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Partner's Perspective: If You Dislike Change, You're Going to Hate Irrelevance
- Jimerson Birr Ranked and Climbing Among Fastest Growing Law Firms in Country
- Attorney Kristian M. Gonzalez Joins Jimerson Birr
- Blog Highlights
- Curiosities, Ruminations and Various Eccentricities of Firm Biz
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PARTNER'S PERSPECTIVE
Charles B. Jimerson - If You Dislike Change, You're Going to Hate Irrelevance
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Welcome to 2022. Hopefully, you are just old enough to still feel weird writing 2022. Sometimes it seems as if life is passing us by too quickly. When we are young, time saunters by, with endless kid adventures and dreamy ambitions or actual youthful detours that seem to last forever. But as adults, time seems to speed up at a frightening rate, with holidays and birthdays arriving at a quicker pace with each passing year. For kids, life—and the world they live—in is a mesmerizing place, full of new understandings, original experiences, and new waves of curiosities and apparitions. Change is embraced, for it is all that the young know. As we get older, we have fewer unique or improvised experiences, and the world around us becomes more and more closely acquainted. Familiarity breeds contentment. Or at least the perception of contentment.
In life, and perhaps equally so in business, we become desensitized to our emprises and plights. We process less information, have redundant encounters, and seek out less baptizing growth opportunities that regenerate our perspectives. Typically, those who have come of age do not experience multiple comings-of-age. And so, the less we readjust to our surroundings, the faster time seems to speed up. And if so, it seems to me that embracing change is a vital way to ensure longevity and actualization. Standing still is the most dangerous choice or course of action we could take. When time flies, be your own pilot.
Why then, when the only thing constant in life is change, do we resist change in life or in business? Conventional thought is that we resist change because we believe we will lose something of value or fear we will not be able to adapt to the new ways. Change interferes with autonomy and can make us feel that we’ve lost control over our dominion or enfranchisement. Most people or businesses feel happy or successful when things are running smoothly—when they’re operating on autopilot. This means that they are operating within familiar structures, following regular routines, fostering acquainted habits, and feeling comfortable with the way things are. But what happens when a change comet vectors into the flight path and pushes us off course? Perseverance requires you to plot an adaptive route and plan for what is now (and probably always was) a predictable existential threat.
Many hate change because it comes by surprise. In general, people and businesses aren’t apt to let life surprise them. As Voltaire said hundreds of years ago, “the husband who decides to surprise his wife is often very much surprised himself.” There are several truths to this timeless phrase, but the biggest is that most people are not programmed to wait for what comes and experience the joy and delight of the unexpected. Decisions imposed on people suddenly, with no time to get used to the idea or prepare for the consequences, are generally resisted. In business, we can control this through prudent planning, effective communication, certainty of process, and phased implementation.
Another sad tragedy as to why change is resisted is ignorance and complacency. Innovation begets success, and success begets complacency, so ongoing curiosity (read: healthy paranoia) is how the successful survive and flourish. Complacency is our own worst enemy; it is the e-vite to the cocktail party celebrating failure and the thief who steals attendee cars while they regale.
Change is a challenge, and as kids we all learned that we grow when we face challenges. Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. Change slows life down in that regard. In a business environment, change can often be viewed simply as “more work.” That is dolt-code for complacency. Don’t give your keys to the complacency valet.
Even though those closest to the change development and implementation are often overloaded, they need to be reminded that things often seem impossible until they are made possible. Those who commit themselves to successful completion of tasks personify excellence. In the middle, everything can look like a fiasco since the highway from conception to completion is a long road. Therefore, it’s important to fully understand that embracing the journey is a necessary part of change, because there will be periods of confusion in which the temptation to abandon will be great. No crime, however, is so great as refusing to try.
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In companies, in any work team, and individually, it’s very important to feed and promote a growth mindset that will help us to consider failure as a natural part of the daring process associated with embracing change. When things change in your mind, inside of you, or your business, things will change all around you. The beginning is always mental, the middle is the physical slog, and the end is the character-building, soul-enriching combination of both mind and body. The eck of the ambition and activity rivers. Embracing change will transform fear into prudence, pain into transformation, mistakes into initiation, and desire into undertaking. Transformation is a messy job. It’s often thankless until the moment it isn’t.
We fall. We break. We fail. But then, we rise. We heal. And we overcome. Newsflash: if you’re doing life or business right, you’ll always be a student and never a master. We don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward, but we do have to be willing to take the next step. Change is much more comfortable when we focus our energy on embracing the new instead of fighting the old. Yesterday doesn’t have a damn thing to do with today. Be flexible enough to win the day today and embrace a winning streak come tomorrow.
To follow the words of Robert Frost, in three words, I can sum up everything I have learned about life and business to this moment in time: It goes on. So it goes, must you. As you attempt to slow time down and embrace the limber, presto-pronto world that is 2022, I want to encourage anyone left reading to do what you can, with what you have and where you are. That will require you to go on; to change as the world does. You aren’t reading this from a scroll, I didn’t write it from a typewriter and neither of us will poo in an outhouse tonight. The world has proven it can pivot and adapt and so can we. If we don’t, time will surely slow down for us in a way that makes us irrelevant.
And if you dislike change, you’re going to dislike irrelevance even more.
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Jimerson Birr Honored by Law Firm 500 for Year-Over-Year Growth |
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Jimerson Birr is once again honored to be recognized among the Law Firm 500, which celebrates the fastest growing law firms in the United States as measured by their year-over-year growth. In 2021, Jimerson Birr ranked #101 on the list with 75% growth, up from its rank of #151 in 2020.
Since its inception, Jimerson Birr has been committed to growing and making a greater impact within the industries we are strategically aligned and privileged to serve.
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Jimerson Birr Welcomes Kristian M. Gonzalez to the Firm |
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Jimerson Birr is proud to announce that Kristian M. Gonzalez has joined the Firm as an associate. Mr. Gonzalez earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he won multiple book awards for trial advocacy.
Prior to Jimerson Birr, Mr. Gonzalez worked for a commercial litigation firm, representing companies in the defense and pursuit of a wide variety of legal actions. While in law school, he gained valuable experience working in the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals as a summer clerk for The Honorable Adalberto Jordan as well as The Honorable Robin S. Rosenbaum.
A Florida native, Mr. Gonzalez enjoys cheering on the Miami Heat and beating his childhood friends in their yearly fantasy football team.
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Jimerson Birr Legal Blogs |
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Are you keeping up with the latest information in business and law? Jimerson Birr publishes weekly blog posts covering topics from construction law, real estate development, sales and leasing law, banking and financial services law, community association law, and everything in between. Click here to subscribe today and stay up-to-date on the latest legal news from the industries we serve:
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Real Estate Development, Sales & Leasing Industry Legal Blog |
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What are Deed Restrictions and When are They Enforceable?
As a real estate attorney, I’m often approached by clients purchasing a new property that are concerned with deed restrictions. They first want to know what deed restrictions (also known as covenants and restrictions) are, and second, they want to know whether such deed restrictions can be circumvented. These are great questions to ask prior to closing, as it is always advisable to know about any restrictions on the property you are looking to purchase before you close. It is typically much more expensive and time-consuming to fix a problem after you have closed on the purchase than resolve it beforehand...
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Community Associations Industry Legal Blog |
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What Can a Homeowners' Association Do to Keep Holiday Decorations from Staying Up All Year?
The holiday season is a time of celebration. Homeowners often take part in the celebration by decorating their homes with a variety of decorations and lights to suit the season. However, these holiday decorations are often left out long after the season ends. This article will provide an overview of what a homeowners association can do to prevent these decorations from staying up all year without limiting the festivities...
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Construction Industry Legal Blog |
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How Property Owners Can Protect Their Property from Liens When a Tenant Makes Improvements
When a tenant contracts for improvements to leased property, the property could be subject to construction liens. This can be particularly problematic for property owners when a tenant does not pay their contractor for those improvements. However, Florida law provides property owners with certain protections from these types of construction liens...
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Banking & Financial Services Industry Legal Blog |
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TCPA Risk Avoidance Tool: The National Reassigned Numbers Database
Recently, the FCC’s long-awaited Reassigned Numbers Database (commonly referred to as the “RND”) went live for use. The significance of the RND is that it offers companies the ability to query whether a telephone number was permanently disconnected after the date the consumer provided consent for calls or text messages. The RND is a tool that is intended, at least in part, to assist companies in avoiding or limiting liability and exposure for violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)...
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Communications & Media Industry Legal Blog |
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Avoiding and Defending Class Action Claims Under the Florida Security of Communications Act
A new class action trend aimed at large companies has emerged in the United States. New York, California, and Florida have been the breeding grounds for these class action claims brought under each state’s “wiretapping” laws. More specifically, classes bringing these claims have accused companies of violating wiretapping laws by tracking user data on their websites using “session replay software.” Classes have filed complaints in Florida alleging that companies have violated the Florida Security of Communications Act (“FSCA”). This article will provide an overview of FSCA, the issues likely to arise in these class action lawsuits, and how companies can avoid and defend against this new class action trend...
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Curiosities, Ruminations and Various Eccentricities of Firm Biz |
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January JB FOR ME Highlight Reel
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We know this is meant to be the January newsletter, but we did some pretty fun stuff in late December that we just can't ignore.
After a few White Russians and laughs, the firm’s highly competitive White Elephant party commenced. From stealing an ultra-mini mini-fridge to battling it out for bottles of bourbon, it was a ruthless affair full of laughs. In the end, everyone left with good memories and a good gift.
We also awarded the 2021 firm cup to partner Austin Calhoun, who just managed to eek out a win over the person who held the lead for much of the year, which brought the atmosphere to an all-time high level of tension. As they say, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
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The firm's White Elephant party is always a great time. |
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Stephanie Stubbs, who placed in a close second, is a continued good sport. Austin Calhoun on the other hand... |
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Did you catch our fun holiday message on our social media streams? If you haven’t watched it yet—it’s just 30 seconds and a hoot. Let us know what you think and if you don't follow us on social media, we'd love to get connected. Use the links below. |
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After the initial race was rescheduled due to inclement weather, we had the honor of participating in the Wounded Warriors Carry Forward 5k with our "squad-mates' from BOMA Jacksonville this weekend.
With your help, we’re proud to have raised $2,320 for Wounded Warriors. As a veteran-owned business, this cause is close to our hearts.
These funds will help ensure that warriors with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and physical injuries get the specific help they may need—free of charge.
Lastly, from all of us at Jimerson Birr, we want to wish you a safe and prosperous new year. However you're looking to grow, we're looking to help. For more information about our firm, visit www.JimersonFirm.com.
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