Developing character through failure: The most important lesson I have learned

Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III

President, American Bar Association

Developing character through failure:  The most important lesson I have learned

As President of the American Bar Association, I am privileged to lead the largest voluntary professional association in the world.  Achieving this leadership position did not come easily.  Did I develop strength of character through disappointments, as well as successes, from time to time along the way?  Absolutely.  However, I would not describe those disappointments as “failures.”  Each and every time I faced disappointment, I learned a valuable lesson and became stronger to face adversity the next time. 

Over the course of my 40-year professional career as a lawyer in private practice, the most important lesson I have learned is that professionalism is never out of style.  Professionalism is embodied in how we conduct ourselves each and every day, even when we are not seen by others.  Professionalism includes the qualities we demonstrate with others, including dignity, equality and respect; as well as the goals we aspire to achieve, in our careers and in our lifetimes. 

 

As a lawyer, I have been privileged to represent a wide variety of clients, including individuals, companies and government agencies.  One of my greatest joys is to do something that lawyers all across America do every day:  stand before a judge in a courtroom and say:  Good morning, your Honor, Bill Robinson representing Jane Smith.”

 

I never tire of that or take it for granted, because  for me it symbolizes the essence of professionalism.  By representing the best interests of others, whether it is in a courtroom, at a deposition or a real estate closing, I always make every effort to put the interests of my clients ahead of my own as a matter of fiduciary responsibility.  That is professionalism at its core.

The first time I became aware of the potential value and positive impact of professionalism was when I was 9 years old.  I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Cincinnati.  My dad held two full-time jobs, working as a postal clerk and a janitor, to support our family.  By the time I was 9, my parents were bringing me along to help clean medical office buildings.  They taught me the dignity of hard work and the importance of doing a job well.  They were the first to show me that, in their words, “doing the job right the first time,” no matter how menial the task, is essential to professionalism.  
 

At the age of 14, I left home to enroll in a local seminary.  The educational and spiritual experience of the next five years was constructive and beneficial in every way. Eventually, however, in the summer of 1964, I realized reluctantly that the clergy was not my calling.  I knew I wanted to serve others, but I was not sure how best to achieve that purpose.

 

Three pieces of literature helped guide me toward the law. I read about Alexis de Tocqueville, the political scientist and world traveler, who authored “Democracy in America” and toured this country in the 19th century.  He saw in America something he found nowhere else in his world travels.  He called it “a habit of the heart,” which I believe translates into the enduring spirit of volunteerism in our nation.

 

I had also studied “A Man for all Seasons,” Robert Bolt’s classic play about Sir Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor of England, who refused to compromise his values and was beheaded by Henry VIII.  Finally, I read “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel written by Harper Lee. 

Thomas More and Atticus Finch, the lead character in Lee’s book, were professionals who stayed true to their principles.  They followed the rules but knew there were certain compromises that could not be conceded without sacrificing one’s self respect and integrity.  They had a conviction of conscience that guided them and fortified their character in the law and in life.

So with those role models in mind, I grew increasingly interested in a legal career.  I started going to the courthouse and various law offices in my community to watch lawyers at work.  I was enthralled by what I witnessed.  It was then I decided to become a lawyer in the service of others.

My law school experience was satisfying but challenging.  I sold my car to pay for the first semester’s tuition and books.  I worked as a night watchman so I could study all night “on the job” and attend classes full time during the day.  Joan and I married and started our family with the birth of our first son.  Soon after graduation, I co-founded a two-person law firm with a close friend and classmate from law school. 

My partner and I took in every piece of business that walked in the door as we struggled to build a practice and name recognition in Northern Kentucky.  We learned early on that to be hired and re-hired, we had to get on a potential client’s radar screen; then show the clients that we were competent, dependable and efficient.  Our growing reputation as well as our professional handling of cases and client relationships helped sustain us as referrals from other lawyers and members of the community started to flow in.

 

During those early years, I was told by a friend that “we never learn anything while we are talking.”  That piece of advice has made a difference throughout my career, but especially in the beginning.  The more I listened, the more I learned about how to treat clients, co-workers and members of the community. I remembered birthdays and anniversaries, and I said hello to people on an elevator or in a hallway.  I wrote notes (and later sent emails, as technology improved) to new business associates or acquaintances as I tried to build a network — a growing community of relationships — for our firm and our growing law practice. 

Remember that compassion and kindness can go a long way, as can thoughtfulness.  That is another, less often mentioned, side of professionalism.  It is not enough to be responsible and reliable, it is also important to show consideration — and when needed, compassion — for others along the way.

Persistence is another part of professionalism.  There is no guaranteed success in the courtroom, in the organized bar or even in the civic arena.  Others taught me to take the high road early and often.  I ran for president of the student government at Thomas More College and lost … but then won the outstanding senior award.  I ran for president of the student bar at the University of Kentucky College of Law and lost … but then made the law journal and the moot court board.  I ran for president of the Kenton County Bar Association and lost … but continued to volunteer; I received the distinguished service award the next year.  With each defeat and subsequent victory, I learned that I could do well by doing good.  I could achieve more by working to make a positive difference in the lives of those I have had the privilege to serve.  

For lawyers, volunteer service for others — in addition to our responsibilities to our clients or our employers — is not just what we do, it is who we are.  Volunteer service is part of our professional DNA.  It expanded my network of contacts and enhanced my legal and time-management skills.  Most importantly, volunteerism, for me, reinforced two essential qualities of every great lawyer who shows the highest levels of professionalism: leadership and empathy. 

In these challenging economic times, one might suspect that professionalism might be subject to compromise.  But that is not the case.  Again, professionalism is never out of date.  It is timeless and essential to how we conduct ourselves in the face of adversity or success.

Whatever our career choice or path, professionalism should characterize everything that we do.  Always strive for the highest standards of performance and professional responsibility.  Look for ways to serve others.  Build constructive relationships that will enhance our career.  If we do, we will experience a rewarding career of personal and professional fulfillment.