How to Become a Coach-Style Leader
A good leader is someone whose people are productive, innovative and excited to be part of the team. How does an employee — particularly one new to a leadership role — develop the skills to create and manage such a team?
Managers are often not trained in specific leadership skills, so they tend to default to whatever management style they have observed. Many managers use a traditional management style of telling, supervising and disciplining.
But there’s a better way: Managers should instead learn coach-style leadership, which involves asking, empowering and guiding. This style of leadership develops strong relationships. It is a way of being with others that is open, inquisitive and challenging. It empowers people to be accountable and resourceful in order to achieve the results they desire.
Enrollment: A New View on the Art of Persuasion
Published in Legal Management, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Administrators, April 2015
You may wonder, “Why would I want to learn the skill of persuasion?” In the workplace, there are several reasons:
- You want staff to take ownership for their role in the firm.
- You feel like everyone in the firm is not on the same page.
- Support staff do not always put full effort into their work.
- You have trouble managing when others do not seem to listen to you.
In each of the above scenarios, you may want to persuade someone to do something — and much of communication involves an element of persuasion.
Team & Group Coaching
Published in Choice, The Magazine of Professional Coaching, Volume 13 Number 1
Expert Advice: Personal Coaches
Published in California Lawyer, A Daily Journal Publication, November 2010
Gerry Williams is a brilliant attorney. He wins cases and brings a lot of money into the firm. But there are problems. Gerry does not return phone calls or answer emails promptly. Negative comments are coming to the firm from clients. When colleagues consult him, they don’t feel they have his full attention. And Gerry’s family is not happy because they never see him. The managing partner doesn’t know what to do.
Accountability: Empowering you and shaping your practices
Published in Plaintiff Magazine, The Magazine for Northern California Plaintiffs’ Attorneys, May 2010
Looking at a problem in a different way can produce positive changes.
I am sure you have heard the word and perhaps you have a sense of what it means. In this article, I will define it this way: Accountability is the ability to account for the choices you have made or are making. It is a simple concept and very powerful. Let’s look at how it works.
Values-based living for lawyers
Published in Plaintiff Magazine, The Magazine for Northern California Plaintiffs’ Attorneys, April 2009
Identifying and beginning to live your values will improve your work-life balance, before it becomes a problem.
It is often with some surprise that young lawyers, fresh from law school, step into their first job and discover the amount of time required to be successful in this business. Whether it is because she works for a firm with a billable-hours requirement or because she is starting her own practice, it becomes quickly apparent that practicing law requires a great commitment of time. Different attorneys deal with this requirement in different ways. But inevitably the same thing occurs for the vast majority – time is taken from other, more personal, endeavors, such as family time, entertainment.
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Cami McLaren Coaching
Phone: (916) 747-3660
Email: cami@mclarencoaching.com