How To Be A More Effective Mentor

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers How to be a More Effective Mentor If you are a regular reader you likely know that I frequently say: Teaching is about giving the right answers. Coaching is about asking the right questions. I say this frequently because I am always tempted to give the answer. A lawyer who is a friend of mine asked me to share examples of questions he could use with a lawyer he is mentoring. I thought it might be valuable to share those questions with you. If you are coaching or mentoring lawyers in your firm, you want to first determine what the lawyer you are coaching/mentoring wants to achieve. I ask questions like: Next, I think it is valuable to figure out whether your lawyer the actions he will take to achieve his goal. I ask: “ After asking the questions, I actively listen to the answers and observe his  body language. In follow up sessions I ask:       I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.