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COACHING WOMEN LAWYERS ::
Increasingly,
women lawyers are hiring coaches to help guide
them through a wide range of issues that have
an impact on their professional and personal lives.
Coaching is defined in many ways. The International
Coach Federation defines professional coaching
as:
"An ongoing partnership
that helps clients produce fulfilling results in
their personal and professional lives. Through the
process of coaching, clients deepen their learning,
improve their performance, and enhance their quality
of life.
In each meeting, the
client chooses the focus of conversation, while
the coach contributes observations and questions.
This interaction creates clarity and moves the
client into action. Coaching accelerates the client's
progress by providing greater focus and awareness
of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients
are today and what they are willing to do to get
where they want to be tomorrow."
One of the premises of coaching
is that people themselves hold the answers to
the questions about what is keeping them from
fulfilling their goals and living the life they
want. One of the other premises is that many people
want a confidential forum and objective support
person to work through these major matters in
their lives.
Coaching is not therapy. It
is a results and task-oriented process in which
a coach plays many roles, including motivator,
mentor, educator, sounding board and so on. Coaches
do not give advice. Rather, they guide clients
through their own self-discovery, by using powerful
and strategic questioning among other helpful
methods, aimed at assisting clients to be fully
cognizant of and oriented to what they really
want. Coaches strategize, brainstorm and work
together with clients to help them define and
reach their vision of success.
Coaching sessions may be held
by telephone, in person or electronically. Time
periods vary from 30 minutes to 60 minutes or
longer, depending on the lawyer's schedule and
preference. Rates vary and are usually on an hourly
basis.
Women lawyers face specific challenges in their
lives and some reasons women lawyers hire coaches
are as follows:
1.
To help reassess goals
It is typical in the coaching
relationship that clients express a desire to
reassess both their professional and personal
goals. Women lawyers commonly ask themselves,
"Is this what I imagined my law career would
be about?", or "Does what attracted
me to law still remain?", or "Am I doing
what I want to be doing?".
Coaches help clients to
not only consider these and other questions. They
also assist people to articulate and clarify what
it is they want to be doing if they are not already
doing it.
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2. To find some balance
between their professional and personal lives
The word 'balance' may be
an overused one amongst professionals who are
upwardly mobile. The trust is, many people feel
they sacrifice their personal and home lives
for their work and are aware of this even though
they are caught up in it. Women lawyers who
are striving to be partners in firms or otherwise
trying to maintain an active practice, are regularly
overwhelmed with decisions about family life,
having children and having time to develop themselves
outside of the workplace.
As a consequence of
the various pressures experienced, women lawyers
commonly work with coaches to take a closer
look at the fact that they find themselves on
a treadmill that seems to have no end to it.
Wanting to align one's values with their professional
and personal lives is a goal stated by many
clients.
3. To live in the present
It is evident that many
women lawyers find themselves working for objectives
that have future rewards, but do not necessarily
satisfy their immediate needs and goals. While
many lawyers are able to live in the present
while managing their practices, many others
find that time is running away from them and
they are not achieving all they set out to achieve.
Women lawyers who hire coaches, commonly say
they do not feel they are living in the present.
Other reasons women lawyers
hire coaches include:
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To take active steps
to make changes in their professional and/or
personal lives |
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To gain control of their
lives |
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To improve organizational
skills |
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To develop or improve
management skills |
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To improve communication
and presentation skills |
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To improve and develop
relationships with colleagues, bosses and
clients |
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To leave the practice
of law |
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To increase their confidence |
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To plan their retirement |
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To position themselves
to become a partner |
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To improve time management,
procrastination and other areas that preclude
the effective practice of law |
Working with a coach
helps women lawyers in these ways and many others.
Each woman's objectives are subjective and reflect
their particular hopes and plans for leading
a fulfilling life. Coaches remain non-judgemental
and pay close attention to their clients' goals.
As their ally, they help each client be the
person and
professional she aspires to be!
Cinnie Noble is a lawyer,
mediator and former social worker. As a coach,
Cinnie combines her background and experience,
to provide women lawyers with a unique coaching
experience. Cinnie may be reached at 416-686-4247
or toll free (Canada/US) at 1-866-335-6466,
cinnie@cinergycoaching.com, www.cinergycoaching.com.
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