Veterans treatMent Court: a lesson in leaDershiP
Bar leadership Institute
Chairs:AnthonyBradlow-OfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral;AmandaKeller-PhelpsDunbarLLP;MatthewParrish-OfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral;AliciaWhiting-Bozich-Sivyer,BarlowandWatson
if you are unwilling to
shoulder the blame when
things go wrong, you do not
deserve the credit when
T
things go right.
he members of the Bar
Leadership Institute
attend monthly modules
that are designed to
teach us how to become effective
leaders in our community. After
I spent a morning observing Judge
Michael Scionti preside over the
Veterans Treatment Court with
my BLI Class, I walked away
with a better understanding of
the qualities that it takes to be a
successful leader. I believe everyone
could benefit from sitting in on
Veterans Treatment Court, but
for those who do not get the
opportunity to see it firsthand,
I want to share how Judge Scionti
and the veterans going through the
program exemplified two important
qualities for any leader: compassion
and accountability.
Compassion.
Judge Scionti made it clear that
the Veterans Treatment Court is
not a court of punishment and
that compassion is not a sign of
weakness. He demonstrated this
by empathizing with the veterans
instead of merely sympathizing
with them. Because he works
hard to understand their unique
struggles, he also shares their
elation when they make progress
in the program; he made a point
of asking a veteran about his dog
and congratulating another veteran
for obtaining housing. This is not
to say that Judge Scionti is not hard
on the veterans when they do not
put in the effort to change their
behavior; however, he understands
that leading by fear is not the most
effective strategy. I learned that
Judge Scionti meeting with the BLI Class during a break.
28
leaders are more successful at
getting results out of others when
they treat them with kindness and
encouragement instead of judging
them by their mistakes. In turn, the
veterans were more willing to take
responsibility for their actions.
Accountability.
The most uplifting part of
the morning was watching the
graduation of veterans who
successfully completed the program.
Judge Scionti offered each of them
the opportunity to speak to their
fellow veterans in the program,
understanding that people often
learn best from others who have
walked in their shoes. One remark
from a young, soft-spoken veteran
struck me the most: he told
everyone in the room to stop
complaining because no matter
what they have experienced,
someone else has had it worse.
Left unsaid was the implication
that in order to grow, you must take
responsibility for your actions and
stop blaming your circumstances.
Likewise, as a leader, it is important
to understand that you are responsible
not only for the successes of the
group, but also the disappointments.
If you are unwilling to shoulder the
blame when things go wrong, you
do not deserve the credit when
things go right. The veteran’s words
Continued on page 29
JAN - FEB 2020
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HCBA LAWYER