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by Kerry Kelm, Attorney at Law
When GOOD people make BAD decisions: Navigating the Criminal Justice System
There is an overwhelming societal stereotype of the “criminalâ€? as the “bad guy.â€? For many of us, we read the news stories about drug busts and watch the television coverage on home invasions and shake our heads in exasperation wondering HOW or WHY people choose to do these things. And then we take our righteous selves out for a cup RI FRIIHH VDWLVĂ€HG LQ WKH NQRZOHGJH WKDW LW LV QRW 86 JRLQJ WR MDLO RU 285 621 JRLQJ WR SULVRQ RU 285 '$8*+7(5 ZLWK WKH GUXJ SUREOHPÂł because, after all, good people and good parents who raise good children do not have to imagine themselves inside of a courtroom ZDWFKLQJ WKDW JRRG FKLOG EH VHQWHQFHG WR MDLO ULJKW" :URQJ
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Part of my practice as an attorney is dedicated to criminal defense. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right; I represent the â&#x20AC;&#x153;bad guys.â&#x20AC;? If I had a nickel for every time I am asked some variation of the question, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How do you represent JXLOW\ SHRSOH"Âľ D N D ´+RZ GR \RX VOHHS DW QLJKW"Âľ , ZRXOG KDYH a whole lot of nickels. My answer to the question is a multi-layer answer and I will save it for another day, EHFDXVH LW LV QRW WKH VXEMHFW RI WKLV DUWLFOH 6RPHZKHUH ZLWKLQ WKDW answer, however, is my belief that the stereotype of â&#x20AC;&#x153;criminal as bad guyâ&#x20AC;? is largely inaccurate. If every single person who found themselves facing criminal charges was an inherently evil sociopath without a conscience, then I probably could not sleep very well at night. 1RWKLQJ KRZHYHU FDQ EH IDUWKHU IURP WKH WUXWK *RRG SHRSOH PDNH EDG GHFLVLRQV DOO WKH WLPH *RRG people suffer from mental illness. *RRG SHRSOH EHFRPH DGGLFWHG to alcohol and drugs. Therefore, â&#x20AC;&#x153;goodâ&#x20AC;? people get charged with DQG FRQYLFWHG RI FULPHV ,W LV QRW a stretch to say, it could happen to you. If not you personally, then it could be your child, your sibling, your parent, or your friend. When we hear of criminal activity, especially when it involves our youth, a common refrain for those on the sidelines is to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What is ZURQJ ZLWK WKHVH SDUHQWV"Âľ , FDQ WHOO you that I have met with hundreds of young people facing criminal charges, and I have, as a result, met many, many very good parents who are asking themselves, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How in WKH ZRUOG GLG ZH JHW +(5("Âľ :KLOH the environment in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home can certainly play a part in future criminal activity, the truth remains that very good people from very good homes sometimes make very EDG GHFLVLRQV 6RPH H[DPSOHV based on actual cases I have been involved in: Â&#x2021; <RXU VHYHQWHHQ \HDU ROG VRQ has consensual sexual intercourse with his fourteen \HDU ROG JLUOIULHQG 5HJDUGOHVV RI the â&#x20AC;&#x153;consensualâ&#x20AC;? nature of the
By Cynthia M. Smith, MBA
As leaders, others often times approach us looking for guidance. For those we lead it may seem easier to be a sheep and simply follow what someone else tells them to do. At times, that is what needs to happen. But REAL development happens when the person can start to grow their wolf like characteristics. True leaders strive to transform sheep into wolves, not better sheep. Metamorphosis is the goal. 3HUKDSV RQH RI WKH PRVW LPSRUWDQW EXW HTXDOO\ GLI¿FXOW roles of being a leader is to develop those we lead. The challenge is often being able to see the potential in an employee even when we are sure that we already know their skills, talents, and capabilities. As leaders we need to see not only our employees’ current skill set but also the hidden potential they most certainly have.
Developing potential takes a balance of providing honest, constructive feedback along with really caring about the people we have the opportunity of developing into leaders. Great leaders know that if they put their efforts into developing people and not keeping them dependent, a metamorphosis will take place. Both the leader and the protégé develop additional skills, become more 26
REALiving.com Winter 2013
valuable to the organization, and increase their ability to LQÀXHQFH RWKHU SHRSOH A good place to start in developing leadership skills in others is to simply expect them to act like a leader. Very often they will respond to the expectation and begin to develop additional skills. Leadership is an activity in which everyone can participate at some level. Everyone has a point of view that is valuable, everyone has a solution to a problem, and everyone has talents to share. When we think about whom to train for leadership, it is HDV\ WR RYHUORRN SHRSOH WKDW GRQ¶W ¿W RXU VWHUHRW\SLFDO image of a leader. For example, we often don’t consider quiet or shy individuals to be potential leaders. Of course, potential leaders come in with all kinds of personal traits. As a leader, your expectations of those you lead can go a long way in helping people stretch their perceptions of themselves and what they can accomplish. In the words of John Gardner in his book On Leadership: “most men and women go through their lives using no more than a fraction—usually a rather small fraction—of the potentialities within them. The reservoir of unused human talent and energy is vast, and learning to tap that reservoir more effectively is one of the exciting tasks ahead for humankind.” In order to tap the vast unused human talent and energy and turn sheep into wolves that will make your organization better, each person within the organization needs to be supported to grow as a leader. Your encouragement and support will help people feel enthusiastic and hopeful about their work and about your organization. In order to grow strong, wolf-like leaders, you will need to give them some tending, thought, and care. This doesn’t have to take a lot of time. You just have to get in the habit of thinking about each person. Here are some ideas that might work for you as a leader. You will need to decide which ones work for you. You might decide to meet with each person periodically to talk
heart to heart: A transformation from worry to wisdom.
Champions
April 2012
of people
The POWER of PO As a champion of people, your number one resp onsibility is to coach your emp loyees to execute a winning game plan. Really, you are not that diffe rent than an NFL, NHL, NBA, or MLB head coach! Well , perhaps a little less famous, but still, your goals are the same - execute championship-le vel performance. What role does posi tive feedback have in that? In professional spor ts you can see a lot of “feedback” is given; however, even highly paid professio in the world of nal sports, timely, positive reinforce ment is powerfu l <RX·YH VH LW
SITIVE Feedback
and thank them for the hard work they are putting into meeting and exceeding job expe ctations! That ZLOO GR WKUHH WKLQJ V VSHFLÀFDOO\ reinforce the beh avior you want to build, 2) persona lize and cultivate the relationship between the two of you, and 3) illust rate a value of gratitude for con tinued excellenc e the employee exhi bits in the future. There are hundred s of other ways to positively reward employees. 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, by Bob Nelson, lists, well , 1001 ways you can do it! Thi b
Positive feedbac k ideas from “1001 Ways to Reward Employees,” by Bob Nelson : Call an emp loyee LQWR \RXU RIÀFH MXV W WR thank him or her; don’t discuss any othe r issue. Post a thank you note on the employe e’s RIÀFH GRRU
Buy lunch for the person and three co-workers of his/h er
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