Peyton Manning is undoubtedly one of the most dominant quarterbacks in NFL history. So far he has appeared in three Super Bowl Championships and this Sunday, during Super Bowl 50 he will make his way back onto the golden gridiron for a fourth time. His eighteen year tenure as a quarterback in the NFL has been more than fruitful and his name will prominently be displayed throughout the NFL record books for decades to come. Manning has taken control of his career by showing exceptional athleticism, athleticism that has allowed him to reach an unparalleled level of success. Manning has more talent than most players out on the field. That talent alone is not the only thing that has contributed to his illustrious career though. His impeccable talent might have gotten him in the door, but his meticulous mannerisms, his “need to know” attitude and just flat out smarts are what have driven his career to the next level.
Like the NFL, court reporting requires very specialized training and a specific set of skills. If you want to be a court reporter, knowing the ins and outs of stenography is mandatory, but just being familiar is not enough. Sure, having basic skills is a start and will allow you to perform your job at a minimum level, but that’s just not enough. In order to be successful, in order to be a top-tier reporter, you need to be smart, you need to perfect your techniques for performing and administering your skills, you need to always operate at your maximum level, and you need to be, well…you need to be like Peyton Manning.
Ok so you don’t need to walk into every deposition, football in hand yelling “Omaha! Omaha! Set, hut!” While that would be hilarious, it just might scare away your clients. Being like Peyton Manning means always having the drive to better yourself and to better your skills. It means always striving to improve your writing with every job you take, it means never settling for average. Want to be the Peyton Manning of court reporting? Here are some tips on how to get there:
Practice, practice, practice – Manning didn’t just wake up one morning and “poof” all of a sudden he was good at football. Nor does he roll out of bed on Sunday, without having touched a football the previous week and expect to be game-ready. Manning is an exceptional quarterback because he knows the meaning of hard work and practice. He has a daily routine and sticks to it. If your schedule allots for it, set aside some time to practice each day. No matter how good you are, if you consistently practice, you will just keep getting better and you will keep your skills fresh for “game day”.
Always be prepared – Everyday, including game day, Peyton Manning can be found watching video and preparing for his opponent. Manning once said, “I’ve never left the field feeling I could have done more to get ready for a particular team, many times I wish I could have certain throws back or certain decisions back. It’s given me a little bit of peace of mind at night after a game if we didn’t win, knowing I did everything I could to get ready.” As a court reporter, you need to be prepared. You can’t just show up on the day of the deposition without knowing anything about the job. Find out as much as you can about the deposition before arriving. Learn the names of those who will be attending, update your dictionary with any new words that might be used during the deposition and most importantly find out about expert witnesses and any attorneys who will be on the record. Being prepared will make for a smoother time on the record.
Stay up to date with the latest trends and technology – Manning is innovative. Throughout his career he has had to find “a new way to do the old job”. His job is to score points, to drive the football and his team down the field to the end zone. As he got older and had to deal with injuries, he couldn’t use the same methods as he had in the past. He once said, “I’ve looked for different ways to move the chains and put us in a position to win.” Staying up to date with the latest trends and technology in the court reporting industry is critical to your success. The tools you use are always changing and technology is constantly evolving in the industry. Just like Manning, as things change around you it is important for you to find new ways to do the job.
Never give up and strive to be better with every job – Manning is an overachiever. When he played for the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy, the head coach at that time said, “Overachievers work hard because they have to. Peyton has rare talent, but chooses to push himself like he doesn’t.” Manning never gives up. Instead he takes each failure as a learning experience and strives to be better with each game. Court reporting is stressful, it is hard work and many reporters want to throw their hands up in the air after a job and give up. When things get overwhelming, stick with it. Don’t give up, just take whatever happened and improve your skills. You can learn something new every day.
Take initiative – When Manning left the Indianapolis Colts and had to go through four different neck surgeries to repair a herniated disc, he missed the entire 2011 season. Without a team to play for and recovering from surgery most players would just close the books on their career, not Manning. He took the initiative, found a new team to play for and worked hard to make sure he was ready to play for the new team. Staying proactive as a court reporter opens doors to new opportunities. Take the initiative to improve your skills, learn a new way to do something, network with other reporters, and make sure others in the industry know about you and what you have to offer.
There is a lot you can learn from the work ethic of Peyton Manning, the above tips barely scratch the surface. The most important lesson to take out of this is if you want to be one of the most respected professionals in your industry it takes much more than having the skills. It takes class, it takes brain power, and it takes drive. Are you ready to be like Peyton Manning? Well, get to it…Ready! Set! Omaha! Omaha! Hut! Hut! Hike!