Recently, I was asked- What ADVANTAGES does my PREVIOUS ROLE as BARRISTER have when I COACH MEDIA COMPANIES? Here are my TOP 10

1.????COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION- the ability to communicate well and succinctly at the appropriate time and in the best way has been my life’s work over many years as a barrister. The fact that I had to establish?CONNECTIONS?with clients from all walks of life has helped. All of the many years persuading Judges and opponents of the merits of my case helped finesse my skills of persuasion and sharing this feels extremely valuable. Communicating well is?SO CRUCIAL TO THE INTEGRITY AND COHESION OF A COMPANY/PROJECT and indeed to ANY RELATIONSHIP.

2.?????COMPROMISE and NEGOTIATION- at the heart of all good lawyer-ing is knowing when to agree, what to agree and what to hold out for- which also involves speedy analysis. This experience comes in handy when coaching on the numerous decisions and/or negotiations involved in the fast-paced media world.?Helping clients to become better negotiators brings obvious rewards especially when budgets and timelines are the focus.??

3.????As a family law barrister, I spent my days supporting, holding and analysing my client’s emotions with no?PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAINING. I am surprised I managed as well as I did! I am now so much more aware of how many of my client’s emotions I took on and took home with me. Now that I have the skills to understand?WHICH ARE MY CLIENTS’ EMOTIONS AND WHICH ARE MINE,?I can- not only leave them behind when I go home- but also use the registration of their emotions as a key to unlocking the best way to help. I help clients to remain?OBJECTIVE?and retain a?HEALTHY DISTANCE?which ensures they manage all emotions as well as possible. When working on content that can be?TRIGGERING?or with fellow members of your team who cause annoyance/upset, being able to understand why and what can be done provides much needed information and makes all the difference to?WELL-BEING.?

4.????BOUNDARIES- years of having friends in chambers as opponents taught me to manage relationships on different levels- maintaining appropriate boundaries and strict confidence. I often coach producers/managers who are boss some of the time and a friend at others… or clients who are promoted and become the boss of a former peer. Boundaries change and require regular attention.?

5.????In Family law practice, I would wonder if there was anything I had not seen? I am totally?UNSHOCKABLE.?This can prove reassuring to clients if discussing distressing content or feelings.?

6.????RESPECT FOR DIFFERENCE- in every case I saw unfold in Court, there was never a simple right or wrong. In the telling of the evidence, it was clear that most of the time, people see things/remember things differently. When I coach, what matters is exploring the client’s reality- why someone remembers a certain thing or feels strongly about a particular aspect- as this is often the most illuminating when working with someone on?IDENTITY, VALUES?and?CHANGE.?

7.????HUMANITY- a parallel between being a barrister and a coach is that I find myself trusted with?CLIENTS’ VULNERABILITIES. This aspect of both roles is of utmost importance to me and can make a significant difference in terms of?DEVELOPMENT. I feel honoured time and time again to be trusted and to be able to show?COMPASSION.

8.????STRATEGISE?and?BE PRAGMATIC- as I became a more experienced barrister, I discovered that adopting a strategy and being pragmatic generally resulted in the best outcome for the client. I use what I learned as a barrister when I coach in relation to strategies for a project/relationship and what a pragmatic approach might look like.

9.????TO BE SELF RELIANT- being a barrister can be a lonely job. You can’t talk about your cases and you spend a great deal of time on your own- preparing cases, meeting clients and/or opponents for one day and maybe not again. It is similar for a coach- you can’t talk about your clients and you go about your day to day business on your own. You become good at being self-reliant.

10.CONFIDENTIALITY-?as a barrister, my work was confidential. In coaching media companies, I learn much about their confidential work. Knowing of my former role as a barrister is reassuring to companies.?