Kaplan's Keynote: Support Others, Throw Out Perfection
Ari Kaplan delivered the keynote address at the 2010 ABA TechShow to a crowd of attendees tweeting about his enthusiasm, his humor and his stylish tie.
Kaplan practiced law for nearly nine years at large firms in New York City. Now he is principal of Ari Kaplan Advisors, working as a fulltime ghostwriter, industry researcher and speaker.
In 2008, he authored a book titled, “The Opportunity Maker: Strategies for Inspiring Your Legal Career Through Creative Networking and Business Development.” The book discusses ways lawyers can stand out in today’s economy, not only by raising their own profiles but by raising others’ as well.
“’It’s not just, ‘What can I do to make myself look good?’ More importantly it’s, ‘What can I do to make someone else look good?’ That’s how you create sincere relationships,” Kaplan said.
An example? Guest blogging.
Kaplan emphasized the Internet’s value of momentum over perfection. Bloggers need to generate content on a repeat basis to create momentum. If there is a time when they can’t sustain this momentum, guest bloggers can come to the rescue. This creates an opportunity for the blogger to highlight the breadth of their work and an opportunity for the guest blogger to develop their profile, he said.
Kaplan said setting perfection aside is also important in creating opportunities.
“People obsess over what is in their email," he said. "If I’m sending you an email query and my timing is right and the content and what I’m offering you is correct, if there’s a spelling error you are still probably going to respond to me.”
In terms of the depth of lawyers’ tech savviness, Kaplan sees room for improvement. Lawyers aren’t ignoring new technology, he said, but they aren’t necessarily using it to its full potential. Being experimental is essential, he added.
“It’s not just about fear of the tool," he said. "It’s certainly about fear of the time someone will have to spend, which is why I suggest that people set very reasonable goals for themselves and very reasonable expectations of executing on those goals.”
