In-House Counsel

Releasing The Social Animal Back Into The Wild

It’s time for a confession: some of us are slightly terrified of transitioning back to doing business in person.

By  
on

It has been a little over a year, but I have been finally vaccinated. My husband says that I’m lucky to get it so soon (considering my age category), but I must admit that, though I am grateful, there’s still some trepidation involved.

It’s time for a confession: I am slightly terrified of transitioning back to doing business in person.

I know that it sounds a little crazy. After all, I’ve done business in person for years, dealt with countless people as a lawyer, and handled the busy-ness of being in-house. Even so, I am nervous.

Thankfully, I have an (arguably) healthy coping mechanism for stress: research.

Google is my teacher, counselor, and friend — all at once. In fact, my relationship with Google is impressively nuanced. Google plays more roles in my life than any other relationship (except, perhaps, for my Übermensch of a husband), yet the relationship is also so simple. It is one of life’s great pleasures, though it must be enjoyed within parameters! Google is only as good as your interactions with it.

Nevertheless, I recently fired up Google, cast away my filters, and searched:

Can captive animals ever truly return to the wild?

Sponsored

Apparently, it is nearly impossible. Captive-bred animals are not fit to survive in the wild because they have not learned the appropriate behaviors, or, if they did, those behavioral patterns have since been overlaid with new patterns that aren’t suitable for life in the wild.

I felt that this was quite comparable to my situation. I’ve become accustomed to the comfort of remote work. Flexible hours, virtual meetings, the ability to stay in my pajamas for most of the day. Meetings only require half of a formal outfit, and that’s only when your camera must be on! I’m not sure how ready I will be to see people in person, trying to gauge their moods and reactions behind their masks. There is a lot of the “wild” that my domesticated self — the one with half-brushed hair and no makeup — is not quite ready for.

On the other hand, I also feel like a wild animal trying to assimilate into captivity, which leads to my second unfiltered question:

Can a wild animal be domesticated?

This time, Google let me know that, while they can be tamed, they will never be truly domesticated. Even though their behavior can be conditioned and they can grow accustomed to living alongside humans, the wild will always remain a part of their genetics.

Sponsored

This is just an inverted take on the former perspective. Perhaps I’m the wild one, and the world out there is domesticated. When I think about some of the moments I’ve had in lockdown, I would say there would definitely be a case for the existence of my wild side. It is going to take some getting used to all the airs and graces that society deems necessary and appropriate. It’s not that I’ve been entirely without them, but there are some contexts and situations that I have not encountered for over a year. Being exposed to them again is going to require a “refresher course.”

Perhaps it will be like riding a bike — once you have learned how to do it, all it takes to do it again is getting behind the bars and doing a little peddling (though neither “behind the bars” nor “peddling” are positive terms for a lawyer)!

Olga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat and Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.

Topics

, , ,