Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Trying Harder

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.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

My average client is not at all who you think they are

“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?

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Delegation: A Case Study (II)

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.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Progress Is Not Linear

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.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

One-Size-Fits-All Solutions

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.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Valuing Your Team

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

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Delegation: A Case Study

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.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Why Your Current Job Deserves a Second Chance

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…)

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Coaching as punishment

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.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

How to Know When You Have Done Enough

Many people think about objectives as a source of pressure: we set goals in order to push ourselves to improve our performance. However — paradoxical though it may seem — having specific objectives can actually help to reduce stress.

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Jonathan Passaro Jonathan Passaro

Show Off Your Listening Skills

The more you are able to demonstrate your ability to listen deeply, the more you will become a privileged confidant — which can be a major asset at work. This article presents some key ways to demonstrate that your colleagues can rely upon you for your excellent listening skills.

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