I coach a lot of lawyers. They’re probably 40% of my client base.
There are some structural features of legal education and early attorney career paths that reward specific attributes. They inculcate some beliefs and behaviors in ways that other professional paths don’t.
And then there are some temperamental attributes of the kinds of people who choose law.
- Highly verbal.
- Quick and persuasive.
- Deadline-motivated, task focused.
- Risk averse.
- Structured and sequential thinkers.
- Hate mistakes.
- Value precision and accuracy.
We also know that the legal profession has an above-average distribution of anxiety, depression, and substance use. Managing high-stakes matters for clients can bring acute stress; the volume of work demands over years can be a chronic stressor. Many lawyers do work that touches human trauma. I see a lot of burnout and turnover, and I understand all the reasons why.
One thing that gives me hope is NALP’s recent study on perfectionism in the legal field. Although many attorneys believe that their perfectionism is a professional superpower (albeit one that might have drawbacks for personal satisfaction) the data show otherwise.
Lower-perfectionism attorneys have equally high ambition and quality work product as those who have perfectionistic tendencies — and they have significantly higher longevity. They manage their time better, perhaps because they’re better at delegating and at both giving and receiving feedback. And, their life and career satisfaction is much, much higher.
The good news is that perfectionistic tendencies can be addressed through cognitive behavioral therapy and other coaching techniques.
Read this study if you are an attorney, or know one who is suffering or struggling at work.
If I wanted to, it would be easy to specialize in coaching only unhappy attorneys. There are plenty of them, and it breaks my heart.
Although I sometimes adapt my approach and my coaching style when I work with lawyers, I think I’m a better coach because I also serve real estate developers, magazine editors, data scientists, and nonprofit leaders. The project of finding work that really fits your definition of a good life is a challenge facing smart people across industries and life stages.
I know many happy lawyers. They’re out there, too, and there are very useful lessons from the way they approach their work.
I want our justice system to be full of people who are energetic, optimistic, and engaged in their work. That’s good for the attorneys themselves, and for the world they help shape.
