STARCON16 Day 1 Recap

Catherine Beeny - November 7, 2016

He came, he saw, and he learned so much!  Optima Juris CEO and President, Ian Hardy, is back from STARCON16 after days of seminars and insight on technology and the court reporting industry.  In case you missed Ian’s extensive live coverage here is a recap of the Day 1 happenings.

Creating a Culture of Gratitude, presented by Pat Carl & Ruth McCurdy

The legal industry can be one of the most stressful industries around and it is crucial to learn how to decrease stress and find happiness. In this very enlightening session, Pat and Ruth highlighted a few things that we can do to make us happier and more successful in the work place and in life:

  • Gratitude
    • There are great physiological benefits to being grateful in life.
    • Grateful people have more energy, more happiness, and more youth.
    • Gratitude and appreciation can increase your levels of endorphins and serotonin. It can also help combat aging by leading to release of anti-aging hormones.
    • Every day, Oprah Winfrey writes down five things she’s grateful for as a positive and constructive exercise. Oprah found that her whole life changed when she started practicing gratitude on a daily basis. Pat and Ruth have seen similar results by encouraging their employees to express gratitude on their company gratitude blog.
    • Becoming more grateful is a gradual process: take one step forward every day.
  • Appreciation
    • The top two basic needs for people are appreciation and significance.
    • A Gallup poll showed that 65% of employees do not feel appreciated, valued, or significant at work.
    • Create a habit of appreciation, and share it with a friend.
    • Create occasions for appreciation; have appreciation meetings to boost happiness in your company.
  • Positivity and Happiness
    • Being positive in the present helps increase success by making us function and work better.
    • Don’t expect that success will bring happiness; rather, happiness will help lead to success.
    • Gratitude journals, exercise, meditation, and random acts of kindness will make you happier and more productive.

The Importance of Power Posturing, presented by Lisa Knight

The Importance of Power Posturing, presented by Lisa Knight
As a court reporter when working with “difficult” or adversarial attorneys in a depo, it’s important to stay confident and CONTROL THE ROOM. Sometimes, court reporters feel like referees or umpires in their efforts to keep the participants from talking over one another.  Court reporters are Guardians of the Record and if the participants aren’t letting you do your job, let them know. Own your power, own your value, and know what you’re worth.
Power posing is a way to hold your body that exudes and encourages feelings of confidence and presence.  Some poses are “high power” (expansive) and some are “low power” (small and self-contained). Practicing power poses on your own, once a day, can rewire your brain to make you feel more powerful. Think Wonder Woman. Our bodies change our minds, and our minds change our behavior which can improve our outcome.

Good Health & Its Importance for Court Reporters, presented by Jan Schmitt

Here are Jan’s useful tips on what Court Reporters can do to stay healthy:

  • During breaks in the speaking, let your arms down at your side to rest your arms and wrists
  • Good, healthy eating
  • Drink lots of water
  • Don’t neglect regular exercise – both cardio and strength training

Volunteering & ROI, presented by Christine Randall

Volunteering is extremely important and you should try to volunteer as much as possible, but be picky. Choose the roles that best suit you and enjoy all the benefits that volunteering has to offer. Here are 10 key benefits that volunteering can bring:

  1. Business connections
  2. Staying appraised of your industry and the community
  3. Learning new skills
  4. Keeping abreast of new technology
  5. Developing management skills
  6. Public speaking opportunities
  7. Creative outlet
  8. Building self-confidence
  9. Tools for your career or business
  10. A sense of accomplishment

The biggest return on investment from volunteering is: new and beautiful friendships!

Conquering the Mental Enemy, presented by Rosalie Kramm

How can we best handle stress, rejection, and worrying? Take stress, turn it around, and made  it healthy by doing the following:

  • When stressed, connect with others. This creates resilience.
  • Rejection can make you better than ever. Every time you feel rejected, see it as you being redirected to do something better.
  • Worrying is a habit. A bad habit. It keeps you from experiencing the good.
  • Look at the things you worry about, list them, and see if the worrying is productive. Then change your thinking and do something productive instead.

Video Recap of STARCON16 Day 1


Stay tuned for STARCON16 Day 2 recap.

About Optima Juris

Optima Juris has been helping law offices and court reporting firms across the globe find the highest quality certified court reporters, legal videographers, and interpreters for over 15 years. If you should have any questions about international depositions, please do not hesitate to contact us or fill out a free quote to see how we can make your international deposition a complete success.

Catherine Beeny

Director of Marketing, Catherine Beeny, adds her unique style and background to the Optima Juris family. With a BA in English and MA in International Journalism, Catherine originally began as a coffee gopher on TV and movie sets at Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. After falling in love with online marketing in 2002 Catherine took the leap over to the dark side and has never looked back. She has a true passion for what she does and loves being part of the Optima Juris team. The best part of her job is getting to see Optima Juris make international depositions a stress-free and seamless process!