Expanding our Toolboxes

Coaching has become more than a sports term in the past few years. Many business executives, lawyers, and even housewives now have personal coaches. Coaches support their clients in achieving goals. Many of the skills of coaching are also applicable to law practice. Below are some communication tips from the coaching profession that apply to law:

Listening skills:

The end of a marriage is a frightening time for most people. Not only are past hurts and failures likely to be triggered, in most cases the husband and wife have lost their primary confidants (each other) at a time when they are most vulnerable and in need of support. As emotions escalate, cognitive areas of the brain shut down and problem-solving becomes impossible. Reducing anxiety is therefore critical to the collaborative process.

The following is an A through H list of how to reduce anxiety and encourage creative problem-solving.

--Editor's Note: This article is adapted from The Book of Agreement: 10 Essential Elements for Getting the Results You Want by Stewart Levine (Berrett-Koehler, Dec. 2002.)

Clients and prospects want to know that you care about them, their business and their problems. The common negative stereotype about lawyers--that lawyers are arrogant, uncaring, selfish and greedy is perhaps in part a result of our listening habits. Are you a good listener? How do you know?

This presentation was originally made at “The Role of the Peacemaker in Healing Polarization. Summer Peace Camp for Lawyers.” July 28-31, 2005 at Black Mountain, N.C. Renaissance Lawyer Society. In order to work effectively in print format, some editorial liberties were taken. --Editor's Note

Why do we listen? Well, as animals, we listen to locate prey, predators or allies. As language-using animals: “Have you tried the salmon at the new place downtown” “Look out for that guy, he’s turning!” or “Come here and gimme a hug.”

We all know attorneys who do outstanding trial work but can’t keep associates. Some attorneys weave a tight and eloquent argument but can’t settle a case. And then there are those who are only interested in winning no matter what the cost to the people involved. Many attorneys could benefit greatly from an understanding of a process called Appreciative Inquiry (AI). Appreciative Inquiry is the brainchild of Dr. David Cooperrider, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management and co-founder of Appreciative Inquiry Consulting.

Are YOU A Renaissance Lawyer?

By J. Kim Wright & Kevin B. Ginsberg

"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come." Victor Hugo

What feeds you in your law practice?
Do you like to solve problems?
Are you able to be creative, and use your creativity to help people?
Do you see yourself as a pioneer?

A lawyer friend, Sharif, spent Thanksgiving Day of 2004 in the hospital. He went there for emergency surgery to remove his appendix. A few hours after the surgery, Sharif found himself in a pool of blood. Nurses tried to be super-professional in the midst of the emergency but Sharif said he could tell they were in a panic and he thought he was going to die. The quick diagnosis was internal bleeding (although Sharif said it looked very external to him!) He was taken back into surgery and the two little holes from the laparoscopic surgery became a five inch incision. A few days later, Dr.