finding the right coaching approach
I’m a big fan of business coaching for lawyers. I’ve been a consumer and provider of coaching services for many years. There are different coaching approaches and styles and, as with other personal and professional pursuits, it’s important to take the time to find the right coaching fit for you.
In a recent ABA Journal article titled Coach Me, Jenny B. Davis profiles the work of three professional coaches and their lawyer clients. I’m one of the featured coaches. The interesting thing about this inaugural run of the ABA Journal Coaching Project was it’s time frame. The coaches had just one month to help our clients “achieve peak performance.”
I worked with Larry Koch, a partner at a midsize Minneapolis firm looking to build his book of business. As I thought about the most efficient use of our relatively short time together, I decided to focus in on Larry’s existing business relationships to see if they offered any new avenues of opportunity for him to explore. Once we had this focus and a corresponding strategy, it was exciting to witness how much Larry accomplished in four weeks.
Sometimes, when we have an open time frame in which to meet our professional goals, we end up our spinning wheels, rethinking our steps and getting mired in details rather than taking action. The curtailed nature of this coaching assignment actually proved to be a very positive motivator. It kept us moving and on track.
Jenny Davis is a great writer(and a good friend). Anyway, I hired a coach. A shrink. He now works with lawyers to try and find out what in their lives prevent them from getting business, or if they get it, why not more. I have had a couple of really good years, but my problem is I have a hard time asking for business, converting the reputation I have into dollars. He also helps with explaining how others look at you and how their cogntive issues kick in. Interesting stuff. Regards, Mike