RIP Extreme Ambition - Even Tradition-Bound Legal Sector Is Hearing the Death Rattle

It really is happening: the fading of extreme ambition in America, the land of opportunity. More and more of the workforce will only do what is required of them. Or what they can negotiate payment for. 

No longer do they pitch in on everything, especially if scheduled for weekends, in the abstract hope of "getting ahead." 

The old ethos used to be that if we jumped through every hoop we had a shot at upward mobility.

That belief system started getting wobbly at the beginning of COVID. After all, lives were at stake. Former global chairman at Dentons Joe Andrews, a progressive, brought that possibly fatal risk to the attention of the world in his The Hill op-ed.

It wasn’t much of a stretch for workforces eventually to connect the dots on the myriad other tradeoffs which go into earning a living. The ultimate Ah-Ha – and which is popping up all over currently – is that there are certain things which should not be required just to get a paycheck. And, by the way, no, not everyone wants to “get ahead.” Not anymore. Being a worker bee not a manager is jolly fine for many. So, don’t assume we will do X or Y to be evaluated as “promotable.”

Actually, as The Wall Street Journal reports, this development is even unfolding in the prestigious old-line law-firm sector. A shocker, you bet.

There associates were once known to pull out all stops to become partner. Or at least just hang on as long as possible to keep collecting the nosebleed level of compensation. Notorious was lifestyle creep.

Legendary had been the all-nighters, coming in on weekends and holidays, and even delaying wedding plans. In some firms that might remain standard. After all, with demand for services down, junior lawyers represent glut. There is fear of being forced out.

But at Nixon Peabody, its leader Stephen Zubiago notes in WSJ, associates will turn down requests to go beyond what their set workload is. Partners are in the pickle of having to ask around to several junior lawyers to accept the assignment. That occurs even with tight-deadline projects.

If such a model – turning down work without an elaborate excuse protocol – catches fire in law firms that whole rigid system could collapse.

More broadly, if the mindset of not-going-beyond the job description and normal work hours infiltrates the American workplace the management-labor contract will have to be rethought. There will be new carrots and new sticks.

Overall, clients for my intuitive career coaching practice are playing it safe. Because the economy is so uncertain they are accepting the status quo. The way they are gaining control over their earning power is through picking up side gigs, in addition to day jobs.

Meanwhile the issue hovering over all this is whether leaders themselves will begin assessing what they have to give of themselves to get and hold onto the top slots, then continue to keep achieving.

In an interview with Insider law firm chair at Paul Weiss Brad Karp indicated that he is on the fence about opting to renew his contract in May 2023.

Intuitive career coaching, with the option to use the Tarot, about your present and your next. Step back from that committee in your head and open to possibility.  Sliding Scale Fees. Please make an appointment for a complimentary consultation at janegenova374@gmail.com.