Page 38 - CCCA 247020 Magazine Spring 2016

{ sPoTlIgHT on… }
CAreer CoAChing For
in-house Counsel
By Karen Sadler
at a professional
crossroads? Career
coaching might be the
solution you’re looking for.
38 CCCa MaGazInE | SPRInG 2016 PRInTEMPS
any in-house counsel understand the process
the importance of fnding both The coaching process will differ depend-
ma mentor and a sponsor when it ing on the coach’s style and preferred
comes to career advancement. But the methods, so it’s important to shop around
idea of a career coach is still seen by some for a coach you connect with. Kaplan em-
in a more mysterious light. Below, two phasizes that as the client, “you have to
lawyers-turned-coaches explain the pro-
want to change and be ready to work for
cess and why in-house counsel may con- it. The ROI of coaching is realized be-
sider hiring a coach at various stages dur- tween the sessions.” So if you’re not ready
ing their career. to focus on making changes, coaching
might not be right for you at the moment.
Coaching versus mentoring Despite the fact that each coach will
“The coaching relationship involves use a different process, there are some
more accountability,” explains Joyce similarities across the board:
Kaplan, Business & Career Coach. Af- ■ The coach will frst get to know the cli-
ter getting to know the client and his ent’s values, goals and challenges. As
or her desired outcomes, the coach will your coach, explains Pommells, “I need
help determine achievable objectives, to understand the importance and
which the client can then begin work- scope of our work.”
ing towards—and they will both peri- ■ “The coach will act as a mirror,” says
odically evaluate the progress and adjust Kaplan, “refecting back what the client
next steps as needed. “Coaching is very is saying,” allowing the client to learn
action-oriented,” she adds. more about him or herself.
Lawyer Coach Paulette Pommells, ■ The process is objective, judgement
Founder of Creative Choices™ for the free and situationally based.
st
21 Century Lawyer, describes the coach-
ing relationship as more structured than top issues for in-house Counsel
a mentoring one. “Typically, you pay for According to Kaplan and Pommells, in-
a coach’s services. Your coach should be a house counsel come to them about a vari-
credentialed professional, who will guide ety of issues. For Pommells, the top ones
you through a specifc process designed to include:
reveal the information or answers you are ■ Understanding the legal department’s
looking for in pursuit of a goal.” In con- value and articulating a value proposition
trast, a mentoring relationship, which is ■ Infuencing internal clients to be more
voluntary, tends to be more informal and proactive about legal issues
focused on information sharing specifc ■ Improving management skills
to an industry or role, rather than on ca- ■ Developing goals for the legal depart-
reer growth as a whole. ment that are consistent with the com-
pany’s overarching objectives