Coaching Case Study:
From “putting out fires” to a well-oiled machine
Frank Jones* is a smart and experienced Board Certified lawyer in a Texas metropolitan area. When Frank began his coaching experience, he had a highly stressful practice, and complained that he was “always putting out fires.” He had employees who disrupted workflow with frequent absences, tardiness and emotional discord. He misplaced papers and wasted a lot of time hunting for them. He dreaded certain phone calls because his disorganization made him feel unprepared. He feared sinking into a practice dominated by a sense of drudgery and darkness. The impact of an enlarging chasm between his management philosophy and that of a partner often distracted him from his legal work.
Frank’s first steps in coaching involved brainstorming and experimenting with strategies to obtain a block of uninterrupted time each day to concentrate on complex legal work. He also strived to put his focus on the most important and pressing matters. With the support and accountability mechanisms of coaching, he was able to develop more productive work patterns despite resistance and impediments from the other office members.
Frank validated the efficacy of coaching with hard numbers. He reported that his efficiency improved sufficiently for him to accomplish in 74 hours per month what previously took him 117 hours. Frank used some of his newfound time to generate more revenue, and some of it to get some exercise with a friend, further relieving his stress.
Relishing those initial accomplishments, Frank turned his attention to other issues, such as creating a less stressful office environment more in line with his vision, building his practice, enhancing the quality of his associates and staff, and moving his practice toward more financially and emotionally rewarding work.
Frank made the decision to leave his firm and set up a new office on his own. He continued his coaching goal of improving productivity and performance in his office. He used his […]