and building up a realistic view of the lawyer’s strengths and weaknesses. This is done most powerfully through personalised confidence intervention and a personalised tool kit they use daily to build up their confidence narrative. What is a ‘confidence box’, and how can it aid a lawyer’s wellbeing? A confidence box is an effective exercise to help build up a lawyer’s self-esteem. The tool starts with auditing all your past experiences where you succeeded and received positive feedback. Then you create a file and store all your moments of success and feedback there. Whenever you feel a confidence crisis striking or have self-doubting thoughts, review your confidence file and remind yourself of your good work. The file aims to use external feedback to drive an internal shift in feelings of confidence. To make the internal shift, you want to rehearse your success movements daily by reading and visualising them. Beyond validation from others, what are some effective methods a lawyer can use to build up their own selfesteem? Building your self-esteem is not about reaching a point where your confidence is 100% every day, all the time. Nor is it about expecting that you will overcome a confidence crisis in a day. Building your self-esteem is something you do little and often every day by taking intentional confidence-boosting actions that are in line with your goals and values. Another effective method for lawyers to help build their self-esteem is a mindset shift around what confidence is. In my coaching experience, I have had many clients whose confidence crises take the form of imposter syndrome and are sensitive to the stigma around confidence. Overcoming the stigma attached with EXPERT INSIGHT 65 confidence is paramount to building self-esteem that will lead lawyers to reach their goals. Confidence is not arrogance, narcissism or being someone who can speak over everyone else. Being confident in ourselves makes us less self-absorbed as we become more open to feedback without getting defensive. Confidence does not mean you are invincible and will never fail again. Confidence does not mean that you will always be in a positive state or that you will not experience anxiety or self-doubt. Building up your confidence means you know you can handle negative feelings, overcome the obstacles in your way and achieve your goals. Confidence does not come overnight; confidence is something you build through actions and reflection over time. If you are starting from a place of low confidence, seeking external help with 1:1 coaching is a great way to jumpstart your confidence transformation. I have also established a ‘boost your inner confidence’ workshop that has been hugely successful as part of a leadership or partner development programme. After implementing performance coaching, associates have reported that they felt better equipped with empowering tools and strategies to navigate the partnership track successfully and felt they had a safe and secure outlet to address their wellness and performance concerns – whereas before they kept their stress bottled up, which drove worry and self-doubt. About Charlène Gisèle Bourliout Charlène Gisèle Bourliout is a health coach, wellness consultant and burnout prevention adviser dubbed the “Soulicitor” by her clients. A former London lawyer, Charlène coaches her clients on personal and professional life optimisation through a combination of high-performance coaching, burnout prevention and mindset optimisation. Contact Charlène Gisèle Bourliout E: coach@charlenegisele.com www.charlenegisele.com A senior partner is a sponsor and mentor for everyone, but very few are that for partners, if any.
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