Page 24 - Loeb Pitch Book Oct

LOEB LEADERSHIP 0 o
DEVELOPMENT GROUP go
A DMs1 of Loeb Consuttlng Group, LLC 0 0

WHY LAW FIRMS NEED

EXECUTIVE COACHES

NOW MORE THAN EVER

By Loeb, Gordon Loeb & David B Esq.

I don't want to be a jerk, when they give From the early 20th century to the dotcom boom of the 90s, law firm
management styles and practices have changed from decade to
me crappy work, what am I supposed to do? There was little in the way of disruption in the practice of law
for almost a However, that is changing at a rapid r Like
This partner actually used a different word than His tone was
many other industries, the practice of law is feeling the effects of
loud and He was frustrated, maybe even angr Time is valuable, e disruption as well as pressure to change on many fronts. Global
and he was tired of having to edit or r-do work-quite simply, he wanted
better results from his He just didn't seem to know how to competition, economic pressures from clients, and the increasing
get Mental energy that was wasted on frustration and throwing work integration of artificial intelligence and smart machines have been
back and forth to his team of associates wasn't serving him or his finding their way into the practice of law.
clients He knew it, but what he didn't know was how to change it. Not
until he had some time to work with his coach ... As a result of these pressures, law firms find themselves in a position
where they have to maintain a high caliber work product, increase
efficiency and productivity, and retain tal It is important to have both
Traditionally, the law firm model is a business structure that does not place
great value on cultivating communication and leadership skills. Starting as high functioning administrative and management departments as well
a first-year associate, attorneys are trained to focus most of their energies as legal practice The primary way to be successful is to nurture
on the practice of law in their area of expertise and billable hours. However. and cultivate leaders at all levels of the This requires a
as associates become more senior. their responsibilities increase to commitment from the firm to invest in professional development,
overseeing matters and delegating Law school leadership training, and targeted individualized coaching to raise the
prepares one for lawyering, it does not prepare lawyers for managing emotional intelligence' of the firm.
Many associates who are promoted to partner find themselves
ill-equipped with the necessary skills to delegate work to other people.
1 "Emotional Intelligence (EQ or El) is a term created by two researchers - Peter Salavoy and
John Mayer - and popularized by Dan Goleman ,n his 1996 book of the same name
The lawyers we work with are all high ac For individuals such as
this, not meeting high standards is a trigger that can set off "jerk-like we define El as the abi11ty to:
behavior" and detract from the desired o Instead of Recognize, understand and manage our own emotions
Recognize, understand and influence the emotions of others
coaching the associates in the moment, senior lawyers often choose to In practical terms. this means being aware that emotions can dnve our behavior and impact
"take the work back" and fix it themselves or cut t under-performing people (positively and negatively) and learning how to manage those emotions - both our
own and others -especially when we are under pressure. Institute for Health and Human
associate from the matter (or future matters) These Potential www.ihhp.com/meaning-of-<amotiona�intelligence
short-term fixes undermine the development of younger lawyers, impact
morale, and affect the future pipeline within the firm.

(;) www.loebleade1 ship.corn el 1nfo@loebconsultingg1oup.co1T1 � 866-987-4111