Play to Win: A Strategic Self-Coaching Guide for New Law Firm Partners

 

Essential questions to lead with clarity, purpose, and performance

 

After the elation of becoming a Partner at a law firm, has your confidence and self-esteem started to take a dip? 

1. Who Are You?
"You can’t play to win if you don’t know who’s in the game."
Strategy starts with self-awareness. Your story, values, and energy are
your foundation.
* Who are you without your inner critic?
* What shaped your path to Partner?
* Who are you becoming?
Why it matters: Identity clarity fuels confident, values-led leadership.

 

2. Why This Role?
"A title isn’t a purpose."
Many new Partners feel directionless not from lack of ability, but from
lack of alignment.
* What was your deeper ‘yes’?
* What impact are you here to make?
* What are you here to lead — not just manage?
Why it matters: Purpose is your internal compass. Without it, leadership
defaults to overwork.
3. What’s Your Strategy?
"To play to win, define what winning means to you."
Build a focused, authentic strategy, not just a reaction to demands.
* What does success look like for you?
* Where will you focus and why?
* What skills and support will you need?
Why it matters: Strategic clarity sets you apart. Without it, you play someone else’s game.

 

4. How Will You Perform?
"Psychological mastery is your marginal edge."
Sustained performance at Partner level isn’t just about working harder, it’s about thinking and leading differently.
* Are you proving something, or building something?
* Are your habits strategic or survival-based?
* Are you operating from agency, or reaction?
Why it matters: Your edge isn’t in doing more, it’s in mastering how you
lead yourself.
Download your copy today and begin your next chapter with intention.

 

This self-coaching guide has been used with senior associates and new Partners across top-tier firms. It’s the kind of strategic clarity many lawyers seek through months of coaching, distilled into one actionable, high-impact resource.
Download my self - coaching guide
30-minute Strategy Consultation with Dr. Catherine Sykes

 

As part of this offer, you’re also invited to a private 1:1 coaching consultation. This is a strategic session designed to help you apply the guide’s insights to your unique career and leadership context.
Book your call here