Practice Management

Future Shock

By chucknewton

I have always been amazed at the number of emails, mainly, that I receive which take pot shots on how I chose to practice law at home and virtually, with no public office space, and without staff.  Some act like I have chosen to practice this way just to offend them.  I try to be polite about it, but just because I chose to encourage the Third Wave practice of law, it is not like I force anybody to read my blog or to do what I do.  If you want to continue with office space, staff and associates, then do it.  Please do not let me stop you.

The question is why do some lawyers find this so offensive.  Alvin Toffler, the man who defined the Third Wave, stated, "Man has a limited biological capacity for change. When this capacity is overwhelmed, the capacity is in future shock". 

I have got to admit that I came to where I am, and in my beliefs in how a law firm should operate in stages because I did not have the initial capacity to accept such changes.  I had to move into a series of smaller offices with fewer staff and fewer lawyers in order to realize where I was heading.  All I could do was go as far as I could see, and then, of course, I could see further.

I tend to think that those who disagree with me suffer from the same lack of capacity for change.  They feel overwhelmed in considering what I am suggesting.  They act like I am asking them to give up all of their wealth and belongings and to follow me.  But, I am not.  They cannot get their heads around the concept because it is just too foreign to them.  They are overwhelmed and they are suffering future shock.  They are suffering from, to quote Toffler further, "shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short of time".

Yet, they know the practice of law must change or that it is changing radically around them.  Why else would they seek out my little blog and read anything that I have written.

If you are suffering from future shock, and believe you just cannot make the sacrifice, then I suggest that you do as I did.  Just start making steps in the direction that i suggest.  You will always go further.

Full post as published by Chuck Newton on December 31, 2007 (boomark / email).