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December 2025
THE TRUSTED ADVISOR
FEAR OF CHOOSING?
Mastering the Art of Meaningful Conversation
Life is full of choices. We’ve all had those moments: staring at a choice, weighing the options, and knowing we have to pick something. Sometimes, a certain path feels like both the right and wrong one. Making decisions can be surprisingly hard, whether it’s a business move, a personal choice, or simply figuring out what to tackle first. Overthinking often keeps us stuck; other times, the fear of failure makes us hesitate until opportunities slip by. As lawyers, we always face this, balancing analysis with action. Make Up Your Mind Day is on Dec. 31, and no matter who you are, you face countless decisions in your life, sometimes many in just a single day. When it comes down to it, the best decision is the one you actually make. Zac: Most people struggle to make decisions because they worry about making the wrong one. Constantly focusing on what could go wrong versus what could go right can paralyze you, causing you to fail at choosing at all. In our firm, we deal with this constantly because in business, you’re presented with a million options. If you overanalyze it or take too long, opportunities pass you by. They say that failing to make a decision is still making a decision. So, in life and business, you must consider the options and move quickly to avoid missing out. The trick to overcoming the fear of making the incorrect choice is to focus on the positive. What could go right? You can build a habit of thinking things through, but recognize you don’t have unlimited time to act. It’s a learned skill, but you’ll get better at it the more you do it. Once you make up your mind, stand by it. If you’re wishy-washy, the situation will be worse. You also don’t want to second-guess yourself too much, or you will be stuck again. Nick: People hate failure, and fear is what often makes decisions hard. People procrastinate, putting things off and hoping the choice will somehow be made for them with time. So many books we read about running a successful business say that 9 times out of 10, it’s better to make the wrong decision quickly rather than kick it down the road. When you avoid it, it will probably just prolong the problems. Set a timeline for yourself when you have to make a decision. Figure out your deadline and the information you need to make it. But remember, you don’t
need to be perfect. Most of the time, you don’t need 100% of the research to make an informed choice; 70% is usually enough. Once you’ve decided, move forward with full force. The great news is that you can always pivot if you find out you made the wrong choice or something isn’t working. If you can make the wrong decision but still execute it perfectly, things will turn out much better than dragging your feet and executing the right decision poorly. As a leader, sticking to your decisions is especially important if you believe in them. Everyone may not be on board right away, but if you go back and forth, doubt creeps in, altering everyone’s ability to execute that plan. Your team will buy in, perform better, and implement it smarter when you are sure of yourself and your choices. Decisions are not always easy to make, but the most crucial step is to push past the fear. Recognize that you don’t have to get it all right at once, and make up your mind. Even the “worst” choice you could ever make will be better than the choice you never make.
NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000 1 – Zac Leacox & Nick Norden
DON’T SIGN THAT JOB OFFER BLINDLY Fine-Print Focus
In today’s competitive job market, landing new employment is the least of your worries.
Never disregard a seemingly minor typo as a slight variation in a job title (e.g., “managerr” or “supervisor” versus “manager”) could be enough to impact your anticipated compensation, workday obligations, and even your tax status. Even the most professional companies can make mistakes in drafting documentation, so never assume Human Resources has everything covered. Do the perks make sense as presented? In addition to confirming exactly what you’ll do and be paid, you must ensure any benefits outlined in the contract align with your expectations or with anything you may have been told during interview(s) and negotiation(s). Review all insurance benefits, paid vacations, PTO/sick leave structures, retirement plans, and bonuses detailed in the contract before signing, and immediately raise any questions or concerns with the appropriate parties. What is yours, and what is your employer’s? With remote work on the rise, your employer may be based in another state. Your employee contract should detail your remote status and any expectations for occasional “hybrid” work (e.g., working at the corporate office once a week) and work-related travel. Expense reimbursement is another factor to consider when reading your contract. Review any provisions regarding your responsibilities in using employer-supplied equipment (laptops, printers, scanners, etc.) required for your remote position. Sometimes, your work may entail creating intellectual property the employer owns. For example, if you make digital media for a company, you likely won’t be able to apply it to your personal use or bring it to a subsequent employer. The employee contract will likely include specific proprietary rights and intellectual property language. Before agreeing to an employer’s contract terms, you should address any verification needs. These questions are just the tip of the iceberg. No two employee contracts are exactly alike, so it’s essential to diligently review any documentation you receive, even if you need to bring in a legal professional for an extra pair of eyes.
Depending on your chosen industry, you may be required to review and sign an employment contract before starting a new position. Ideally, this document will clearly outline what your new employer offers you to work for them and the responsibilities they expect you to fulfill. While the concept is simple enough, a host of nuances and potential red flags in an employee contract may reveal that your new job is more (or less) than you expected. Considering that the average U.S. employee stays with a single employer for approximately four years before moving on, reviewing your employee contract carefully ensures the job of your dreams doesn’t devolve into a logistical, financial, or professional nightmare. Here are three key questions to consider before agreeing to the contract terms presented to you. Does the contract accurately describe your role? In many cases, an online job description is the employer’s wish list of duties that could fall under that role. Specific responsibilities related to a particular position may be refined during the interview and negotiation process, especially if the employer is in a transitional period of restructuring its workflow and employee roles. When reviewing your employee contract, confirm that your job title, duties, payment terms and methods, and length of service (if the position is temporary) are described accurately. “No two employee contracts are exactly alike, so it’s essential to diligently review any documentation you receive, even if you need to bring in a legal professional for an extra pair of eyes.”
Good luck with your job search, and happy reading!
2
Syllables That Shape Society The ‘Saxon Clincher’ Effect
The right selection of syllables can change the course of history.
As any English teacher or professional editor (or anyone who’s ever confused “they’re,” “there,” or “their”) will tell you, navigating modern English is often chaotic and confounding. In a 2020 blog, Ward Farnsworth of the University of Texas School of Law attempted to explain how it got this way. “English is a language built mostly out of two others. Much of it was created from the language of invaders who came to Britain around 450 AD from Anglia and Saxony (in what we’d now call northern Germany). About 600 years later, the French (Normans) invaded and brought their language with them, too, derived from Latin. The new French competed with Old English, and the eventual outcome was modern English, built out of both.” Farnsworth’s observation isn’t new. Various speeches by President Abraham Lincoln, largely considered one of the world’s greatest orators, made excellent use of this mix of languages by understanding that Anglo-Saxon words tend to be direct and words of French origin tend to be a bit more flowery. Lincoln applied these characteristics to create what some linguistic circles call a “Saxon clincher,” a straightforward conclusion to a more colorfully worded introduction. A Saxon clincher can be employed to gain attention with impactful opening words before driving the point home more simply.
Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new, North as well as South. Did you notice how the first half includes colorful words such as “opponents” and “extinction,” and the final 14 words are simple with one syllable each? That’s the Saxon clincher, and the pathway to a perfect speech, in a nutshell.
According to Farnsworth, Lincoln’s talent for perfecting this approach shines through in this passage from his “House Divided” speech in 1858:
Have a
Baked Feta, Tomato, and White Bean Skillet
Laugh
Ingredients •
2 pints cherry tomatoes
• •
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided 6 oz feta cheese, packed in brine, cut into 4 pieces
•
2 (15-oz) cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed
•
4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• • •
1 tbsp hot honey
Basil leaves, for garnish
• •
4 slices toasted whole-wheat country bread, optional, for serving
1/4 tsp salt
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 450 F. 2. In a large, oven-safe skillet, combine tomatoes, beans, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. 3. Drizzle with 5 tbsp of olive oil and stir gently. 4. Add feta pieces 2 inches apart in the mixture and drizzle with remaining olive oil. 5. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst. 6. Remove from oven and drizzle with hot honey. Garnish with basil leaves, and serve with toast if desired.
Inspired by EatingWell.com
3 NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000
Published by Newsletter Pro | NewsletterPro.com
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Inside This Edition
1 Any Decision Beats No Decision 2 The Weight of Written Words 3 President Lincoln’s Unique Speech Style
Baked Feta, Tomato, and White Bean Skillet
4 Terror Turns to Trial
A ‘Leatherface’ Lawsuit Leaves a Mark SLIPS, SCREAMS, AND SETTLEMENTS
If you’re a horror film fan, you know how common it is for a would-be victim to trip and fall long enough to allow the killer chasing them to catch up and carry out some nasty deed. While this scene is a classic cliché of the genre, it would strike genuine terror in anyone’s heart if it played out in the real world, especially when you’re a 57-year-old woman with her grandchild in tow. In the late 1990s, Cleanthi Peters accompanied her 10-year-old granddaughter to a Hell’s High haunted house attraction at Universal Studios in Florida. As their walk-through was about to end, an actor portraying the menacing character Leatherface from the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” film franchise began chasing them while wielding a fake chainsaw. As the frightened pair began running away from the grotesque antagonist, they slipped on a wet spot on the floor, just like in the movies. Instead of breaking character to help them, the actor playing the pretend psychopath continued to menace the two by standing above them with his torturous tool still in his hands.
Claiming the incident left her and her granddaughter “extremely fearful and in mental distress and anguish,” Peters later sued Universal Studios for emotional distress and other injuries. After numerous trials, the suit was decided in Peters’ favor, resulting in a $15,000 judgment against Universal Studios for failure to keep its haunted house safe for occupants. While this case occurred in Florida, legal experts have opined that the verdict may have been the same in other states, since an unsafe wet floor wouldn’t be a reasonable expectation for anyone attending a haunted house attraction.
While Hell’s High may have succeeded in frightening Peters and her granddaughter, the suit proves that horror-themed entertainment can sometimes be too scary, especially for the defendant’s legal counsel, and Leatherface is best encountered from the comfort of a TV or movie theater screen.
4 NordenLeacox.com | 407-801-3000
Published by Newsletter Pro | NewsletterPro.com
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