This is a further coaching question, from ‘Future-proof your Legal Career – 10 Core Areas of Professional Development’, this time from my chapter on Client Management.
I explained the function of coaching questions in the book, in this post: What is different for me, my client and our working relationship since the last time we engaged?
I designed this question to provide readers with fresh perspectives on their client portfolios. Where the question works well, readers’ awareness might broaden from a narrower focus on personal observations to a wider appreciation of client circumstances and competitive threats.
Standing in the shoes of various competitors could:
- offer fresh insights on each reader’s competitive business advantages, and the need to periodically remind clients about these;
- generate new and relevant client propositions, developed from broader market understanding; and
- identify business vulnerabilities that need to be addressed to maintain competitive advantage.
Deeper consideration of this question may alert readers to potential new market entrants and disruptors. In turn, this may influence strategic thinking on wider business development.
Answering the question could also lead readers to explore what they did not notice initially – the blind spots – when only focusing on their business. Readers might then consider the implications of these and similar blind spots in other areas of their work.
Of necessity, the questions in ‘Future-proof your Legal Career – 10 Areas of Professional Development’ are not specific to the individual circumstances of a business. More relevant and deeper thinking, unique to each business emerges from coaching individual executives and business leadership teams.
If you would like to find out more about coaching to increase awareness, potential and capability for you and your business, please contact me
