Coaching Solutions: Turning Associates Into Partners
By Lawyer and Executive Business Coach, Irene Leonard
Reprinted with the permission of the Association of Legal Administrators Puget Sound Chapter, October 2008.
Your associates are one of your firm's greatest assets. Retaining your associates and grooming them into partner caliber is important for the life and resiliency of any firm. How can you be sure they are prepared? Here are some strategies for coaching to give them the tools, motivation, advice and help they need to succeed.
Your goal in using these skills is to help the coachee (the person you are coaching) become more aware and come up with solutions to problems.
1. Hit the Ground Running
Make sure the new associate has what he or she needs from their very first day. The first few weeks at a new job can color the experience long into the future. Bring a new associate into the firm by providing the proper tools, information, and encouragement from their first day.
2. Communicate Clearly What is Required
Lawyers want to know what is expected of them. They already know they need to produce excellent work, and that they must meet or exceed billable hour goals. What they may not know is what else is required for success in your firm, and for getting on track to make partner. Look at your firm's culture, and communicate it to the associates.
Here are some pointers you can give them:
- Show an interest in the firm's success
Partners have a stake in the firm, and so they will obviously work for its success. Remind associates to follow their lead, and demonstrate their commitment to the firm. Give them specific recommendations. - Pitch in
Recommend associates offer to help with non?billable tasks. They can pitch in on recruitment, marketing, technology, or another area that interests them. - Support others
Successful lawyers will support other associates, not just partners. It is natural to be competitive, but associates must balance that with an awareness they are part of a firm, and they must work to make it profitable. - Be a rainmaker
Finally, one of the most important ways for an associate to bolster the firm's success is to bring in business. If limiting beliefs prevent them from developing business, you can help them change those beliefs. Refer to articles that specifically address the topic. - Be someone we can count on
Being reliable seems like a given, but many associates may not realize how important it is to their long?term success. Help motivate your associates to keep their word, and to provide what is needed as promised, and on time. Let them know that being utterly reliable and trustworthy is a requirement.
Instead of just instructing associates to be reliable, let them know what it means—give them examples of the behavior that evidences their reliability. Provide training in skills like time management, so they know how to be as reliable as the firm's clients and partners need them to be. - Model yourself after successful lawyers in the firm
Point out to junior associates that successful senior associates and partners exemplify the culture of the firm. Encourage the associates to pay attention to how the partners behave toward clients, other lawyers and staff, and to model themselves after that behavior. For example, do the partners always return calls promptly? Is the atmosphere relaxed, or do the partners maintain a more professional or businesslike demeanor? What kind of dress code do the partners adopt? Encourage young attorneys to model themselves after the respected lawyers of the firm. - Work with your mentor
Often, new associates will need help in working with the mentor assigned to them by the firm. They may not make it a priority, or may believe there's no time for working with the mentor. Answer their objections as follows:
I shouldn't bother him: A mentor is one of your most valuable tools. It may seem like he is too busy, but if you have been assigned a mentor, there is a reason. The firm trusts you will make use of the guidance.
He hasn't come to talk to me: Don't wait for him to come to you; he is busy. Notice when his schedule is lightest. Does he come in first thing in the morning to catch up on administrative tasks? Maybe he slows down right after lunch. Go knock on the door. Ask when would be a good time to talk, and when you have his ear, be ready.
I don't know what to talk about: Ask the questions that are really on your mind. "What does it take to succeed in the firm?" "How many billable hours do I really need?" Ask for his advice on firm culture, or how to deal with difficult clients. Ask for advice about solving sticky legal problems. - Stay positive
Remind associates of the importance of a good attitude. If they enjoy the firm and the lawyers they work with, people will enjoy them and they will have an easier time becoming an integral part of the firm. Help them avoid getting caught up in complaining about partners, billable hours or firm politics. Help them stay focused on what's important.
Suggest that if they have a valid complaint, they should turn the complaint into a request so the complaint would no longer be an issue. For example, if their legal assistant does not have enough time to do work for them, rather than complain about it, coach them to take the problem to the right person (which might be you), and to help find a solution. - Admit your ignorance, and your mistakes
Sometimes associates think they should know more than they do, and this might cause them to hide their mistakes. Reassure them mistakes happen and are understandable, but hiding them is not. Help your attorneys to increase their confidence in their abilities, so they become willing to admit their mistakes. Remind them partners respect associates for asking questions to clarify the work they are doing. - Work on building strong relationships
Associates need to be proactive in attracting good assignments and building positive relationships with successful lawyers in the firm. Encourage associates to seek out assignments from lawyers who generate the type of work that interests them. It is a simple matter to introduce themselves and express interest, but it is something they may need to be persuaded to do.
3. Make Sure You Come Through
You can give your associates good advice, but for that advice to be useful, the firm must also provide the resources the associates need to be the kind of lawyers you have inspired them to be.
Besides good advice, you need to give them training and coaching to support their professional development. Mean it when you say their mentor is happy to work with them. Be sure partners know acknowledgement and compliments can help keep associates motivated.
Associates also need ongoing, quality feedback from their supervising partners, to help them be aware of their performance, and how they can improve. Have this be the time for supervising partners to listen to associate concerns, helping them to feel involved and supported.
These suggestions will help you provide an environment that builds associates into excellent future partners.
Coaching Example
Here is an example of how a coaching session might go. Joe, a second year associate, comes to Sue, a legal administrator, for advice about his future.
Sue: Sure, I'd loved to. What is it you would like my help with?
Joe: Well, I don't think I am using my mentor very effectively.
Sue: Tell me what you mean by that?
Joe: Well, I guess I don't communicate well with him.
Sue: What do you mean?
Joe: Well (laughing nervously) I guess I mean… we rarely have conversations. He is always so busy, and I don't want to bother him.
Sue: Joe, I'm glad you brought this up. I know that George is well intentioned, and wants you to succeed. And you are right; he is very busy. How do you think you could seek out his help?
Joe: Well, I guess I've been hoping he would come to me.
Sue: Yes, I can understand that. But as you have seen, that isn't going to work with George. You are going to have to go to him. Based on what you know about him, how do you think you should do that?
Joe: Hmmm. I don't think I know enough about George, but I suppose I could just go and knock on his door and ask if he has time to talk with me?
Sue: Good. How will you make the best use of your time with George, if he says yes?
Joe: Oh, good question. I should have an agenda, shouldn't I? My questions and concerns.
Sue: Good idea. What if George is busy then? What might you suggest to him?
Joe: Oh, I get it. I should have a plan to set up a time to talk with him, when he isn't so busy.
Sue: Yes, and I would also suggest that you might pay attention to when in the day he is more likely to have time. For example, he likes to handle administrative matters when he comes back from lunch.
Joe: Thanks, Sue. I'll try to stop in later today.
Sue: No problem, Joe. Thanks for coming by.
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©Irene Leonard. After more than 19 years as a business lawyer, Irene Leonard offers professional development coaching services as an executive business coach. She helps law firms improve management and marketing. Go to her website www.CoachingForChange.com or contact her at 206-723-9900 for more information.