness of November to December. Instead, we can look at the opportunities we have to start again on whatever we are working toward. We have a clean slate, a fresh page, to paint on how we picture our law firm, or our lives.

     Our L & D strategic plan attempts to summerize our purpose. We use this plan as a way to bring us back to the items that are important as we go about our daily tasks. We also believe this makes us unique amongst law firms in our goals and our focus. So, let’s quickly review them.

     First, we need to make a profit to stay in business. This isn’t a greedy goal; rather, it is a reminder that we need to be financially responsible to our employees and to stay in business. We are proud that in the history of our firm we have never had layoffs or cutbacks. This is important to you because our employees have confidence in the continuity of our firm.

     Next and probably most importantly is client service. Client service is a hallmark of our firm. We focus on it and review it every week. We do surveys, and sometimes these surveys present learning opportunities. This is something we pledge to always work on and always keep foremost in our pursuits.

     A close corollary to client service is our internal service and development. This means that we help each other, and help each to become better people along the way. We believe this makes us better at what we do, and better at serving our clients.

     Lastly, we strive to take advantage of processes and technologies. Our adversaries are bigger, better funded, and more powerful. So, to equal the playing field so that we can stand toe to toe with them in representing our clients we have to be smarter and more efficient. We not only do this as a team, but also by taking advantage of tools that can make us better and faster.    

     To help make resolutions have more meaning as we go throughout the year we invite you click through and leave comments on our Blog. We are also offering a Lewis & Daggett Resolution Journal. It is not fancy, but it may help you keep track of goals and resolutions. We’ll send it to you for free....all you have to do is click here, on the front page of our website, call or send an e-mail.

     Whew! That is quite a review. If we can accomplish this renewal, our resolutions, and purpose, will certainly be successful! Thank you for joining us!

Read More »

By David Daggett on 1/7/2008 6:53 AM

Resolutions

     Do you ever make resolutions for the New Year? Every year for the past 20 years or so I have done my annual "Resolution Ride" on my mountain bike. I leave home very early New Year’s morning so that I can sit on the little hill on the west bank of Salem Lake and watch the sun rise. I have been out in cold, snow, rain, and everything in between. The last couple of years have been cloudy and/or rainy, but this year was spectacular!

Daybreak 2008!

     We also work on goals, resolutions, here at Lewis & Daggett. Interestingly, I had never looked up the definitions of "resolution" previously, but one of the members of our management team presented them to us this past week. Resolution is a decision to do, a commitment. Commitment is a sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose; binding yourself emotionally to a course of action; or, to make a pledge or dedication. Wow, these are powerful words!

     So, let’s spend some time reviewing resolutions. Resolutions can take many forms. They seem to divide into two big categories of pragmatic and aspirational. Pragmatic are specific such as a goal to lose ten pounds. Aspirational goals are not as empirical rather more like becoming more patient, a better dad, or strengthening relationships.

     Resolutions typically fall into categories like weight loss and health, personal betterment, professional development, volunteer more, educational advancement, and spiritual growth. Many people make more than one resolution every year. Interestingly, folks rarely actually keep their resolutions.

     So, how do we make resolutions stick? Find a partner to make a similar resolution so you can help keep each other on track. Experts say it takes about 30 days to break a bad habit and form a new one, so stay at it. Post your resolution in a place where you will see it often such as your bathroom mirror, dashboard, or computer screen. Most of all, be your own cheerleader.

     Over the coming weeks we’ll be discussing some of our law firm goals, or resolutions, that we’ll be working on for 2008. We invite you to join us with some resolutions and to feel free to share them with us. I will also be sharing some of my own here.    

      Together, we can make 2008 a great year. Please join us in taking positive steps forward.

Read More »

By David Daggett on 12/31/2007 9:49 AM

Top 10 Posts of 2007

     2007 was a great year! Thank you for joining us. We have some interesting topics in the works to start 2008. We have some L & D firm goals for 2008, and I will also be working on some personal resolutions here.

Wake Forest Quad Shortly After Bowl Win!

     Below is a Top Ten List of our top blog posts for the year. Click through to enjoy them again. Thanks for being part of our growing little community.

     10. Our Future Looks Bright!

      9. Encourage Child Safety

      8. Momentum Shift

      7. Commitment!

      6. Teamwork

      5. Completion

      4. Do Good Things . . .

      3. Collective Impact!

      2. Internet Safety In Your Own Home

      1. A Piece of Our Heart

     Thanks again for joining us. We appreciate your being part of our team and look forward to our relationships continuing in 2008.

     All the best for the New Year!

Read More »

By David Daggett on 12/24/2007 6:42 AM

Safe, Happy Holidays!

     Holidays can be the happiest of times with family and friends. Please join with us in using our best efforts to keep your holidays safe and happy.

     Over the years we have seen holidays turned into instant tragedy by causes that should have been prevented. Perhaps one of the worst and most frequent tragedies are those caused by drunk drivers. We know – for years we’ve been helping the victims of drunk drivers.

     Other areas of safety concerns fall into categories of fire safety, food safety, child safety, and driving safety. Each of these areas can produce increased risks over the holidays.

     Fire safety includes taking appropriate precautions with Christmas trees and Christmas lights. Christmas decorations can also present hazards we usually don’t have around the house. Lastly, don’t forget fireplace safety as your family gathers around the living room fireplace.

     Certainly the holidays are a time for good food and fellowship. Be sure to be particularly careful with fully cooking meats and poultry. There are also lots of leftovers around the holidays that need to be properly and promptly wrapped and refrigerated.

     We all enjoy children around the holidays, and perhaps the holidays are the most special time of the year for our little ones. Use care in buying and selecting toys for small children, including watching for small parts and choking hazards. Also, children tend to be very curious of all of the additional decorations and holiday items in our houses. So, we need to keep a watchful eye and help them to have a safe, happy holiday too.

     Lastly, as mentioned above, safety on the roads and while driving is perhaps the most frequent danger we face. Above all, please don’t drink and drive. Call a cab or use a designated driver if you need to make your trip home a safe one for you, and for everyone on the road.

     Please join us in preventing accidents at this special time of year. From our Lewis & Daggett family to yours, happy holidays!

 

 

Read More »

By David Daggett on 12/17/2007 10:10 AM

   Our Future Looks Bright! 

    Youth are our future. At Lewis & Daggett we have focused for many years on youth initiatives, like Safe Sober Prom Night. We do this naturally out of our concerns for individuals. This is consistent with our L & D Team’s care and helping of people seriously injured, hurt at work, and disabled.

     So, to further this mission we spent some time this week with the After School Program at the West Forsyth YMCA. As you can see from the photo above, we had a good time.

     We were contacted by the After School Program Director Mary Ridings to talk about internet safety. She is a delightful hard working young lady who clearly loves the kids. Mary had read our piece on Internet Safety and asked us to discuss these issues with the students. We were more than happy to go out and have a discussion with their students.

     Don’t sell our students short - they were very bright and had a keen insight on the issues presented by today’s world, including internet safety. Our discussions led to three basic principles that probably apply to most aspects in life.

     First, "You Become Who You Hang With." This is their language, not mine. Certainly this is great advice and is consistent with what we all learned as kids - surround yourself with good and you will be good. The same applies with on-line activity.

     Next, "Don’t Talk to Strangers." We all learned this when we were very young, yet somehow the impersonal nature of the internet seems to make us not take it so seriously. There are predators (strangers) out there that we shouldn’t talk to. These students understand that the same principle applies just the same with the internet.

     Lastly, "Establish and Keep a Good Reputation." The students already know and are aware that colleges look at things like Myspace pages when making admissions decisions. Law firms do too. So, it is important to keep on-line materials positive and reflect favorably upon you.

     Please contact us if you would like more information on internet safety. Help us encourage and support our young people. We were impressed by these students and know that their future is bright!

Read More »

By David Daggett on 12/10/2007 12:42 PM

     HEROES

     Who are our heroes? We probably all have them. The truth is our real heroes are usually not superstars, but everyday people who affect us in everyday life. Perhaps we should spend more time focusing on the heroes who we see every day.

     Here at Lewis & Daggett I believe we have many heroes. I believe we have a team of people who truly care to help the folks who come to us at their times of greatest need. Quite frankly, I believe that quality is in all of our folks right up to the top with our leader, Mike Lewis.

     In actuality, many of our clients become our heroes. These people come to us when they are severely injured, disabled, or out of work, and somehow manage to keep on going. In fact, many times they end up being our encouragers. Wow! We are proud of and truly admire these people who can persevere at such difficult times.

     Can you think of the various mentors in your life? This would certainly include family, parents, colleagues, folks at church, and all those people we depend upon regularly for counsel and guidance. I read somewhere that everyone should intentionally have several mentors and at the same time have several mentees. When you think about it, this is how our values get passed along from person to person and from generation to generation.

     John Edwards has been a friend of our law firm for many years. He has gone on to be a United States Senator, vice-presidential candidate, and now presidential candidate. Certainly John Edwards has now become a star. However, knowing him on a personal basis also probably puts him in the hero category.

     We are all surrounded by heroes in our daily lives. I want to say a special thank you to all of my heroes. Some of you probably know who you are, and others, I will try to do a better job of recognizing. Thank you!

Read More »

By David Daggett on 12/3/2007 8:45 AM

     What Are We Affraid Of?

     What are we afraid of? Does fear motivate or paralyze us? Perhaps it can do both. When we fear what we do not know, it is clearly helpful to call on those who do know. For example, Lewis & Daggett can help when you are injured in an accident or disabled, just as experienced parents can help new parents with baby care questions. We help people who are many times scared and don’t know what to do next.

We are here to help!

     Fear is an interesting emotion. Most of us have other fears that keep us from fully exploring our inner selves. We usually do not fear our limitations - those are known. Rather we fear exploring our furthest abilities - those are unknown. When we take ourselves to our limits, whether it is it after an injury or in academics, spirituality, social, parental and spousal relationships, etc., or in athletics, we are at the same time exposing ourselves to failure, and yet we don’t feel "complete" until we have explored that unknown area.

     When we do explore, we then develop a peace or calmness that comes from truly knowing who we are, and what we are capable of achieving. When we are tired, scared, injured or out of work, what do we do and how do we respond? We can either give in and fail to discover our true power, or we can look fear right in the eye, keep putting one foot in front of the other, do what is right, good, and tough. When we persevere we therein find part of ourselves and our true character along the way.

     Perhaps the words from Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech in 1994 describe the power we possess but many times are afraid to obtain: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure . . . . There's nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

     When we conquer our fears we not only become what we can become, we also give others permission to become what they can become. It’s magical!

Read More »

By David Daggett on 11/26/2007 11:45 AM

     Are We Thankful?

     Are we really thankful? The Thanksgiving holiday probably makes many of us think a little deeper about that. On Thanksgiving day it is easier to get in touch with all we have and to be thankful. The challenge seems to be the days in between when we have the routines of "life." Some days it is easy to be thankful . . . others maybe it seems impossible.

     It is interesting also to study the history of Thanksgiving in our country. Although the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the pilgrims in the early 1600's, and George Washington declared a day of "Thanksgiving" in the late 1700s, there were many lapses in the celebration of Thanksgiving. It wasn’t until Abe Lincoln’s 1863 "Proclamation of Thanksgiving" that Thanksgiving then became official.

     Perhaps we too "lapse" in our personal Thanksgiving. I have written elsewhere articles entitled Pursuit of Happiness and Have a Happy Heart, and although being thankful may be part of those perhaps it has another component. Thankful people appreciate what they have.

     Sometimes it is amazing to us at Lewis & Daggett how seriously injured and disabled folks can seem to be so thankful even in their most difficult of circumstances. People who are in seemingly, to us, in very bad situations still can be thankful. Perhaps we can learn from them.

     As I was observing and wondering about some of our clients who remain thankful during what most of a would consider bad times, a common theme seemed to be developing. These people tend to look at what they have, instead of looking at what they don’t have.

     I suppose human nature causes many of us not to be so thankful during tough times. Maybe we can work to be super human and learn to see all we do have instead of what we don’t. Let’s be thankful!

Read More »