Executive coaching for mid-level and senior leaders focuses on helping these professionals enhance their leadership abilities, navigate complex organizational dynamics, and achieve personal and professional goals. The coaching is very individualized, addressing specific challenges they face in their roles, which might include team management, strategic thinking, decision-making, and work-life integration.

Key Areas of Focus:

1. Leadership Development: Senior and mid-level leaders are often responsible for setting direction and motivating teams. Coaching helps them develop self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and effective communication skills, allowing them to inspire their teams and foster a positive workplace culture.
2. 360 Degree Feedback and Coaching: The Leadership Circle, a 360-degree feedback instrument that I use, is a developmental tool that gathers performance feedback from a range of sources within an individual’s professional environment. It typically includes feedback from supervisors, peers, direct reports, and sometimes even clients, along with self-assessment. This comprehensive perspective gives individuals insight into their strengths, areas for improvement, and blind spots across different relationships and contexts. This provides constructive insights that help individuals understand how they are perceived by others, refine their skills, enhance their effectiveness, and ultimately grow in their roles.
3. Strategic Thinking and Vision: As leaders progress, they’re expected to think at a high level, align actions with the organization’s goals, and anticipate challenges. Executive coaching helps them hone their ability to analyze complex situations, make strategic decisions, and lead with a clear vision.
4. Influence and Stakeholder Management: Leaders often interact with various stakeholders. Coaching provides techniques to navigate these relationships effectively, build trust, and manage conflicts, which are vital for achieving organizational alignment.
5. Resilience and Stress Management: The demands on senior leaders can be intense. Executive coaching provides tools to manage stress, build resilience, and avoid burnout, enabling leaders to maintain focus, make sound decisions, and model a balanced approach for their teams.
6. Work-Life Integration: Many leaders face difficulties in balancing their personal and professional lives, especially when their roles are highly demanding. Coaching can help them establish frameworks to manage time and energy, ensuring they can perform at a high level without sacrificing personal fulfillment.

“The 360 review and subsequent analysis were really valuable and helped Valerie diagnose what the issues were/what to focus on. I really enjoyed the coaching.”
– Managing Director, Asset Management Firm, Boston

Outcomes of Executive Coaching for Leaders:

• Enhanced clarity in decision-making and prioritization
• Improved team performance and engagement
• Greater alignment with organizational objectives
• Increased resilience and adaptability
• Sustainable high performance and personal fulfillment

“She is especially adept at asking the important questions and serving as an accountability partner. I believe Valerie would be a wonderful resource for those seeking to be better leaders, perform better in their existing role, prepare for an elevated role, or looking to transition.”
– Attorney, Boulder, Colorado

Executive coaching for parental transition focuses on guiding professionals as they navigate the shift into parenthood while maintaining high performance in their careers. The coaching ultimately empowers professionals to lead in both the office and at home with confidence, allowing them to embrace both roles fully and sustainably.

The coaching program supports the professional (and their managers, if relevant) before, during, and after the transition to ensure this time is smooth for the individual, the leaders and the team. This coaching often involves:

1. Leave Preparation: Working with the individual and their manager (if relevant) to prepare for the parental leave, including creating a Transition Plan, a Communication Plan for the leave, to ensure that all aspects of their work are covered during the leave.
2. Return-from-Leave: Providing support when the individual returns from leave to help get them back on track, focus on the top work priorities and position them for maximum performance.
3. Time Management and Efficiency: Developing strategies for maximizing productivity in less time, delegating tasks effectively, and creating clear boundaries between work and home life. This also includes creating routines that help manage stress and prevent burnout.
4. Mindset Shifts: Exploring changes in identity as they take on a new role as a parent while still performing in their role. This might involve redefining personal and professional goals, values, and priorities.
5. Communication Skills: Helping the individual to communicate their needs, set expectations, and advocate for themselves so that their return to work is successful.

“Valerie was great! So easy to talk to and knowledgeable, she provided great insight, provided validation of my feelings, no topic was off limits, she was such a great listener and didn’t act like she had to fix everything or had all the answers, but just leant an ear and validated what I was going through.”
– CPA and Director of Accounting, San Diego

Executive coaching for law firm partners helps partners:

• Refine leadership skills
• Manage complex responsibilities
• Thrive in a demanding environment

Partners juggle multiple roles, including leading teams, managing client relationships, driving firm strategy, and maintaining personal practice goals.

Through a tailored approach, coaching supports partners in areas such as:

• Business development
• Conflict resolution
• Delegation
• Work-life balance

Coaching also helps partners cultivate an effective leadership style, enhance decision-making skills and manage the pressures of partnership. As a confidant and strategic sounding board, I assist partners in navigating challenges, sustaining motivation, and aligning personal and professional goals.

The outcome is improved personal effectiveness, which positively impacts billing, client experience, and firm culture.

Executive coaching can be a transformative tool for associates in law firms, helping them build essential skills, increase confidence, and set a strong foundation for career advancement. Here are key ways coaching can benefit associates:

• Skill Development: Coaching helps associates refine core legal skills, such as critical thinking, communication, and client interaction, while developing leadership abilities that will be essential as they advance.
• Career Strategy and Goal Setting: Through coaching, associates can set clear, realistic career goals and create actionable plans to achieve them, whether they’re aiming for partnership, practice specialization, or otherwise.
• Time Management and Efficiency: Many associates face intense workloads and deadlines. Coaching provides strategies to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and boost productivity without sacrificing quality.
• Confidence and Resilience: The demanding nature of legal work can be overwhelming. Coaching helps associates build resilience, manage stress, and gain confidence in their decision-making and client interactions.
• Navigating Firm Culture: Understanding and aligning with firm culture is essential for long-term success. Coaching can guide associates in building positive relationships with peers and partners, helping them navigate the unique dynamics of their firm.
• Work-Life Balance: Law firm associates often struggle with long hours and maintaining personal well-being. Coaching supports associates in finding balance, setting boundaries, and developing self-care practices to sustain both their professional and personal lives.

By addressing these areas, coaching empowers associates to become effective, well-rounded professionals who contribute meaningfully to their firm’s success while achieving their personal career goals.

Executive coaching for parental transition focuses on guiding lawyers as they navigate the shift into parenthood while maintaining high performance in their careers. The coaching ultimately empowers lawyers to run their practices and manage their life at home with confidence, allowing them to embrace both roles fully and sustainably.

The coaching program supports lawyers (and their managers, if relevant) before, during, and after the transition to ensure this time is smooth for the individual, the team, and the client relationships. This coaching often involves:

1. Leave Preparation: Working with the lawyer and their manager (if relevant) to prepare for the parental leave, including creating a Transition Plan, and a Work/Communication Plan for the leave, to ensure that all aspects of their work are covered during the leave.
2. Return-from-Leave: Providing support when the individual returns from leave to help get them back on track, focus on the top work priorities and position them for maximum performance.
3. Time Management and Efficiency: Developing strategies for maximizing productivity in less time, delegating tasks effectively, and creating clear boundaries between work and home life. This also includes creating routines that help manage stress and prevent burnout.
4. Mindset Shifts: Exploring changes in identity as they take on a new role as a parent while still performing at a high level at work. This might involve redefining personal and professional goals, values, and priorities.
5. Communication Skills: Helping the individual to communicate their needs, set expectations, and advocate for themselves so that their return to work is successful.