Something that comes up all the time in my work as a coach for lawyers is how to approach difficult conversations in the workplace. So, whether it’s bullying, harassment, negotiations, or anything else you wish you could speak up about, I’m bringing you the perfect guest to help you ease your mind around bringing up the difficult or awkward conversations.

 

My guest this week Catalina Rodriguez, a lawyer, workplace investigator, certified organizational coach, and so much more. She’s here to discuss all things related to difficult and awkward conversations in the workplace and approaching those kinds of topics that seem too difficult to bring up but are still incredibly important.

 

Something I see often in my practice is lawyers who want to make the transition out of law and find themselves at a crossroads. They want to know what they can do with their law degrees outside of the legal career, but feel stuck and confused about what else is possible. And this week, I have the perfect guest on the podcast to talk about this.

 

Randi Bean is the founder and CEO of Life After Law. She’s a criminal defense lawyer who transitioned out of the practice herself, and now through her organization, helps other lawyers pursue non-traditional law practices. I know you’re going to love hearing from her because she’s going to share some vital information about how else you can use your law degree to go after a career you love. 

 

Difficult people; we’ve all got them in our lives. They’re our colleagues, acquaintances, or even family and friends outside of law, and it’s an experience that isn’t unique to just legal professionals. But while running into challenging situations where we have to deal with difficult people is a normal part of our professional lives, it doesn’t have to be as painful or frustrating as it is right now. 

 

In a legal environment where there are high stakes, high profile deals, and clients’ livelihoods on the line, it’s no surprise your relationships become heightened and difficult. Whether you feel like you don’t have reliable support, your boss is a bully, or you’re intimidated by opposing counsel, my objective this week is to help you strategize and come up with new, more sustainable ways to deal with difficult people.

 

When my clients first come to me, they present the pain and challenges they’re going through. They have a weight on their shoulders, or they’re struggling with something in their lives. But what very quickly comes to light is how they’re fighting to keep whatever is broken, even though they know they want a different future.

 

Whether you’re looking to grow and you don’t think that’s possible in your current organization, or you want to make a brave, bold move, there are so many reasons we tolerate and hold on to what no longer serves us. I’ve heard and experienced it all myself, from the belief that I’ve worked too hard to let something go, or that I’m not going to concede, to telling myself I’m too busy to redirect that energy.

 

Delegation has come up a lot in conversation with clients recently. It’s one of those topics that we need to explore a little more deeply because drama around delegation not only costs us our time, but it might be costing you financially in some ways you wouldn’t expect.

 

We know delegation is important, however, the Canadian Bar Association Women Lawyers Forum conducted a compensation study that suggested your ability to delegate is something that is evaluated when deciding on your compensation. So, with that in mind, we’re talking about all the things that holding you back around delegation, and the respective solutions.

 

In honor of International Women’s Day, I have the privilege and honor of delivering a presentation to the European Law Students’ Association this week. I love any opportunity to connect with women all across the globe, and I’m especially excited about speaking with female students about the challenges and opportunities out there. 

 

So this week, we’re doing something a little different. I’ve prepared a Q&A session for this upcoming presentation, and the questions I received were so good I knew I had to share them with you on the podcast. The questions we’re diving into today span a wide range of topics, from procrastination and whether I miss the legal profession, to the advice I would give my younger self if I could turn back time. 

 

Many lawyers I speak to reach out to me because they’re unhappy with their current situation. They don’t love their job, and some even want to leave law altogether. Often, the experience that’s shared with me is that the path they’re on right now felt like the best choice, but it was never the one they truly desired.

 

Going to law school or working at the firm you do might have seemed like the right decision, but like in many areas of our lives, we sometimes grow out of our roles. Whether you’ve reached a career plateau, or you’ve convinced yourself there’s nothing better out there for you, you’re in the right place because this week, we’re diving into how to create the job of your dreams. 

 

Feedback is an underrated skill that none of us are really taught, and yet it’s an incredibly useful and valuable tool that we can all benefit from. You can probably think back to instances where you were given feedback or asked to provide feedback, but there’s so much more to be gained when we understand how to best leverage it.

 

As busy professionals, feedback simply doesn’t always make the cut in our day-to-day lives. We’re often juggling work, our kids, and everything in between, so it makes sense that we haven’t mastered the art of giving or receiving feedback. My goal this week is to offer practical strategies so you can start seeing opportunities for using feedback in your professional and personal life.

 

As a young lawyer, I was once told by my mentor that I was lacking confidence. He suggested I keep my head up, push my shoulders back, and speak louder. It came from a place of good intention and I definitely tried it on in intimidating situations, but as a generally soft-spoken person, the notion that I was lacking confidence and how to fix it was always in the back of my mind.

 

The topic of confidence comes up often in my coaching conversations, ranging from my clients wanting to learn how to make decisions confidently, or trying something brand new for the first time. It can be a barrier for all of us, no matter what profession or stage of life you’re in. But the best news I’ve discovered is that you don’t have to employ strategies that don’t feel authentic to you in order to excel. 

 

This week, I’ve got two amazing guests on the show who are going to be your lighthouse if you’re considering going solo in your practice. Ashley Syer and Amy Grubb both have experience going solo and they both offer support and resources to other lawyers who want to do the same.

 

Ashley is the founder of The Lawyer Incubator; a space where lawyers who want to start their own practices can get the type of mentorship that is often missing from this realm. Amy is a lawyer and legal consultant who transitioned from Big Law on Bay Street to a solo practice, and she provides guidance to those in the same position, as well as to more established firms who may need some help.