Are you feeling directionless in your legal career?

Do you feel like you're just going through the motions day after day?

Bored. Unchallenged. Stuck.

Without a clear progression goal, your career can feel like it’s happening to you rather than being something you actively build. 🚧

In this episode of The Legal Imposters Podcast, I share how you can take control of your career by establishing a regular goal-setting habit that is both challenging and achievable.

I also share how setting a new progression goal every six months keeps your career moving forward by:

⏰ Creating Urgency: Six months is long enough to make meaningful progress but short enough to create a sense of urgency. If the goal were set for a year, procrastination might creep in. A six-month goal pushes you to take action without procrastination.

🌱 Producing Sustainable Progress: A six-month period allows for sustainable progress. It gives you the time to implement changes without burning out or feeling overwhelmed.

🎉 Helping You Enjoy the Process: Career progression is not just about reaching a destination; it’s about enjoying the journey and growing along the way.

As you set your progression goals, consider joining a program or community that can provide accountability and support. If you’re a mid to senior level black lawyer eager to progress, Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers is the room you want to join.

In addition to being coached by Caroline, you'll get:

✅ Steady Support: Encouragement from peers.

✅ Consistent Goals: Regular goal-setting habits.

✅ Shared Experiences: Learning from others’ journeys.

It’s time to sit in the driver’s seat of your career.

Hold the steering wheel.

Ready,

Set,

Goal! 🚀

P.S. I have created a FREE progression audit to help jumpstart your progression goals. Click the link to download it now 👉🏾 Progression Audit

You’re tired of waiting for your firm or organization to change—to become more diverse, inclusive, and understanding.

You want to stop waiting and start leading your career towards the success you deserve.

That’s why you find value in my posts.

That’s why you keep reading my emails.

And now you’re wondering,

“Should I work with Caroline?

Is Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers for me?” 🤔

Tune in to the latest episode of The Legal Imposters Podcast to find out. In it I share the four key criteria that make an ideal candidate for this program and explain the rationale behind each one:

✊🏾You are a black lawyer. The program is tailored specifically for black lawyers who face the unique challenges of working in a white corporate environment. By focusing on black lawyers, the program gives you community and support as well as the unique tools that help you navigate the challenges only black lawyers face.

⚖️ You are a mid to senior-level lawyer. What got you here won't get you there. The program teaches you the skills you need to progress as a black lawyer at a more senior level.

📈 You want to progress. To get the most out of Be The First, you have to have a goal! This could be going for a promotion, but it doesn't have to be. Succeeding in a new or current role, reducing stress, achieving better work-life balance or gaining confidence are all worthy and important goals that coaching will help you achieve.

🫵🏾 You are ready to take ownership. If you're tired of waiting for things outside of you to change and are ready to be more proactive in your career, Be The First is for you. In it you learn to focus on what you can control to create opportunities, include yourself and attract the support you need.

The unique value you get in Be the First :

• The program includes teaching you five core skills, a unique mindset (the Be the First belief system), a unique set of tools for skill development that you won't find anywhere else (Relate-Agility, Intentional Brand Curation, The Value Formula - for example), and weekly coaching on implementation. 🧰
• The progress you make under this programme is measurable, sustainable, repeatable, and inevitable. You either achieve your career progression goal or you transcend it. 📈

Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers is the first programme of its kind. We are elevating ourselves. We are changing the industry from the inside out. If you match the above criteria, this is the room for you. Join us.

👉🏾 Fill out the application form here:

https://caroline-flanagan.mykajabi.com/btf-application-form

📞 Book an application call: https://calendly.com/carolineflanagan/be-the-first_application-consult-clone

See you there! 😊

In this Masterclass I give you practical advice for progressing your career that you can implement immediately.

I cover everything you need to navigate the challenges of being the only one so you progress your career in 6 months.

Discover everything you need to progress:

• The 3 progression goals you should never ignore.
• The 4 mistakes black lawyers make that are keeping you stuck.
• The secret sauce that changes the game.
• The 5 skills that will guarantee you progress.
• How to get started right away.

P.S. BE THE FIRST Progression for black lawyers is open for enrolment. If you're a mid to senior lawyer and you want to progress your career this year, apply now. To learn more and for details of how to apply, click here

Are you letting your career dreams gather dust on the shelf of "someday"?

Do you feel a nagging sense of dissatisfaction with where you are professionally, but find yourself constantly putting off the actions needed to change it?

You have a vision of where you want to be, but too often, it remains just out of reach, shrouded in excuses, inaction, and waiting for the “perfect” moment.

Let's face it—waiting around won't bring you closer to success.

To help you overcome procrastination and get started on your career progression goals, I share with you a Three-Step Approach designed to make the process manageable and less overwhelming:

🧠 Step 1: Become Aware of the Reasons for Procrastination

Understanding why you procrastinate is the first step towards overcoming it.

📝 Step 2: Identify the First Step Towards the Goal

Once you're aware of why you're procrastinating, the next step is to identify a small, manageable action you can take. Divide the task into smaller, more manageable parts.\

🚶‍♀️Step 3: Take That First Step

Now that you've identified the first step, it's time to take action. This is often the hardest part, but it's crucial for building momentum.

Throughout the episode, I also challenged you to confront the illusion of "no deadlines" that often surrounds career goals. Unlike time-bound tasks, our career goals often lack those external pressures, making it easy to slip into a cycle of endless deferral.

It’s time to break that cycle.

And the time to act is now.

Your dream career is calling, and it's time to answer. 📞✨

PS. I have an easy first step for you! Join my free masterclass next Monday, July 8th entitled How To Progress Your Career When You're The Only One. Choose between the lunchtime session at 1 PM BST or the evening session at 6 PM BST. Prepare to gain clarity on your goals, identify your roadblocks, and take decisive actions toward a more fulfilling career. Don't miss this opportunity to get started on your journey toward professional growth and success. Register here:

Have you ever walked into a meeting and felt a sudden wave of self-consciousness?

You scan the room, and it hits you - you're the only person of color, the only one from a different background.

There are a few people who look like you at work, but even with a handful of others, it can still feel isolating. Your journeys to get where you are today are completely different. You went to different schools, had different upbringings, and culturally, you just don't connect on the same level as your colleagues.

This feeling of "otherness" is real, and it’s incredibly isolating.

It wears you down, even if you're not consciously aware of it.

But here's the thing: you are not alone.

Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand the struggles black professionals face. I've also seen the incredible strength and determination it takes to overcome them and I'm on a mission to help you learn it. 💪🏽

Welcome to Racial Resilience: the ability to navigate those very real challenges, the microaggressions, the feeling of being constantly "othered", and still keep moving towards your goals.

In this episode, I share with you how you can:

➡️ Understand the impact of being the only black person in a professional setting.

➡️ Address feelings of exclusion and encountering racism or microaggressions.

➡️ Harness the transformative power of racial resilience.

By internalizing these principles, you don't just survive – you thrive. 🌱

Because after you develop your Racial Resilience, you won't ever get caught up in the absence of diversity.

You’ll start to focus on being the change you want to see.

PS. In Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers, I’ll discuss how you can build Racial Resilience and progress in your career. If you're a mid to senior-level black lawyer, I invite you to join. Enrollment for the September class opens in July! Places are limited so make sure you're ready. Be the first to know when we open by joining the waiting list here: https://carolineflanagan.com/be-the-first-coaching/waiting-list/ .

Do you crumple in the face of negative feedback?

Instead of seeing negative feedback as a gift for growth, you see it as a personal attack on your abilities.

You blame the person who gave you the feedback.

And worse, you dwell on old negative feedback and still get upset when you think about it. 😤

Stop resisting.

Feedback isn't your enemy, It's a roadmap to improvement.

In this episode, I teach you how you can receive negative feedback effectively by:

🌟 Never making it about you: The feedback is not about you as a person, it's about a specific piece of work or behaviour.

💖 Processing your emotions: Allow yourself to feel the initial discomfort so you can move on and focus on what you can learn. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment.

🔍 Taking a closer look: Look at the feedback objectively and identify the areas where you can improve. Is there a grain of truth in it? Then reframe it as a chance to learn and grow.

🚀 Taking action: Decide what you will keep doing and what you will change based on the feedback. Don't just listen to feedback, implement it!

Remember: Negative feedback is a gift, not a curse.

Be willing to unwrap it so you can learn from it.

P.S. In Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers, I'll guide you through a proven process for receiving and implementing feedback effectively. If you're a mid to senior-level black lawyer and you want to progress, I invite you to join. Enrollment for the September class opens in July! Places are limited so make sure you're ready. Be the first to know when we open by joining the waiting list here: https://carolineflanagan.com/be-the-first-coaching/waiting-list/

Are you constantly remembering that you need to do more business development to build your business case for partnership, but you don't actually do it?

You know that you need and should be building your business case and meeting new clients.

But you’re so busy doing everything else, that you never find the time.

And so there's this mounting pressure as the deadline for presenting your business case looms, keeping you on edge because it's yet another thing you know you should be doing but you’re not getting done.

If you’re all too familiar with this feeling, then I have two words for you:

Designate and delegate.

In the latest episode of The Legal Imposters Podcast, I share how designating one day a week for business development activities and then delegating the administrative task of booking time in the diary with clients will help you:

➡️ Eliminate indecision: By choosing a specific day, you remove the daily decision-making process about when to engage in business development.

➡️ Create routines: Making it a routine part of your schedule helps in building consistency and respect for this dedicated time.

➡️ Increase efficiency: By delegating tasks like scheduling meetings and reaching out to potential clients, you can focus on high-impact activities.

➡️ Streamline processes: Clear instructions to your assistant can help streamline the scheduling and follow-up processes.

Remember: The key is to take action now and stay consistent.

Open your calendar today, choose your business development day, and start delegating tasks. 📅

No more putting it off—now is the time.

Mentioned in this episode:

1. Conversion Conversations video training : https://vimeo.com/908330560?share=copy

2. Episode #42: Plan the week, Adapt the day https://carolineflanagan.com/podcasts/episode-29-plan-the-week-adapt-the-day/

P.S. In Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers I give you the tools and strategy to progress your career in a white world. If you’re a mid to senior-level black lawyer and you want to progress, I invite you to join. The next enrolment is coming soon. Places are limited so make sure you’re ready. Be the first to know when we open by joining the waiting list here https://carolineflanagan.com/be-the-first-coaching/waiting-list/ ✨

Think you have to work twice as hard as your white colleagues, to level the playing field and progress your career?

This thought leaves you frustrated and resentful and puts you in the dangerous territory of overworking - doing more work that adds less value.

Progressing your career isn't about how hard you work, it’s about the value you add.

So instead of working twice as hard, add twice the value.

Adding value will transform your work practices and make you more focused, proactive, and impactful.

Which means progressing your career will be easier.

And you'll build your confidence much faster.

Tune into the latest episode of The Legal Imposters Podcast to learn:

👉🏾The emotional toll of striving to work twice as hard.

👉🏾How adding value will make you feel less resentful and frustrated and more in control.

👉🏾What you need to believe to add twice the value

👉🏾The confidence that comes from knowing you are valuable.

Don’t work twice as hard. Add twice the value.

Happy listening!

P.S. In Be The First Progression for Black Lawyers I give you the tools and strategy to progress your career in a white world. If you’re a mid to senior-level black lawyer and you want to progress, I invite you to join. The next enrolment is coming soon. Places are limited so make sure you’re ready. Be the first to know when we open by joining the waiting list here 👉🏾https://carolineflanagan.com/be-the-first-coaching/waiting-list/