Being a Paralegal also means being in a place of power. It is important to understand the skills needed to navigate through your case load, dealing with clients, assisting people under high levels of stress yet having the confidence in yourself to assure others that you know what you are doing. Many traits and behaviors of powerful paralegals translate to being an effective leader. Leadership is positively influencing others to accomplish a specific goal. It’s a fuzzy concept but you know when you see and feel it. It’s difficult to pinpoint the specific characteristics and behaviors  however many leaders exhibit the following:

• They have a vision;
• Communicate;
• Are trustworthy;
• Build confidence;
• Enthusiastic;
• Work well with other.

Clear Vision:

Having a clear vision is an important skill that many lack. Vision matters because it guides the ends to the means. It’s the vessel needed to connect you to the goal. Staying focused and having a clear vision is something all power people possess.

Communicate:

Being a leader means being an effective communicator. Good leaders show passion, voice ideas and opinions in a clear, logical and convincing manner. They use plain language and eliminate jargon and harsh or blunt words. Use more varies channels to communicate whether it be through email, a one on one meeting, presentation etc. Another way to effective communicate is to keep it short!

Be Trustworthy:

Here is where the 3 C’s come into play. Be Consistent. Be Competent and Be Compassionate. Your clients, employers, co-workers etc. all want to able to predict how you act in situations. They want to know you can do the job and that you can put yourself in their shoes should the situation be the other around. Being able to activate all three “C’s”  is a power skill that will automatically separate you from your legal counterparts.