WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM 19 individuals looking to grow — and it’s often a coaching opportunity to explore influence, visibility, and long-term career strategy. How do you approach mental health and wellbeing in your coaching work, particularly with high-performing legal professionals? This is near and dear to my heart and not just limited to coaching attorneys. In most high-performing professions, the pressures of the job take a deep toll on well-being – not just mental, but physical, emotional as well. My experience has been to understand first whether the client leader understands how well-being fits into being better able to perform their job well, and what steps have already been taken. If they haven’t been taken, we talk about the cost of not doing anything. We talk about trade-offs at work. We talk about being intentional about what that would look like and what might result. We also talk about What dynamics or challenges stand out in the legal space compared to other sectors? A common challenge I’ve observed is the shift from a lawyer mindset to a leadership mindset. Lawyers are trained to protect, defend, and reduce risk — which serves them well in their practice. But that same mindset can sometimes bleed into how they manage people or influence organizational dynamics. The most successful corporate attorneys I’ve worked with understand this. They know their role goes beyond legal counsel — it’s about taking an enterprise-wide view and leading people effectively. They’ve learned to flex between legal expertise and leadership presence, navigating both their teams and the broader political landscape of their organizations. Another dynamic I’ve noticed is that advancement opportunities in legal departments can be limited, depending on how the team is structured. That can create frustration for talented small steps, and what permission from themselves that needs to be given. What are some strategies you’ve found effective for helping them manage pressure and stress? (1) Being intentional. For example, planning vacations well in advance, blocking them on the calendar, or planning no-work weekends. (2) Getting outside. Walking in nature, whether it be a forest path or botanical garden. A corollary is having plants in your office or home. Research is replete with evidence on how being outdoors, or near trees or even pictures of them, can settle the nervous system. (3) Movement. This does not require a heart-pounding exercise routine, unless that is enjoyed, too. Walking and yoga are also helpful. (4) Seeing friends and building community. Spending time being with people that support you and make you laugh. Doing something you love outside of work The lawyer mindset must evolve into a leadership mindset.
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