Why Should Lawyers Get Career Coaching?
Photo Credit to Hunters Race
Many lawyers might wonder: why do I even need coaching?
There is a general perception that what takes to be a successful lawyer is a firm legal foundation and excellent writing skills. In fact, so many lawyers focus too much on perfecting these “hard professional skills” but then neglect other essential skills that not only increase productivity, but also make one’s career more enjoyable, successful, and fulfilling. Coaching for legal professionals is a great tool to achieve these goals, and we will show you here some of the many benefits of coaching, particularly to lawyers.
To understand coaching more generally, please see our article “5 Things You Should Know About Career Coaching”
1. Career Planning
A lot of times we are too overwhelmed by daily “to-do lists” on hand, so much so that we neglect the importance of setting goals, small or big, and making it happen. Having both short-term and long-term goals are crucial for building a more meaningful and successful career. Professional coaches help you define and prioritize your goals and therefore use your time more efficiently. Spending time with your executive coach gives you that space and tools you need to think about where you are and where you would like to go. Coaches then accordingly customize a personalized career plan with you after listening to your needs. Lawyers, in particular, tend to be overwhelmed about the day to day work, to-do lists, wanting to be Partners someday, but then forget about designing a proper career plan to get there.
2. Personal Branding
Having extensive legal knowledge and decent writing skills does not guarantee a stable legal career. In fact, in our experience at FELIZ Consulting working with top international law firms, most of the feedback from Partners and Senior Lawyers is that a lot of their lawyers are very good with the law and “hard skills” but not as good with personal branding, networking, and business development skills. Does it sound familiar? Just like marketing for a fashion brand or a catering chain, building a professional and memorable image is key to anyone’s career success. An executive coach can review how you are presenting yourself to others and offer advice about business networking, communication, impact, and beyond. Practical suggestions such as dressing, body language, facial expressions, and questioning techniques are given, so you can adapt and develop your personal branding.
3. Productivity Boost
While an executive coach cannot do the work for you, they provide you with tips and tricks on how to focus and concentrate at work and boost your productivity. Sometimes you just feel stuck and unmotivated with all the deadlines, this is the perfect timing to revamp your working style. A career coach helps you figure out what kind of person you are, and accordingly, how to work more efficiently towards your goals. At FELIZ Consulting, the coaches can use simple tools such as Mindfulness, exercises, journaling, gratitude practice, to more elaborated Psychometric tests, Feedback Tools, and Time Management tips.
4. Effective Management and Collaboration
Apart from dealing with clients, handling relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders internally, are some of the crucial elements that play an integral role in the workplace. No matter which stage you are at in your career, you have to learn to manage first yourself, then manage others and collaborate. A skilled career coach using some training tools can share practical management and communications tips to better manage these relationships.
5. Overall Wellness
Multiple research studies have shown that lawyers have significantly higher risks of suffering from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Having a healthy mind is the foundation of any fruitful work. Apart from offering you professional insights, a good career coach can also gauge your current stress level and can suggest various ways of coping with anxiety and depression brought by work. Of course, in some cases, professional counselling is necessary, but a skilled professional coach can refer the client to the right help.
One proven method of keeping one’s sanity and overall happiness state is a mindfulness practice. For more benefits of mindfulness, check out our other blog post “Six Remarkable Benefits of Mindfulness”
FELIZ Consulting has extensive experience working with several notable law firms and organizations, including King & Wood Mallesons, DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons, BCLP, Clyde & Co, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, Securities and Futures Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission and others. We use evidence-based training materials to help you and your teams develop at work and in your life. Beyond customized 1:1 or small group coaching sessions, we offer different types of training to suit yours and your Firm’s specific needs.
For more information, see www.felizconsulting.com or drop us an email at [email protected].
1. https://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/112312/_PARENT/CC_layout_details/false
of_Mindfulness_Meditation_and_Stress_Reduction_in_Lawyers
3. http://www.barristermagazine.com/coaching-for-lawyers-features-and-benefits-2/