by
Getty)
The
right
coach
can
collapse
years
of
trial
and
error
into
a
focused,
strategic
path
forward,
but
only
if
you
are
wired
to
take
advantage
of
it.
Let’s
get
something
straight.
Hiring
a
coach
is
not
for
everyone.
In
fact,
some
lawyers
would
be
far
better
off
saving
their
money.
After
years
of
working
with
attorneys
around
the
world,
I’ve
seen
a
clear
pattern.
The
lawyers
who
struggle
with
coaching
are
not
lacking
intelligence
or
talent.
They’re
lacking
something
far
more
important,
the
mindset
required
to
actually
benefit
from
it.
Before
you
invest
in
a
coach
to
grow
your
practice,
it’s
worth
asking
a
tougher
question.
Are
you
even
coachable?
Here
are
five
signs
the
answer
might
be
no.
1.
You
Already
Think
You
Have
All
the
Answers
There
is
a
certain
type
of
lawyer
who
walks
into
every
room
convinced
they
are
the
smartest
person
in
it.
Confidence
is
one
thing.
Being
closed
off
to
new
ideas
is
something
else
entirely.
Coaching
requires
openness.
It
demands
the
ability
to
admit
there
are
gaps,
blind
spots,
or
habits
that
are
holding
you
back.
If
your
default
position
is
to
dismiss
outside
input
or
assume
you
know
better,
the
process
breaks
down
before
it
even
begins.
You
cannot
improve
what
you
refuse
to
examine.
2.
You
Argue
with
Everything
Lawyers
are
trained
to
challenge,
question,
and
push
back.
That
skill
is
valuable
in
the
courtroom.
It
becomes
a
liability
in
a
coaching
relationship.
If
every
suggestion
turns
into
a
debate,
progress
stalls.
Coaching
is
not
about
winning
arguments.
It
is
about
testing
new
approaches,
even
when
they
feel
uncomfortable
or
unfamiliar.
If
your
instinct
is
to
object
instead
of
exploring,
you
are
going
to
spin
your
wheels.
3.
You
Are
a
Built-In
Excuse
Machine
Accountability
is
one
of
the
biggest
advantages
of
working
with
a
coach.
But
it
only
works
if
you
follow
through.
If
missed
deadlines
are
always
someone
else’s
fault,
if
commitments
keep
slipping,
or
if
“busy”
becomes
a
permanent
excuse,
no
system
in
the
world
will
help
you.
Execution
beats
intention
every
time.
Without
it,
coaching
becomes
a
very
expensive
conversation.
4.
You
Think
Short-Term
and
Play
Small
Many
lawyers
hesitate
to
invest
in
themselves
while
unknowingly
wasting
hundreds
of
hours
on
ineffective
business
development.
They
attend
random
events,
dabble
in
marketing
tactics,
and
hope
something
sticks.
Meanwhile,
opportunities
come
and
go.
Here
is
the
real
issue.
The
cost
of
not
improving
your
business
development
system
is
always
higher
than
the
cost
of
fixing
it.
Every
missed
opportunity,
and
the
time
associated
with
it,
has
a
price
tag.
Not
just
in
the
past,
but
in
the
future
as
well.
If
you
are
focused
only
on
immediate
cost
instead
of
long-term
return,
coaching
will
always
feel
like
an
expense
instead
of
an
investment.
5.
You
Are
Focused
on
Price
Instead
of
Value
This
one
is
simple.
If
your
primary
filter
for
decisions
is
cost,
you
will
struggle
to
see
the
bigger
picture.
Lawyers
routinely
invest
in
technology,
staff,
and
office
space
without
hesitation.
Yet
when
it
comes
to
investing
in
their
own
growth,
they
hesitate.
The
reality
is
this.
The
gap
between
a
service
partner
and
a
true
rainmaker
is
not
subtle.
It
is
significant,
both
in
income
and
in
control
over
your
career.
Closing
that
gap
requires
more
than
effort.
It
requires
guidance,
structure,
and
accountability.
A
Final
Reality
Check
Not
all
coaches
are
created
equal.
And
not
every
coach
will
be
the
right
fit
for
you.
But
even
the
best
coach
cannot
help
someone
who
is
unwilling
to
change,
unwilling
to
act,
or
unwilling
to
look
inward.
On
the
other
hand,
for
lawyers
who
are
open,
committed,
and
ready
to
do
the
work,
coaching
can
be
a
game-changer.
I’ve
seen
it
happen
too
many
times
to
count.
The
question
is
not
whether
coaching
works.
The
question
is
whether
you’re
ready
for
it.
For
more
information
about
BE
THAT
LAWYER
and
how
we
help
attorneys
achieve
dramatic
growth,
go
to
www.bethatlawyer.com
or
email
me
at
[email protected].
Steve
Fretzin
is
a
bestselling
author,
host
of
the
“Be
That
Lawyer”
podcast,
and
business
development
coach
exclusively
for
attorneys.
Steve
has
committed
his
career
to
helping
lawyers
learn
key
growth
skills
not
currently
taught
in
law
school.
His
clients
soon
become
top
rainmakers
and
credit
Steve’s
program
and
coaching
for
their
success.
He
can
be
reached
directly
by
email
at [email protected].
Or
you
can
easily
find
him
on
his
website
at www.fretzin.com or
LinkedIn
at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin.