CASE STUDY
Developing the Next Generation of Law Firm Leaders
Designing a leadership program to support emerging leaders in achieving firm and client goals while maintaining their own well-being
When an AmLaw 100 firm wanted to support the next generation of law firm leaders, the firm came to us to build a customized 10-month program to provide them with tools and strategies to address their everyday challenges while leading the firm into the future.
What we’re solving for
Leadership Development
Services
Group Learning
Our Process
In collaboration with the firm, we identified that the main goals were leadership development and building relationships and community among these partners identified as emerging leaders. With that in mind, we designed a custom program to expand participants’ thinking about what would support their efforts in connection with relationship management and team management, brand and reputation management, executive presence, networking, business development, and client pitches. We built in structured content through in-person and virtual workshops focused on critical skills and topics that were identified as leadership priorities by the firm.
As a precursor to the program, partners took Thine Accelerate, our developmental assessment, to help them better understand their strengths and opportunities for growth in the context of competencies critical to success. The first of the workshops delved deeply (but anonymously) into the patterns revealed across the group, and what that meant for their leadership efforts.
Recognizing that it can be difficult for the partners to get into and stay in action when it comes to developmental (versus client) activities, we built in personalized coaching sessions to support them with and hold them accountable to their goals, and to increase the impact of the workshops.
In addition, having identified that a key goal of the firm was to strengthen the relationships among this cohort of partners and create a community of leaders that actively promote one another, we integrated group coaching and advisory circles into the program. These smaller group settings, facilitated by a Volta coach, allowed participants to receive confidential support and advice from their peers on topics affecting their day-to-day activities.
Result
As a result of the varied formats of the program, through workshops, individualized coaching, and group coaching in the advisory circles, we were able to surface themes and topics for the firm as ongoing priorities for the cohort and the firm.