Claim OwnershipGet in the driver's seat!
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© 2025 Get in the driver's seat!
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Busy professionals tend to get lost in the day-to-day operation of their practices. 'Get in the driver's seat!' will be that helpful reminder that you don't have to be a passenger on your own bus. This podcast features inspiring stories about the moments, big and small, that illustrate effective leadership from team management and client communication to rainmaking. Practice management coach, Sandra Bekhor, interviews successful lawyers, architects, accountants and healthcare professionals for touching and uplifting (and even entertaining) examples taht illustrate what really works... and what really doesn't!
29 Episodes
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Today, we’re talking about how to - and I know you don’t like this word - sell without being salesy as a lawyer or other type of professional. What do we mean by that? Profile building, initial consults, referrals and introductions. This conversation explores various stages of the sales process in legal and other professional services, including: How professionals can self-promote with ease, without coming across as bragging. How to get comfortable asking for business from a...
Today, we’re talking about a sense of urgency in professional services firms. There are (considerable!) benefits to knowing when to speed up and when to slow down. Having the skill to do that can be a game-changer in terms of keeping your team productive and motivated, reducing turnover, maximizing the value of your business development efforts and retaining client loyalty. This conversation explores the full range of situations where sometimes a sense of urgency is: - Completely lacki...
Today, we're talking about something different. Creative hobbies and the benefits they can bring to lawyers and other professionals. What do you do when you finally have some quiet time, after a long and stressful day of lawyering? For many, the answer includes some mindless scrolling, binge-watching, going for a run or diving into a great book. And sometimes that can be exactly what we need to give our minds and bodies a break. But other times, it leaves us lacking. We need something t...
Today, we're looking at DEI from a different perspective, completely. Rather than the shoulds of it, we're addressing the why and the how of doing it right. The landscape of professional services firms is somewhat divided when it comes to the difficult topic of DEI. Some firms have policies. Some don’t. Some are open to learning more. Some are disillusioned, disappointed are disinclined. Further still, following the basic requirements may not have had much of an impact and, as a result, there...
Today, we’re talking about difficult conversations in the workplace. Facing them head-on, rather than avoiding or delaying... because the underlying issue probably isn’t going away anytime soon. In this episode, we share relatable stories and ideas that range the full gamut of the difficult conversation, from being the initiator to being on the receiving end, from the spontaneous to the planned. It's a sensitive topic, but we invite you to lean into it with us. Getting better at difficu...
Lots of lawyers and other professionals give marketing a try. Once, twice, three times. But they get distracted, discouraged or busy and never really hit their stride. When marketing comes to a halt, you're not just walking away from inquiries, exposure and media. There's also the hidden cost of lost opportunities to build confidence, engage with community and maybe even have a little fun along the way. If any of this feels familiar, you'll enjoy this podcast. Stuart and Mark share stor...
At some point in their career, many lawyers and other professionals consider serving on a board of directors as part of their professional development. And when they do, they usually come face-to-face with inevitable questions, like these ones: - What type of board is right for me? - How can I best contribute? - What are some proven ways to handle conflict? So, In this episode of Get in the Driver's Seat, we're pulling back the curtain on what it really means to join...
There are a lot of uncomfortable bumps along the way from solopreneur to CEO of your own professional firm: - letting go of control as you hire and delegate in a bigger way - prioritizing what matters to you and being flexible with the rest - facing your limits and asking for help from your team or outside advisors Learning to navigate these (sometimes surprising!) bumps can save you a lot of trouble, time and money. It may even get you where you're going faster and stronger.&nbs...
There’s a lot of controversy around performance reviews these days! But rather than make a list of pros and cons, we’re performing a dramatic and playful role play. Our discussion shines a light on the issues to show a new way forward. Deborah plays the role of the passionate consultant shouting from the rooftops “performance reviews don't work”. I play the role of the unconvinced, but curious (and sometimes difficult!) client. If you are a practice manager looking to improve your firm...
Today, Joanne shares with us why she exchanged an (enviable!), high-level executive role in big corporate for entrepreneurship and how this journey positioned her to build her successful venture. We're illustrating how and why to share an origin story. If you're considering how to tell your story, it can be difficult to decide: What to share? What to hold back? How to tie your journey to your ability to help clients today? This is a brave, open and focused discussion. You will see from our d...
Today, we're discussing the value of investing in culture change. For many small to mid-sized professional services firms, firm culture is typically not an area that is given a lot of attention. But whether you do or don’t plan around it, you have a company culture. The question is, does it help or does it hinder you from moving towards your practice goals? If the latter, what can you do about it? Tune in to this episode for some inspiration. If you are interested in learning more abo...
For those of you listening on audio platforms – my jersey says THE FINANCIAL SLAYER, all caps! I wanted a playful way to introduce our theme today because financial management, as important as it is, can also be a source of stress for many professionals, including those who are already quite successful! If you are interested in learning more about Carleen Dehaney, Founder and Principal of FXO Consulting, please go to: https://fxoconsulting.com/ You're listening to Get in the Driver’s Seat...
Today's theme is how to negotiate more successfully by bringing more (not less!) of your authentic self to discussions about anything from contracts and proposals to job offers and even performance reviews. Lawyers, architects and other professionals negotiate with (and for) clients and peers on a nearly daily basis. Yet it is an area in which many feel they haven’t received proper training. Listen to this interview and get inspired with ideas to strengthen your negotiation style and tactics!...
Our theme today is how professional and career coaches play a role in supporting clients with decisions, change and leadership. Hockey, baseball, football fans get the role of coach, intuitively. But this type of coaching isn’t something you watch on a big screen. It’s a bit more abstract and a lot more off the record. So today we will make that more accessible through stories about clients arriving at those game-changing "Aha" moments. If you are interested in learning more about Gin...
Today, we’re talking about creating engaging content that's got personality, on LinkedIn. It's a dynamic conversation with 2 guests - Andy & Marc. We shared stories about finding our true voice, what we noticed about some of our highest-ranking posts and ways to overcome the typical resistance lawyers and other professionals experience when it comes to this type of marketing. To learn more about Andy, please go to https://greenehurlocker.com/ To learn more about Marc, please go to https...
These days many lawyers and other professionals have had the opportunity to talk about finding their purpose in work and life. In this podcast, we approached the topic a bit differently. Garry makes the interesting point that it's not really about finding your purpose just one time. Rather, it's about finding your new purpose... every time life throws you a curve. Garry Wise is a Toronto employment and litigation lawyer. He launched Wise Law Blog in 2005 and was among North America’s earlies...
A lawyer's business development playbook is constantly changing. But there are some steadfast truths about how to win. Listen to this episode, as Norm shares generously and openly from his experience about what works. Norman Bacal brings years of leadership experience to a career that included building a law firm from scratch. In 1989 he opened a four lawyer shop in Toronto and over the next twenty five years expanded the firm from a base in film and television financ...
Growing pains can be a literal pain. It can be helpful to remember that they're actually a sign of success. In this episode, Erin and I talk about navigating growing pains, at different stages of a firm's life cycle. What worked, what didn't and some lessons learned along the way. Erin Cowling is a former corporate commercial litigator and now Founder & CEO of Flex Legal Network Inc. (a company that matches busy lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel with freelance lawyers to assist w...
Is there a professional community out there that's right for you? How can you make the most of it? If not, what if you were to create your own community? In this episode, Jackie and I swap stories about the challenges and opportunities of community building. Jackie is an award winning certified financial planner, best-selling author, and featured speaker who has helped thousands of clients grow their net worth, build a fortress around their finances, and keep more of their cash in thei...
Today, we're swapping stories about developing professional relationships, not as a duty, but as an enjoyable activity that can add a lot to life. If you're looking for inspiration on ways to reach out to new people with ease, this episode is for you! Our guest, Samantha Graff Benmor, is an award-winning realtor at The Graff Group and an icon of Toronto Real Estate. Samantha is also the innovator behind Sammy G's Gifts, perfectly personalized gifts for all occasions. If you are intere...
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