Case Studies

Leadership development; career enhancement; work-life balance; career planning; positioning for partnership consideration, advocating for oneself and managing stress.

When John initially came to coaching, he was a 36-year-old associate at a top-tier national firm who was at a crucial period in his career. He was being considered for partnership in five months and he wanted to position himself for that decision. He also needed support in dealing with the pressure of the consideration process — both on the job and at home.

The primary issues dealt with during the course of John’s coaching engagement related to the preparation of a business plan for presentation to the partnership committee and to John’s communication and advocacy skills.

John’s coach provided him with ongoing support in the development of his business plan. Specifically, John and his coach developed an outline for his plan, discussed the best way to package it for maximum effect, and set a timetable for completing it. John’s coach held him accountable for accomplishing specific goals relating to the preparation of the plan between sessions and acted as a neutral sounding board for his marketing ideas.

In addition, the coach worked with John to determine how best to navigate the process of partnership consideration. John, like most lawyers, did not have well-developed marketing skills and self-advocacy did not come to him naturally. John wanted to learn how to market himself authentically but effectively — in particular, by approaching partners to discuss his partnership potential and by dealing with one particular partner who he thought might oppose him. During the coaching sessions, the coach engaged John in various role plays so that he could practice engaging in what for him were difficult conversations in a curious, rather than a fearful or defensive manner. Gaining the confidence to do this helped John to feel more authentic in his marketing efforts and therefore to be much more effective.

Finally, the coach helped John to deal with the stress that he was feeling in relation to the partnership selection process both on the job and at home. The coach encouraged John to remain physically active and also to take some down-time when he could reflect on his priorities both in relation to his career and his personal life. Goals in relation to activity levels and down-times were set for the periods between coaching sessions. The coach also introduced John to specific tools to use when he was feeling particularly stressed and when he veered off track in his focus on his end goal.

John, in fact, did not make the partnership cut when decisions were made in the months following the commencement of the coaching engagement — but he did make it the following year. Despite the inevitable disappointment that John felt when the announcements were made, he managed the stress, he was able to elicit constructive feedback from the partners with regard to their decision and the things that he would need to do in the next year to stay on track, and he was able to keep his sights on his primary goal, which was to make partner at the firm.

John remained engaged in the coaching process for the year following the initial partnership decision in order to remain on track with his career objectives, while at the same time refining his leadership skills and maintaining his stress management practices.