In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ben Grimes discuss:

• What it means to be a good leader (and how to get better if you aren’t currently one).
• Why leadership is difficult for lawyers.
• 4 pillars you should look for in a leader.
• Preparing yourself to lead people and what inspires people in a leader.

Key Takeaways:

• Like with sales, leadership is not taught in law school, but it is something you can learn.
• When you can demonstrate authenticity at work, you open up the door to allow others to bring their authentic selves to their career.
• Leadership is more than just leading an organization. Leadership appears at all levels of your law firm and life. You don’t need a title to be a leader. You don’t need to be a manager to be a leader.
• Your values need to be reflected in the actions of the law firm.

"Not only are we promoted in positions of leadership because of our substantive skills, we're also trained away from critical capacities for leadership. And what I mean by that is, we're trained to do things ourselves. And so we're training ourselves not to be good leaders, because of the way we practice law." —  Ben Grimes

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Overture: https://overture.law/

Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/

Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/

Episode References: 

• Pat Conroy - https://patconroy.com/books/
• Some of My Best Friends Are…Podcast - https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/some-of-my-best-friends-are
• Revisionist History Podcast - https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history

About Ben Grimes: With a passion for developing collaborative legal teams, inclusive law firm cultures, and skilled, confident legal leaders, Ben Grimes brings decades of experience as a practitioner and leader to his coaching, consulting, and development clients. From his roots as a biracial kid in central Pennsylvania, thru success (and challenge) at West Point, to his professional successes, Ben knows that leadership can be learned and is best delivered authentically. He's been a helicopter pilot, author, walk-on Division I athlete, 2x Ironman triathlete, professor of criminal law, prosecutor and defense attorney, and an ethics nerd, but loves best helping others unlock their leadership potential and build amazing teams.

Connect with Ben Grimes:  

Website: https://www.bkgleadershipcoaching.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkgrimes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bkg-leadership-coaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bkgrimes

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.