This is one of my favourite quotes because it applies to my coaching work so well. 
We see people making all kinds of career moves and it seems like it was done overnight or with little effort, but there’s much work involved. That’s where I come in!
I coached several senior lawyers in 2020 who were feeling unhappy with their work and needed guidance on how to move forward. Take Ruth (name has been changed). She had her own litigation practice for 5 years and was looking to move into the job market. Ruth is a bright and capable lawyer but, like many of my clients, she was at a standstill of where to go next in her career.
We started with establishing her values and strengths to create a strong foundation of who she is and what’s most important to her. She had never done this work before. In fact, her value around modesty meant that it took some time for Ruth to recognize and appreciate her own value. My job as a coach is to slow down and speed up according to each client’s needs. With Ruth, I slowed down to allow her to reconcile what she was learning.
Once Ruth actually believed her worth, we were able to complete one of my favourite exercises: PERFECT. The acronym stands for a different aspect of work life. From the environment to what skills she’d ideally like to use while working, Ruth was able to look at work from a 360˚ perspective and with fresh eyes.
This led to a breakthrough moment of why Ruth didn’t find traditional legal work satisfying any longer. It also pointed to policy work being more in line with her skills, values and strengths. Ruth was hopeful and optimistic about her future.
Within two months of this “a-ha” discovery, Ruth had the confidence and courage to network, and secured an interview for a policy position. From the outside, it looked to happen very quickly, but Ruth would tell you about all the work she did to get there.
Ruth’s grit is a lesson for us all: when we’re unhappy in our lives, sometimes we need to do uncomfortable work before we can grow and move on. Like the crocuses we’re starting to see emerge from the cold, winter ground, they usually flower at the start of its third growth season. Is that chance or preparation?
If you’re interested in working with me to clarify the next steps in your career, set up a 30-minute complimenntary call here.
