- How do I get started?
- Why 180 days?
- What happens after 180 days?
- What results will I get and when can I expect to see them?
- What kinds of tools and resources will you provide?
- What’s the difference between coaching and consulting?
- How much time do I have to put in?
- What about accommodating court-heavy schedules?
How do I get started?
The first step is to call Bill to discuss whatever questions are on your mind about your practice or your firm. The call, of course, is 100% confidential, and there is no fee. If Bill thinks he can help you clarify and achieve your objectives, he'll recommend a 90-minute Practice Checkup, for which there is a nominal fee. (If he determines that you don't need the Checkup or the timing isn't right, he'll make some suggestions and provide a few resources that will help move you forward.)
The Practice Checkup is a structured conversation in which you review the results of two detailed questionnaires about your practice, as well as a DISC Behavioral Assessment (which provides powerful insight into the impact that your natural attitudinal and behavioral preferences have on your effectiveness). The Practice Checkup gives you specific, significant takeaways to begin implementing immediately. If, after the Checkup, you and Bill agree that you're a good match for SuccessTrack coaching or an organizational consulting engagement, you'll move forward from there.
Why 180 days?
Because Bill's extensive experience with attorneys (backed by research from the fields of behavioral psychology, organizational development, and executive coaching) indicates that's typically how long it takes to:
1. clarify the right goals, measurable outcomes, and approach that
will work for you
2. acquire the appropriate knowledge and skills to implement
your plan
3. reinforce the right behaviors and processes to ensure lasting
benefits
Knowing the time frame at the start keeps the coaching process focused on measurable outcomes and keeps it moving forward. Read how the six months are typically structured.
What happens after 180 days?
Some clients take the experience and build on it indefinitely by themselves. Some clients continue for a second 6-month stint, focusing on their next set of goals. And some take six months or a year off to continue working their plan and then return to begin their next phase of growth.
What results will I get and when can I expect to see them?
You get two kinds of results. Process results come first and are the effects of improvements in how you go about your daily routines. These are both external (e.g., more efficient work flow) and internal (e.g., reduced stress). These results begin accruing within weeks of starting the program. Outcome results such as improved cash flow, higher value clients and cases, and more time with family usually begin at between three and nine months. Whether process-type or outcome-type, the results you experience are, of course, dependent on your particular goals.
What kinds of tools and resources will you provide?
Bill maintains a "best of the web" database with over 300 of the most valuable articles, forms, and multimedia tutorials available on the internet to help attorneys grow their firms and live a balanced life. These resources range from online sources of paralegal salary data by zip code, to checklists for designing successful off-site planning retreats, to video tours of effective law firm websites. You get the right resources when you need them.
What’s the difference between coaching and consulting?
SuccessTrack Coaching focuses on improving your personal effectiveness in the areas you want to develop. Whatever your primary goal - whether it's building a stronger marketing engine, managing your people more confidently, or increasing your profit margins - the coaching process is a one-on-one partnership that facilitates your achievement by providing you with structure, guidance, support, and momentum.
At the invitation of the firm's leadership, an Law Firm Consulting engagement focuses on management challenges such as governance structure, strategic direction, and workplace culture. While some individuals will receive coaching to help them execute their responsibilities more effectively, such coaching is only in the service of accomplishing the broader organizational objectives established by the firm's leadership team.
How much time do I have to put in?
An average of three hours a week is typical. One of those hours is devoted to the coaching call; the other two are spent throughout the week following up on the actions that arise from the call itself. Yet, because you quickly learn how to increase your productivity, you'll learn how to block out time for completing your "field work" without adding pressure to your schedule.
What about accommodating court-heavy schedules?
Coaching sessions and on-site consulting visits can be rescheduled to accommodate your court appearances and other externally driven circumstances.
