Are you Eeyore or a Realist?

Lawyers are paid to identify and manage risk. A good lawyer thinks of worst case scenarios when drafting agreements. That's what we get paid to do. But there is a fine line between helping a client manage risk and being such a naysayer that a client is unable to accomplish his or her business goals. This is a particular occupational hazard for in-house lawyers who are often charged with making both legal and business decisions.

To an optimist, "worst-case-scenario" thinking may come across as pure negativity. To a good lawyer, it's just a matter of thinking like a realist.

In today's CareerJournal, there is an interesting discussion of this topic. A reader writes in about her husband who has been called to task for being too negative in his role as a finance manager. I thought it offered some good food for thought for lawyers in general on the importance of identifying risk while still being able to think outside the box.