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The Enneagram for Law Firms

Communication transformed.

Powered by Enneagram Personality Intelligence

Coaching that Positions Firms for Success

Unprecedented Challenges

Law firms and their attorneys are caught in the same squeeze. They are grappling with whether and how to chart their next chapters in an environment that is uncertain, at best. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, merger pains or unexpected economic and governmental pressures, this is a challenge for everyone.

But there is no better time to double-down on the skills that have built your success — communications!

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The Enneagram for Law Firms

Effective communications are the professional coin of the realm for attorneys. Whether making arguments, persuading judges and juries, or drafting agreements, an attorney’s success is determined by how clearly and compellingly they articulate their points.

Unfortunately, this same ethos doesn’t always inform their internal communications. The Enneagram for Law Firms can help attorneys and firms transform performance conversations they have to have, into developmental conversations they want to have.

When firms direct their natural gifts for communication with understanding and clarity to their colleagues, something powerful happens:

Cultures are transformed.

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Why the Enneagram?

The Enneagram types represent diverse approaches to perceiving and interacting with the world.

The Enneagram, a personality framework at the cutting-edge of law school education, is rooted in the concept of dominant core drivers influencing interpersonal dynamics. It provides valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand and engage with colleagues, clients, or opposing counsel more effectively. It provides a shorthand for the emotional intelligence that is inherent in the soft skills required for success.

Each of the nine Enneagram types embodies distinct characteristics and motivations that provide nuanced understanding of individual strengths and fears. This framework then supports attorneys in refining their communication and leadership strategies to support personal and professional growth.

The Enneagram is a more expansive means for addressing and accounting for difference among people that transcends traditional definitions.

Bloomberg Law recognized Belmont Law’s Extended Enneagram Training as one of 10 finalists of its 2024–2025 Law School Innovation Program. “Belmont University’s College of Law is a key example of the innovation that is needed for legal education to support fulfilling long-term legal careers.”

~Alex Butler, Head of Content and Analysis, Bloomberg Industry Group.

Enneagram Coaching Yields Measurable Results

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Retention

Clear and specific feedback builds commitment to your firm by demonstrating that you value your people. This is the foundation for a healthy culture and attorney retention, not competing to be the highest bidder in the bonus auction for talent.

Promotion

Building self-awareness and awareness of others’ personality styles facilitates and strengthens the partnership pipeline while enhancing the professional competencies required for business development and firm leadership.

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Leadership

Every firm has a list of competencies that are vital for development of future leaders, but strong communication skills are the foundation for each one of them. The Enneagram is a shortcut to building the emotional intelligence necessary for more effective communications that get results.

I’m Susan Brooks

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My entry into the world of law began on a whim. I graduated from college as a liberal arts major without a clue as to what was next. Law school seemed like a great way to begin to figure it out. Since then, I have been an associate at an Am Law 50 law firm, an admissions officer for two law schools, and the manager of attorney recruiting and the director of human resources at an AmLaw 100 firm. Since 2007, I have consulted with and coached aspiring law students, lawyers and law firm professionals. Needless to say, I’ve seen the industry go through numerous peaks and valleys, but one thing has remained constant — firms rise and fall on their ability to communicate effectively. What attorneys need for success is a deep understanding of who they are, how they show up, and how to meet the needs of others, whether they are colleagues, clients, opposing counsel or courts. It’s a matter of understanding, not guessing, and building emotional intelligence based on actionable insights that enhance honest and transparent communication. That’s where coaching with the Enneagram makes the difference.

I help attorneys and firms leverage communications to maximize performance.

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The Investment in Coaching

The Cost:

  • Best-case attorney replacement costs reach $651,654

  • More common scenarios cost firms $951,094 per departing associate**

  • Organizations investing in coaching achieve an average ROI of 700%, with 86% recouping their investment

  • Investing a fraction of the amount per attorney in coaching could prevent hundreds of thousands in losses while improving billable hours, client satisfaction, retention, and firm culture.

The Benefits:

  • 62% of coaching clients say coaching improved their career opportunities*

  • 73% reported positive impacts on relationships

  • 72% on communication skills

  • 70% on work performance

    An investment in coaching accelerates growth by creating self-awareness and an awareness of others that creates understanding, builds and enhances client relationships, and positions firms for enhanced opportunities and revenue generation.

Learn More

Leverage the Enneagram and transform your firm.

Credentials & Experience

  • Susan received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and her Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University. Geaux Tigers!

  • Susan is a graduate of the Fielding Graduate University’s Evidence-Based Coaching Program. She attained the ACC certification from the International Coaching Federation, and she is certified in the Enneagram Assessment and the Five Behaviors Model for High Functioning Teams.

  • Susan began her career as an associate at Akin Gump. She then became an admissions officer at New York Law School and Georgetown University Law Center. She worked as the manager of attorney recruiting and the director of H.R. at Crowell & Moring in Washington DC. Since 2007, she has been a management consultant and executive coach. Her published works can be found in National Law Journal, Law Office Practice Today, Training magazine, Bloomberg BNA, and SHRM’s People + Strategy journal, among others.

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