Leaders are better rainmakers. Bold statement, isn’t it? But think about it. Would you easily place your trust in someone who manages a team of worker bees who don’t make much individual contribution - knowing that if the manager goes down, the team will at best miss a few beats? Or would you select someone who is [...]
In listening to conversations about leadership development, I’ve noticed a tendency that at first I attributed to a slip of the tongue. People say things like, “So good management – I mean, leadership – requires [this that and the other].” Some people even suggest that management and leadership are really the same thing and that [...]
I almost titled this post “The Bad Blogger,” because that’s how I feel! I’ve been away from Atlanta (my primary home) for all but 3 scattered days since mid-January. I’m accustomed to travel, but doing this much of it all at once is truly a challenge. One thing I’ve learned is to be a little [...]
Today marks the release of the first issue of the new twice-monthly e-newsletter, Leadership Matters for Lawyers. My conversations with lawyers have revealed deep interest in the topic of leadership. Law firms have initiated leadership development programs and bar associations have instituted Leadership Academies. Attorneys are reading (and writing) books that address how leaders are [...]
Some months ago, Stephanie West Allen requested that fellow bloggers write a “letter to a young lawyer.” Susan Carter Liebel has recently renewed the request and I am delighted to join in, at last.
To the new attorney:
Welcome to the practice! You’ve learned much over the last three years of law school, and you may be [...]
One of the interesting things about practicing law is that, until relatively recently, little discussion occurred about how to advance in practice beyond becoming a top-notch practitioner. While I have no doubt that other skills have always been required (the ability to communicate well, to lead well, etc.), it’s quite clear to me that more [...]
One aspect of coaching that oftens initially surprises my clients is that I offer feedback that shows them something they hadn’t previously appreciated, something that reveals another factor or aspect of a situation and perhaps changes my client’s view of things.
For instance, I was working with one client (let’s call her Barb) who was hoping [...]
June 06, 2008 
