The more we understand EF, the more we can recognize and address breakdowns. Doing so will empower all of us to help ourselves, and our teams, work better.

When we are coaching a colleague, the G-R-O-W (Grow, Reality, Options, Way Forward) coaching model can provide a great framework to structure goal-oriented conversations.

Partners speak about a lack of ownership and drive in the younger associate ranks. And this “malaise” extends to some senior attorneys too.

Thanks and praise are easy enough to give (although they too can be in short supply) but they are not developmental.

Reward and encouragement are powerful change agents. Shame and punishment are not.

I encourage partners to see delegation as the beginning of a collaborative work process.

What we think of as necessary is extroverted behavior: social, gregarious, talkative. These can be helpful for leadership and business development, but so can more introverted tendencies.

We don’t expect 8th grade students to produce college level work. We shouldn’t expect 3rd/4th year lawyers to produce senior associate level work.

Framing feedback as grading is pervasive among the partners with whom I work.  But feedback isn’t—and shouldn’t be viewed as—grading.

Feedback should be short - very short in fact, and focused on just one or two items.

A suggestion I nearly always make to the partners with whom I work is that they ask these questions every time they get an assignment back from an associate.

A fact is not a judgment but how we express it and the conclusions we draw from it can be. The key to giving feedback is to stick to the facts, manage tone and resist drawing conclusions.

To be a great lawyer requires a sophisticated understanding of large amounts of law, the ability to apply that knowledge strategically, manage cases and lead teams. And each of these requires developing a competence in their component skills.

Associates are learning in a high-pressure environment, the learning curve is steep. They feel the pressure. Too often, what’s missing is someone encouraging or supporting their growth.

“What if you assumed positive intent?” What if you assumed that this associate is capable of great work? What would your reaction to the associate work be then?

Make clear that the questions are simply part of the process – part of their development and getting the work done right. Make sure that time is set aside – they don’t have to chase you, nor you them.

While the use of executive coaching within law firms has grown significantly, there is still a majority of firms beyond the Am Law 100 where coaching has yet to find its place.

Using coaching as a framework for leadership is a great way to think about collaborating with and supervising others.

Many of the ways in which people typically experience and receive feedback in the office no longer apply. And yet, feedback is more important than ever.

Leaders who already demonstrate empathy and those who quickly flex to develop their interpersonal skills will emerge as the winners, as will their law firms.