What Did I Learn From the No. 1 Coach in the World?

During my recent trip to New York I  had the chance to spend two days with great executive coaches Ron Carucci and Marshall Goldsmith who is truly a legend in the field. He has coached CEOs from the likes of KKR , Charles Schwab , Goldman Sachs , Senior Partner of PwC , Chairman of Bloomberg , President of the The World Bank and list goes on.

There are thousands of small lessons I took away and immidiately started applying in my coaching practice - I had 16 pages of notes after the second day. Even though these small changes are often hardly noticable to my clients I can see in their reactions and body language how they benefit from me bringing these subtle changes into our sessions right away.

The biggest and most inspiring lesson that connected both days with Marshall and Ron is their way of communication. Their message and time spent with them were very impactful, full of emotional connection. They were able to establish this connection very quickly and made most of the interactions very memorable.

So how did they do it? In one word, Storytelling. They are both masters of leveraging the power of stories.

Stories are a fundamental part of human culture and an incredibly effective way to transfer wisdom and knowledge. Stories have a unique ability to make ideas memorable and to keep certain thoughts and ideas conscious enough to continue influencing behavior.

Here are some reasons why it is worthwhile to incorporate storytelling into your practice:

1. Teachable Point of View: Stories help leaders maintain a teachable point of view and convey knowledge in a way that is clear and compelling.
2. Emotional Connection: Through stories, you can pull on emotional strings, creating a connection that facts and data alone cannot achieve. This emotional engagement can be a powerful motivator for positive change.
3. Simplification of Complex Ideas: A well-told story can simplify complex ideas, making them easier to understand and relate to.
4. Encouragement and Motivation: Stories can be tools for encouragement and motivation, helping your clients or colleagues to see possibilities and opportunities.
5. Reflection and Insight: By sharing stories, you can encourage reflection, which can lead to insights about one's own behavior and the changes needed to achieve personal and professional growth.
6. Empathy and Understanding: Listening to stories helps to confront biases and privilege, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives.
7. Visualization of Success: Stories about overcoming challenges or achieving success help people visualize their own paths and reinforce the belief that change is possible.
8. Relatability: When clients see themselves in the stories you share, they are more likely to internalize the message and apply the lessons to their own situations.

Storytelling is increasingly recognized as an essential skill for lawyers, both in the courtroom and in legal marketing. While specific statistics on the frequency of storytelling use by lawyers are limited, several key points highlight its growing importance and effectiveness:

1. Educational Emphasis: Law schools, such as Rutgers School of Law–Camden, are incorporating storytelling into their curriculum, recognizing it as vital for legal practice. Courses like "Advanced Legal Writing: Constructing Narratives" aim to teach students how to craft compelling stories to connect with clients and juries effectively (Rutgers University).
2. Persuasion in Court: Storytelling is crucial for juror persuasion. Effective trial lawyers use structured narratives to make their arguments more memorable and relatable. This involves crafting stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and using personal details and conflicts to anchor the narrative (Lawyer Minds).
3. Content Marketing: In legal content marketing, storytelling, especially visual storytelling, significantly enhances engagement. Law firms that utilize images, videos, and infographics see increased reach and engagement. For instance, social media posts with images are more likely to be shared and remembered than text-only posts (HarringtonThoughtLeadership) (BeaconLive).
4. Client Connection: Storytelling helps lawyers build trust and connect with clients on a personal level. By framing their services and successes in narrative form, lawyers can better illustrate their value and differentiate themselves from competitors (BeaconLive).

Overall, while there are no precise metrics on how often lawyers use storytelling, its adoption is widespread and growing due to its proven effectiveness.

Roman Zakovsky is a executive coach and trainer whose clients include A&O Shearman , Baker McKenzie , BBH, advokátní kancelář , PRK Partners, attorneys at law , HAVEL & PARTNERS , SOTIO Biotech or Deloitte . He is an expert on client communication, relationship building and business development.