EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION YOU WANT ON GOOGLE true or false?
You can look up ways to market your business, you can look up ways to be happier and you can look up information about just any problem you are having. But what is the “clincher”? You are getting an opinion designed for everyone, not just you!
I give a lot of value by publishing a book about being a better lawyer. It is extremely helpful and is really a self help book for lawyers. But, believe me, it’s nothing like working with me in a one on one coaching arrangement. This is also true of the talks that I give. You get value but then you may not be able to actually use it.
The underlying trick is to identify the proper problem. Often times it is hidden or the lawyer is so deep in denial that it takes time and energy to uncover it. It is a personal problem, unique only to you.
Asking your friends or even your mentor is not always helpful and can be hurtful. Your family, friends and teachers all have their own “agendas”. They are worried about their careers and lives first and that frequently colors any advice you get from them. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have your best interest at heart. It just means they are human.
A coach, on the other hand, has no other agenda than to help you. IT IS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE TO HAVE A PERSON SO INVOLVED IN DOING GOOD FOR JUST YOU, THAT IT IS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
Take a look at this example:
An attorney would like to find more clients and make more money. So he/she first turns to google and puts in the QUESTION. Ok, so right here starts the problem. What exactly is the QUESTION. Most business people, especially those starting out, what more clients and more income. So the attorney spends hours getting all the free information from google. Some “experts” say he/she should do more networking. Others taking a larger view just want him/her to have a marketing plan. Maybe one even hints that a look at his/her “inner child” might help.
What to do with all this sometime conflicting information? My advice is nothing. Don’t even start looking at freebies until you have defined exactly what your ultimate goal is and why you are not there yet. My cynical view is that this is best done with someone who is totally invested in your success.
AND GUESS WHAT? THAT A LEGAL COACH!