Prepared Remarks by Justice Peter T. Zarella

Judicial Branch
October 30, 2006
By Justice Peter T. Zarella

Dr. Ellen Ostrow, the founder of Lawyers Life Coach, LLC, an organization established primarily as a resource for women lawyers, recently wrote an article (in volume 77 of Wisconsin Lawyer) entitled, 20 Ways to Become a Leader. The practical advice contained in this article is not gender specific, as it focuses upon challenges of a human nature. In her article, Ostrow offers the following advice:

"Become the sculptor of your own career and life - not the sculpture.

Leaders are authentic-the authors of their own lives. Take responsibility for your professional development. No one has a greater investment in your success and satisfaction than you.

...leadership is fundamentally about character. Knowing your character strengths enables you to find ways to select work environments and work assignments that allow you to express and develop them.

...leaders are vision directed. A leader creates a compelling vision, is committed to this vision, and inspires others to action by aligning [his or her] goals with this vision.

...to become a leader, you must first learn to lead yourself. Initiative is a fundamental leadership competence.

...take risks [and]... be 0ptimistic. Realistic optimists take control where they can and stop investing energy in things beyond their control.

...maintain integrity [and]... persevere."

As Dr. Ostrow indicates, "leaders must indeed be vision directed."