According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, being a lawyer is among the professions with the highest rates of depression? A whopping 28% of lawyers suffer from depression at some point in their careers. On top of that, lawyers also exhibit high rates of anxiety, stress, and substance abuse.
What’s behind these statistics? One of the biggest factors is the high amount of pressure and stress that comes with being a lawyer, but another important point to consider is the way that lawyers process information — specifically, their understanding (or lack thereof) of perception.
What Is Perception?
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Perception is basically the way we interpret the world around us. It’s how we make sense of the things we see, hear, and feel. Our perception can be influenced by a variety of factors, including past experiences, biases, and even moods.
How Lawyers Can Benefit From Understanding Perception
As you can probably imagine, perception is extremely important for lawyers. After all, they need to be able to read people and understand how they may react to certain evidence or arguments. It’s also crucial for lawyers to be aware of their own biases and how those biases may impact their judgment.
Some of the ways lawyers can benefit from understanding perception include:
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1. Improved communication with clients. When you understand how people perceive information, you can tailor your communication to better meet their needs. For example, if you know that your client tends to be a visual learner, you can provide them with charts and graphs to help them understand the information you’re trying to communicate.
2. Better results in negotiations. You’ll also be better equipped to negotiate with people when you have a sense of how their minds work. For example, opponents that tend to be more risk-averse can be addressed by framing your arguments in ways that will appeal to their need for security.
3. Improved mental health. Last, but not least, understanding perception can also help improve lawyers’ mental health. When lawyers are aware of the ways their own biases can impact their judgment, they can make efforts to counter those biases. Additionally, by understanding the ways people perceive information, they will find that communication with clients is much more effective and much less stressful.
Conclusion
Perception is a crucial part of being a lawyer, and it’s something that all lawyers should strive to understand. For more information on how lawyers can benefit from understanding perception, watch the “Perception IS Reality” episode of the Notes with My (Legal) Self, where Carolyn Herzog discusses how lawyers can use perception to their advantage.
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.