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J uly 2024
The Art of Hearing Without Judgment LISTEN UP Communication takes so much more than words. It starts with being able to listen — if you can’t do that, there’s nowhere else to go. One of the complex parts of communicating with someone is that we tend to hear them through our own preconceived notions. Understanding can be difficult, especially when we naturally attach different meanings to the same thing or misinterpret what we’ve heard. July 18 is World Listening Day, and I couldn’t help but see the wonderful opportunity for humanity to grow if we all strive for effective communication and proper understanding. The art of listening requires being receptive to what someone is saying, acknowledging our own biases, and making time for meaningful conversations. The older I get, the more attentive I become to a sentence’s many potential meanings. Hardly a day goes by without people interpreting different communications in many different ways. It’s vital to recognize the impressions you receive in a conversation and realize those impressions are not necessarily an accurate representation of what a person is saying. It goes back to our personal lens for seeing the world. “July 18 is World Listening Day, and I couldn’t help but see the wonderful opportunity for humanity to grow if we all strive for effective communication and true understanding.” Understanding others is a two-step process. First, you must listen without judgment and do your best to identify your framework. Next, you must ask questions to really see where a person is coming from. In the family law world, it’s crucial to truly hear and comprehend our clients’ experiences and what they need during these significant life changes. Inherent inaccuracies in communication are ever-present, and it takes a little work and inquiry to work through them. Cultural and social norms can also impact the integrity of communication in family law situations. There’s the guy who thinks he’s not supposed to be as emotionally attached to his children, so he may struggle to express his true feelings in court when determining custody or parenting arrangements. There’s the career woman society expected to be a good homemaker who may feel nervous about sharing her fulfillment in work for fear of looking like a bad mother. Thankfully, attitude changes over time have opened the way for people to feel and express themselves more honestly.
Some people are naturally more open to hearing others and talented at asking the right questions. However, active listening skills develop over time. It’s a worthy pursuit, as the better you listen, the better you can understand, convey your meaning, and accomplish what you want. So, how do you become a better listener? One of the most straightforward steps is to carve out extra time for conversations and understanding. At The Manely Firm, we emphasize slowing down the process to pinpoint what a client wants to achieve and get as many details as possible. You can’t solve social problems with soundbites. Accurate comprehension takes time. Next time you find yourself trying to decipher the tone of a text or perceived body language cues in a conversation, take a moment to ask a few questions. Focus on truly hearing what the person is saying, and you might even share a realization or a laugh as you take the extra time to strive for understanding.
–Michael Manely
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Call for a Consultation: ( 866) 245-5685
D on ’ t L eave Y our C hildren ’ s F uture up to C hance Why Estate Plans Are Crucial for Young Families
As the school year kicks off, one important task is often overlooked amidst the hustle and bustle: creating an estate plan. For families with young children, having a comprehensive plan is crucial. It ensures your loved ones are protected and provided for, regardless of the future. This month, we’re exploring what families with young children need to know about estate plans and why it’s one of the best tools to provide for your family long into the future. A PLAN GIVES YOU MORE CONTROL. The last thing you want if something happens to you is for the courts to decide with whom your children will stay and how their money will be spent. When you create an estate plan, you get to make the best and most important decisions for your children. First and foremost, you can name a guardian of your choice to raise your children with the same values you have and adhere to your wishes. You also get to pick someone to manage any money you leave to your children according to how you want their inheritance dispersed.
Without these directions, the court will decide, and a judge doesn’t know your child’s unique needs as you do. An estate plan provides peace of mind. A PLAN SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND UPDATED. Any estate plan is a living document you must review and update, at least when your family has significant life events or changes. You should review your plan every few years to ensure it accurately reflects your wishes. This is especially important regarding your designated guardian for your children. You might pick a best friend as that person, but if they move thousands of miles away or are no longer in your life, they might not be the best caregivers for your children anymore. Creating an estate plan is essential to ensure your family’s future stability and safety. No one knows your children better than you, and you don’t want to leave their well-being in the hands of a court. By setting this foundational document up now, you give the gift of certainty and security to the people you love most.
Balancing the Books and Building Relationships M eet J eff W ilson At The Manely Firm, we are incredibly grateful to our incredible team, whose passions and skills shine through their daily work. Not all law firms have a chief financial officer, but we couldn’t imagine the office without our During his time here, Jeff has been instrumental in understanding our data and providing it to our attorneys and paralegals. He said he cherishes the quiet of the office and all the kind staff members.
CFO, Jeff Wilson. As the person responsible for our accounting, Jeff manages all the nuts and bolts of our operating budget. Along with maintaining our books and payroll, Jeff delivers excellence and true attention through his quality of service to everyone. “I learned that in this business, even the accounting people need a high degree of client care. That’s probably how it should be,” he says. Jeff has a wealth of experience in the financial world, having worked in various financial roles for 36 years. While he’s a pro at operating funds and understanding all the data tied to a business’s finances, he said he loves learning something new at The Manely Firm daily. “It’s really very enjoyable,” he says. “It’s different enough from previous roles that there are facets to the financial/ business side of it that I’ve never run into before.” Jeff joined the firm in October during a period of tremendous growth. We doubled in size, and he was part of this wave of outstanding new team members.
One of his favorite things about being part of The Manely Firm is working with younger folks around his youngest daughter’s age. She’s attending law school, which happened before Jeff joined the legal field with us. Jeff has two other children, one of whom just finished his Ph.D. at Duke and works at NASA, and another who works at Georgia State in their sports communication department. When he’s not working, Jeff enjoys time with his family and pets, two adopted hound dogs and a stray cat their daughter adopted while in college. He loves reading, especially history, and participating in dynamic pistol competitions that bring him to different parts of the state. “We do road trips for these,” he says. “It’s less expensive and time-consuming than golf. Noisier though. I hate loud noises, so somehow, this is my hobby, and I have loud basset hounds.” Jeff has helped us grow in an amazing way and brings an innovative approach to his work. We are proud to have him on our team.
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S ummer P izza
How a Professional Mindset Fuels Growth at The Manely Firm U nlocking D reams and G oals
Fire up the flavor with a grilled summer pizza loaded with veggies and light on the cheese.
I ngredients
• 1 lb pizza dough • 1/4 cup pesto • 1/3 cup shredded quesadilla cheese • 10 thin slices of zucchini • 10 thin slices of summer squash • 2 mini bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 thin slice of red onion, diced • 1 strip cooked bacon, chopped
Butter Glaze (optional) • 1 tbsp butter • 1 tsp steak seasoning
A professional mindset can transform any challenge into an opportunity. At The Manely Firm, we believe every client deserves expert legal representation and a supportive, empathetic partner through life’s most challenging moments. We cultivate a professional mindset that embraces growth, consistency, and community service, which extends to how we treat the people we serve. From regular performance reviews to meeting our employees about their goals, here’s how we keep our core values front and center. A GROWTH MINDSET IS FOR ALL. We believe that if our employees live in and experience a growth environment, they will engage with clients authentically and with integrity. We embody our professional mindset with each other and everyone who enters our office. Developing this growth philosophy in our employees delivers greater empathy in conversations with clients, ultimately helping them feel more heard. PERFORMANCE REVIEWS FOCUS ON GOALS. Performance reviews are an excellent way to identify where an employee can improve, but we also see this as an opportunity to help discover someone’s larger goals in life and how we can help. About four or five years ago, we moved from annual reviews to quarterly ones and continue to overhaul this vital process. Along with providing feedback, we ask employees what they need for success and how we can support them. We have added a growth wheel component where employees reflect on where they want to be financially, personally, and professionally. This is an opportunity to help reach their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. THIS MINDSET STRENGTHENS THE COMMUNITY. When we prioritize team members’ goals in our work environment, we experience many benefits, including strengthening the community as a whole. When people grow with us, they will likely go out into the world and do good for others. By celebrating and encouraging our employees, the whole community expands. Having had a positive employment experience here, even if people move on from our firm, they may stay connected and contribute as partners, referral sources, or resources. By prioritizing regular performance reviews and open dialogues about personal and professional goals, we empower our team members to reach their full potential while delivering exceptional service to our clients. When our employees grow, our clients soar.
D irections 1.
Preheat grill to high heat on one side.
2.
Reduce the flame on half of the grill burners to low.
3. Roll out pizza dough into a circle. Place dough on the grill over high heat. 4. Close the cover and let dough grill for 1–3 minutes until bottom is slightly cooked and shows char marks. 5. Use tongs to flip crust over and move it to the low-heat side. 6. Brush dough with pesto, sprinkle with cheese, and evenly distribute veggies and bacon. 7. Grill for about 3 minutes until cheese is melted; then carefully remove. 8. Optional: Combine butter and seasoning. Brush crust edges with butter glaze and place pizza in broiler until golden.
“W hen we strive to become better than we are , everything around us becomes better too .” –P aulo C oelho
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Call for a Consultation: ( 866) 245-5685
211 Roswell St. NE Marietta, GA 30060 (866) 687-8561 www.allfamilylaw.com
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The 2-Step Process to Better Communication
Build a Legacy With Estate Planning How Jeff Wilson Adds Value Beyond Accounting Inside Our Culture of Professional Development Summer Pizza
2 Essential Tips for Grilling Perfection
Summer is the season for grilling. From skewered vegetables to sirloin steaks, your grill is perfect for making flavorful, nutritious food. Whether you plan to stoke the coals at a neighborhood get- together or prepare an incredible meal for a special occasion, you can use these two tips to get the most from your grill. ONIONS HAVE LAYERS The more you use your grill, the more grease, fat, and food debris accumulate on the grates. Luckily, onions are a natural solution to whisk away the mess. While caramelized onions are the perfect topping for burgers and steaks, you can use onions to clean your grill before grilling. First, ensure your grill is running hot; that heat will help enhance the onion’s cleansing properties. Then, using a skewer or grill fork as a handle, push the onion along the grill’s grates. The onion’s natural acidity will help break down built-up fat, grease, and food. Once your grill is clear, it is ready for use! Clean grates do wonders for the taste and quality of the meats and veggies you grill. HEAT AND TEMPERATURE If you’ve ever had to take a food safety course, you know every meat has an ideal cooking temperature. For instance, chicken should reach 165 degrees internally, and for pork, it’s 145 degrees. While grilling, use a meat thermometer to determine which proteins are ready to serve and which need more time. Once you pull your meat off the grill, let it rest for at least five minutes before serving. This time makes the meat more tender and allows it to finish cooking off the grill passively. S ummer S immer Tips to Perfect Your Grill Game
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