Note I didn’t ask the question “do you need a coach?” Because you do. We all do.

I have been receiving business coaching for more than five years. Every quarter I go to Strategic Coach in Toronto and meet my tribe of entrepreneurs and we talk business, delegation, and utilizing our Unique Ability. We get coached on how to have a self-managed company and create a 10x future. And three times a year I go to the Genius Network in Arizona and we talk marketing, bio-hacking and expanding impact and I get coached on how to have an “Easy Lucrative and Fun” business (that’s Joe Polish’s group – doesn’t an ELF business sound amazing??).

I love my coaches. These individuals who inspire me to uncover my own answers by asking me the exact right questions.

Do you have a coach?

Most of the lawyers I know do not have a coach and do not belong to a community where they receive one-on-one or group coaching.  And I think that’s a shame.

So if you are inclined to get a coach, how do you choose one?

Well … to start you answer these questions:

1. Personalized or Group: Do you want one-on-one personalized coaching or a group dynamic with an opportunity for peer learning and membership in a community?
2. Expertise: Do you want to be coached by a fellow lawyer who understands the unique circumstances of the practice of law or specifically not a lawyer, but someone who has a personal philosophy or business expertise you value?
3. Cost: Are you looking for a free program? If not, how much are you wanting to invest?
4. Structure: Do you want to set the agenda for the topics you discuss or are you looking for a structured packaged program?
5. Location: Do you want someone local or are you open to travel or being coached remotely?
6. Time: Are you looking for a time-limited engagement to get you through a particular issue or are you looking to invest long-term?
7. Result: Are you looking for ideas, insight and someone to ask you “the right” questions or do you need someone to take the reigns and deliver products and services to jump start your practice?
8. Style: What kind of personality type do you want your coach to have? Do you need tough love or a gentle guiding hand? Do you want someone with a similar approach to you or your polar opposite?
9. Topics: What do you want to discuss? Might be things like: business development or work-life balance/flow or communication strategies or technology hacks or creative thinking

There are no wrong answers. Answering these questions will help you to determine what you hope to achieve from your coaching experience. Feel free to use this list as a screening tool.

Did you know …

If you are in Ontario, the Law Society facilitates FREE peer coaching. Yes, that’s right. Free.   How good can free be? Super awesome, actually.  Through the Coach and Advisor Network, you can be connected to another lawyer in the province to discuss any aspect of your legal practice and experience as a lawyer. They offer six sessions of one-on-one coaching.  I highly recommend it if you are new to having a coach and want a place to start.

What’s my coaching like?

If you are interested in investing in a coach, I offer both one-on-one coaching and group sessions to lawyers who want to expand the freedom in their time, impact, money and experiences. My main focus is helping lawyers translate their billable hourly advice into scalable products that create new income streams without working more hours. My other specialty is assisting women navigate transitions in their legal career to uncover their formidable selves.   Interested?