🚀 Building the Airplane While Flying It: Coaching in Real Time ✈️

When I’m coaching lawyers—on marketing, career transitions, or leadership—it often feels like we’re building the airplane while flying it.

🛠️ Opportunities and challenges don’t wait for the perfect plan, and we have to balance preparation with action.

And since I’m was actually supposed to be on a plane to Phoenix when I posted this on LinkedIn (I’m was attending the Midyear Meeting of the American Bar Association for a meeting with the Career Center Board) , I thought it was fitting to write about this.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

In career coaching, clients sometimes land interviews before we’ve finalized their “Ideal Job Grid.” We pivot to help them prepare and make the most of those opportunities.

In marketing and business development, lawyers often have speaking engagements, articles to write, LinkedIn posts to create, or meetings with referral sources before we’ve wrapped up their marketing plan. We dive into those activities while refining their overall strategy.

In leadership coaching, understanding strengths, communication styles, and areas for growth is critical. But real-world situations—difficult conversations, team challenges, or high-stakes decisions—often need to be addressed in the moment.

The beauty of coaching is that it’s dynamic. We’re not just making plans—we’re taking action and adapting as situations arise. It’s a constant balance of vision and execution, and it’s where so much growth happens.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re figuring things out as you go, you’re not alone. That’s the reality for most of us—and it’s also where some of the best opportunities emerge.