The messages we inadvertently send with our behaviour, or that we project onto our misinterpretations of others’ behaviour, can negatively impact the productivity and well-being of our colleagues. These imagined behaviours can trigger increases in stress levels or tensions between colleagues that result in very real drains on time and energy.

What exactly do we mean by discipline? Is it true that some people simply have more, and others less? And, if you have less discipline, is there really nothing you can do about it?

A lawyer in a large international law firm had a promising career ahead of him. Unfortunately, his tendency to procrastinate was causing him serious problems.

Often, the first reflex of clients when reflecting on a potential solution to a problem is that they simply need to “try harder”. This belief is not only misguided — it’s confounding.

“So, Jon — what’s it like working with all of the depressed lawyers in Paris?” It’s a joke — which exists in several variations — that I often hear when I spend time with lawyers in my network. And while there are few things I love more than a good laugh, this one scores few points with me because it stems from a widespread misconception that I’m obligated to refute on a regular basis. But where does this unhappy-lawyer-as-coaching-client stereotype come from?

Previously, I wrote about a client who successfully found a way to delegate his work more effectively thanks to a better appreciation for his value-added as a more senior lawyer. In this article, I address another typical case related to delegation: a client who found it difficult to delegate to her team because she often found the work product she received was not up to her standards.

Even if you know that setbacks are a natural part of growth and change, it can still be difficult to live this process, especially if you are someone who isn’t accustomed to failure.

However, working on your relationship with failure can help you to approach challenges with greater peace of mind, which — as paradoxical as it may seem — often translates into you achieving your goals more quickly.

Teaching someone “the” ideal way to do something presumes that there is such a thing as “the” ideal way. However, “one-size-fits-all” solutions to improve productivity — although they may be effective for certain people — are ultimately illusory because they fail to take into account the specific needs unique to each person.

Given the stiff competition for top talent in the current job market, how does one attract and retain the best of the best?

Despite his utmost confidence in his associates, a client continued to review meticulously each piece of work they completed. In fact, he had a tendency to modify their work product so extensively that, in many cases, he was basically entirely re-doing the work himself. We began working together so that he could address this situation.

Have you had it with your current job? Are you faced with unreasonable expectations and difficult colleagues? Do your employers’ values not correspond with your own? Three good reasons to start looking for a new job, right? Not so fast. Read on to consider why it might be worth giving your current job a second chance (unless, of course, you are experiencing bullying, harassment, burn-out, etc…)

All too often, I hear people around me talking about coaching as if it were some kind of punishment. Sound familiar? If so, this article is for you.