Session on 25th March 2025

In the fourth Session of the “Peak Performance Lawyer” series on Platforum9, Patryjusz Zamorski delivered valuable insights into a topic often considered taboo in legal circles: emotional energy. Building on previous discussions of physical and mental energy, this Session explored how lawyers can harness their emotions to enhance performance rather than suppressing them.

The Paradox of Emotions in Law

“Emotions are probably the taboo words in the legal profession,” Zamorski noted. “We don’t talk about emotions, we don’t talk about feelings.” Yet this approach creates a fundamental paradox, as neuroscience clearly demonstrates that emotions underpin all human decision-making, including the most seemingly rational choices.

“If you think that lawyering is devoid of emotions, it’s not true,” Zamorski explained. “Emotions are everywhere.” This reality makes understanding emotional energy essential for legal professionals seeking sustained high performance.

The Four Quadrants of Emotional Energy

Zamorski introduced a practical framework for understanding emotional states, organised into four quadrants based on energy level (high or low) and emotional tone (pleasant or unpleasant):

1. The Burnout Zone (Low Energy + Unpleasant Emotions) This most dangerous quadrant represents the state many lawyers find themselves in after prolonged periods of stress without adequate recovery.
2. The Renewal Zone (Low Energy + Pleasant Emotions) This represents states of relaxation, peace, and recovery—essential for recharging depleted emotional resources.
3. The Survival Zone (High Energy + Unpleasant Emotions) Characterised by stress and anxiety, this state can feel productive but ultimately leads to burnout if sustained too long.
4. The Performance Zone (High Energy + Pleasant Emotions) The optimal state for work, featuring focus, optimism, and engagement.

This model provides a simple self-assessment tool. “Every day ask yourself a question: which quadrant am I in?” Zamorski suggested. “Am I in the performance zone or maybe survival zone? They are so similar because both are high energy, but is it survival and I’m just running for my life, stressed and anxious, or is this true performance?”

The Biological Reality of Performance Cycles

A key insight emphasised throughout the session was that peak performance is not about maintaining maximum output constantly. “We are biological systems,” Zamorski reminded listeners. “You can’t constantly perform at the highest peak simply because we operate in cycles.”

This reality contradicts the legal profession’s often glorified “always-on” culture. “We’re not encouraged to take breaks. The entire system is against us taking breaks because we need to get those hours in,” Zamorski observed, highlighting the irony that this approach ultimately undermines sustainable performance.

Emotional Intelligence for Lawyers

Rather than avoiding emotions, Zamorski advocated developing emotional intelligence—the ability to recognise and regulate one’s own emotions while understanding those of others. This skill set has particular relevance for legal work.

“Lawyering is a relationship,” he explained. “We can’t be good lawyers unless we like building relationships and connecting with others. And what is building relationships and connecting with others? It’s essentially predominantly an emotional activity.”

Emotional intelligence allows lawyers to build trust, read the room, connect with clients, and understand when a personal conversation might be necessary before moving to business matters. Most importantly, Zamorski emphasised that emotional intelligence “is a skill that everyone can learn and develop. It’s like a muscle.”

Practical Techniques for Emotional Management

The session offered several practical approaches for lawyers looking to enhance their emotional awareness and regulation:

1. The STOP Technique Between stimulus and response lies a space where you can choose your reaction. When triggered by a difficult situation (like receiving a hostile email), Zamorski recommends: “Stand up, go away from your desk, take a few deep breaths. I can guarantee the way you see this situation will change very quickly.”
2. The Leadership Ripple Effect For law firm leaders, modeling emotional intelligence creates cascading effects throughout the organisation. “People learn by emulating the behaviors of people above them, whether they admit it or not,” Zamorski noted. “If you want to create a ripple effect, start with the leaders.”
3. The Pre-meeting Check-in Before entering a meeting, Zamorski recommends that leaders ask themselves: “What emotional energy and feelings am I bringing into this room now?” This simple question can dramatically alter the meeting’s dynamics.
4. Strategic Vulnerability Contrary to traditional legal culture, appropriate vulnerability builds rather than undermines trust. As an example, Zamorski endorsed leaders acknowledging when they’re having a difficult day: “A bit of vulnerability actually is a great way to show that we are not machines. We are just human beings.”

Two Powerful Antidotes to Burnout

For lawyers already experiencing burnout or in the “survival zone,” Zamorski highlighted two research-backed interventions:

1. Meaningful Relationships “All the research points to one thing: we can very quickly improve emotional energy levels through meaningful relationships, through being in touch with loved ones and friends,” Zamorski explained. Even brief, genuine connections with colleagues can provide significant emotional renewal.
2. Joyful Activities and Physical Exercise “Research consistently shows doing something joyful with good energy or physical exercise improves our mood, emotions, and feelings dramatically,” he noted. Taking a walk with a colleague or friend isn’t wasted time but essential recovery.

Why This Matters Now

The Session’s insights seem particularly timely today as younger generations of lawyers increasingly value emotional intelligence in their leaders and workplace cultures. As Zamorski observed, “If you are a very senior leader and you want to attract and bring new talent to your organisation, they are looking for empathetic leaders, people who can actually express their emotions in a healthy way.”

For a profession traditionally skeptical of emotional expression, this evolutionary pressure may accelerate change. The legal industry’s long-term sustainability may depend on embracing rather than denying the emotional dimension of legal work.

Zamorski concluded with Maya Angelou’s famous wisdom: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” For lawyers seeking peak performance, this may be the most important professional insight of all.