Do You Need a Mentor or a Performance Coach?

Posted by Audrey Ehrhardt, Esquire, CBC

The law can be difficult when you feel alone in the trenches of it. Surprisingly, the isolation you feel doesn’t always get easier as you mature and grow in your practice. Instead, overtime, it can increase and leave you feeling at a loss, despite all the “wins” you experience.

Whether it be a sounding board for your ideas, a safe space to vent, or someone to celebrate your wins with you, having someone on your side can make a huge difference. That third party take perspective on what your success means, as well as a historic understanding of what you have overcome to be where you are right now, can prove invaluable over time.

Long story short, if you are feeling lost, alone, or stuck in your law practice, it may be time for you to get a mentor or a performance coach.

With a mentor coach, new attorneys or associates, as well as experienced attorneys transitioning into new practice areas, can get guidance on how to establish themselves. What do you need to know? Where do you find the local, federal, and state law for your new practice area? What systems will you need to put in place to set yourself up for success? How will your team help with the transition? Do you have ideas on how to expand your market in this new practice area? These are things that you can discuss and work through with a mentor coach.

A performance coach, alternatively, can be a great help to attorneys who are established and have the knowledge, but seem to be getting stuck somewhere. Something is not working as it should. This could relate to issues with revenue streams, staffing, or systems the firm has in place or does not have in place but should. The goal of working with a performance coach is to break through the roadblocks and fulfill the potential of the firm and those that work there.

With both a mentor coach and a performance coach, you get that sounding board you have been looking for and you have someone on your side that will help tackle the challenges, as well as help identify them, and also help you celebrate your victories. Learning to celebrate success can be an important part of coaching as well. When you take the time to celebrate your successes, you are modeling something important for your staff. They will, in turn, feel free and encouraged to celebrate success as well. This is just one way a coach can help you create a firm culture that people want to be a part of and stay a part of.

Whether you are looking for a mentor coach or a performance coach, Practice42 has your back. Our coaching programs are specially designed to meet your needs and help you work through your challenges so you can reach your full practice potential. Let us help you grow and succeed! Call us to schedule a free Strategy Session at 850-933-5072 or fill out our Contact Us Form and we will call you!

Copyright © Practice42 2024 | All Rights Reserved