Today, we're talking about something different. Creative hobbies and the benefits they can bring to lawyers and other professionals.

What do you do when you finally have some quiet time, after a long and stressful day of lawyering? For many, the answer includes some mindless scrolling, binge-watching, going for a run or diving into a great book. And sometimes that can be exactly what we need to give our minds and bodies a break. But other times, it leaves us lacking. We need something that goes beyond helping us slow down and, instead, actually fills our cup back up.

Well, in this podcast, Karen and I talk about how a creative hobby can be that something that inspires and energizes you every day, even on days when you feel drained or depleted.

In this episode, we share stories and ideas from our own experiences of leaning into art, including getting started, keeping it going, fitting it into a busy life, taking it with you wherever you go and overcoming fears of the blank page. We even suggest some specific ideas to try if this is all a bit new to you.

Despite what our teachers or society may have taught or told us over the years, we're all creative. You can do this. You might even love it.

To learn more about Karen Dunn Skinner, please go to https://www.leanlegal.academy/.

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

Today, we're looking at DEI from a different perspective, completely. Rather than the shoulds of it, we're addressing the why and the how of doing it right.

The landscape of professional services firms is somewhat divided when it comes to the difficult topic of DEI. Some firms have policies. Some don’t. Some are open to learning more. Some are disillusioned, disappointed are disinclined. Further still, following the basic requirements may not have had much of an impact and, as a result, there are new or lingering concerns and uncertainty about the value of these programs.

Some of the questions that came up in this episode, include:

• Why it's in your interest to do DEI right.
• What does it mean to do DEI right?
• How can DEI make your firm stronger?
• What are firms getting wrong about DEI?
• What are the missed opportunities with DEI in professional practice?

Skillfully tackling this sensitive topic and sharing actual experiences with me is Michelle Davis. To learn more about Michelle, please go to mvdconsulting.ca.

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

Today, we’re talking about difficult conversations in the workplace. Facing them head-on, rather than avoiding or delaying... because the underlying issue probably isn’t going away anytime soon.

In this episode, we share relatable stories and ideas that range the full gamut of the difficult conversation, from being the initiator to being on the receiving end, from the spontaneous to the planned.

It's a sensitive topic, but we invite you to lean into it with us. Getting better at difficult conversations can be a game-changer for anyone in professional services, where your work primarily focuses on engaging with other people (clients, teams, supervisors, collaborators). Growing this critical communication skill can embolden you to pursue your goals and reduce stress along the way.

Tackling this challenging topic with me (masterfully!) is Hannah Lau. To learn more about Hannah, please go to https://astera.asia/.

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

Lots of lawyers and other professionals give marketing a try. Once, twice, three times. But they get distracted, discouraged or busy and never really hit their stride. When marketing comes to a halt, you're not just walking away from inquiries, exposure and media. There's also the hidden cost of lost opportunities to build confidence, engage with community and maybe even have a little fun along the way.

If any of this feels familiar, you'll enjoy this podcast. Stuart and Mark share stories about overcoming obstacles on the way to marketing success, from their own experience. Stick-to-itiveness seems to be one of the real winners here, even in the face of serious doubt or significant change.

To learn more about Mark, please go to LawyerLocate.ca.

To learn more about Stuart please go to rudnerlaw.ca.

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

At some point in their career, many lawyers and other professionals consider serving on a board of directors as part of their professional development. And when they do, they usually come face-to-face with inevitable questions, like these ones:

- What type of board is right for me?
- How can I best contribute?
- What are some proven ways to handle conflict?

So, In this episode of Get in the Driver's Seat, we're pulling back the curtain on what it really means to join a board and how to make the most of that experience, for yourself, your colleagues and the organization itself. While this discussion is enlightening about the journey itself (and it is), it ultimately brings us to the key to it all, which is becoming a better leader.

To learn more about Michael, please go to https://www.agmlawyers.com/

To learn more about Annie, please go to https://www.torkin.com/

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

There are a lot of uncomfortable bumps along the way from solopreneur to CEO of your own professional firm:
- letting go of control as you hire and delegate in a bigger way
- prioritizing what matters to you and being flexible with the rest
- facing your limits and asking for help from your team or outside advisors

Learning to navigate these (sometimes surprising!) bumps can save you a lot of trouble, time and money. It may even get you where you're going faster and stronger.

In this episode of Get in the Driver's Seat, Lacey Kempinski , an in-house fundraiser, turned mom, turned consultant, turned CEO, shares stories about the issues and opportunities she ran into on her journey and what ultimately worked for her, her team and her company.

Lacey is the owner and founder of Balanced Good an organization that provides hands-on parental leave coverage for fundraising professionals.

If you are interested in learning more about Balanced Good, please go to: www.balancedgood.com or https://www.linkedin.com/company/balanced-good

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

There’s a lot of controversy around performance reviews these days! But rather than make a list of pros and cons, we’re performing a dramatic and playful role play. Our discussion shines a light on the issues to show a new way forward.

Deborah plays the role of the passionate consultant shouting from the rooftops “performance reviews don't work”. I play the role of the unconvinced, but curious (and sometimes difficult!) client. If you are a practice manager looking to improve your firm's performance, this episode is for you!

If you are interested in learning more about Deborah Glatter, Legal educator and management consultant, please go to:
https://deborahglatter.com/

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.

Today, Joanne shares with us why she exchanged an (enviable!), high-level executive role in big corporate for entrepreneurship and how this journey positioned her to build her successful venture.

We're illustrating how and why to share an origin story. If you're considering how to tell your story, it can be difficult to decide: What to share? What to hold back? How to tie your journey to your ability to help clients today? This is a brave, open and focused discussion. You will see from our discussion that the key is to find those pivot points. When did you reach the end of the road with what you were doing? Why? What did you do about it? How did life change as a result? How do you offer greater value as a professional because you went through this transformative experience?

Why are these origin stories so powerful? They are relatable. They are connecting. As Joanne openly shares here, they are authentic and vulnerable, quite the opposite of the perfectionism we were once taught to pursue. So, in some ways trying to be perfect might be a hidden obstacle on the way to building trust, the cornerstone of success in professional practice.

So, what's better than trying to be perfect then? Leaning into your true voice, more and more every day, and playing a bigger game as a result.

If you are interested in learning more about Joanne Trotta, please go to:
https://www.leadersedgeinc.com/

You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat! We’re telling stories about leadership moments in small to mid-sized professional practices. I’m your host, Sandra Bekhor, Practice Management Coach for lawyers, architects, consultants and other professionals at Bekhor Management.