We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dagnee Mckinney-manning a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dagnee, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
I believe that since I grew up poor and was subjected to what is now called bullying, instead of turning against people, I decided to be more giving. I also think it’s in my nature to give and no one taught me that.
Growing up without made me appreciate so much and I am still a thrifty shopper. I get more satisfaction in giving than receiving.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an attorney for the past 26 years. I do criminal defense, personal injury and family law. I am most excited about criminal defense because it gives me the opportunity to help others who have gotten into trouble. My motto is “everyone can’t go home” but if I can help them get out of trouble or suffer less severe consequences, that’s what excites me.
I strive to be truthful when dealing with clients. It’s not that I don’t lie in my personal life (LOL!), but I don’t sell dreams to clients. I am brutally honest. My brand is my honesty and my willingness to fight for every client. I don’t sell out and I don’t kiss butts.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My biggest quality is to prove people wrong. If I hadn’t been doubted as a child, I would never have achieved much. It just took someone to tell me what I couldn’t do and I not only did it, but I tried to excel past what was expected!
My second quality is brutal honesty. It doesn’t work for all, but I don’t lose sleep knowing that I didn’t deceive anyone or tell them what they wanted to hear.
My third quality is my ability to be “quick” – either in wit or response. Sometimes, people think I’m not listening, but most likely I am. I hear tones of voices, pauses, etc. and that tells me a lot more than mere words.
My advice to other folks is 1st and foremost – be YOU. Do not look at others and try to be like them. Biggest downfall and leads to a lot of hurt feelings and low self esteem. Also, know that everyone deals with times of feeling low, but the object is to bounce back!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
The best thing I can do when overwhelmed is talk to myself! I value my opinion and I won’t lie to me. I have to verbally rationalize whatever I’m dealing with and my ears have to hear it. You can tell others, but their advice may not be complete based on what you told and what you left out. You cannot like to YOU!
Secondly, walking or running. When I walk, by the time I’ve hit a mile, I have no problems. I’ve walked and cried, but it calms me down. I advise others to take up walking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Settleorsue.com
- Instagram: Attorneydagneemckinney
- Facebook: Law Office of Dagnee McKinney
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