John R. Kormanik
MISSION: RECLAIM THE LAW AS A NOBLE PROFESSION
MISSION: RECLAIM THE LAW AS A NOBLE PROFESSION
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Leading Through Upheaval: How Coaching Helped a Law Firm CEO Find His Ground

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Leading Through Upheaval: How Coaching Helped a Law Firm CEO Find His Ground

Leadership isn’t tested when things are easy. It’s tested in the storm.

A founder and managing partner of a multi-million-dollar plaintiffs’ firm recently found himself navigating one of the most turbulent seasons of his career. In the span of days, he made the difficult decision to let go of multiple team members, including his highest grossing attorney. He wrestled with ethical obligations that led to the filing of bar complaints. He shouldered client communications during an unexpected transition and was suddenly pulled back into the day-to-day legal work he had long since delegated.

It was a lot. And yet, he didn’t just survive the chaos—he led through it. Coaching helped him do that.

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What Only You Can Do: Redesigning the Role of Managing Partner

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What Only You Can Do: Redesigning the Role of Managing Partner

There’s a question I love to ask the managing partners I work with—one that cuts through the noise and goes straight to the heart of the matter. The real answer to that question tells you exactly what lives in the gap between how you lead your firm today and how you must lead your firm if you want it to grow beyond you. It gives you the path for the work that must be done if your law firm is to grow beyond you….

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The High-Achiever’s Dilemma: Avoiding Burnout Without Sacrificing Success

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The High-Achiever’s Dilemma: Avoiding Burnout Without Sacrificing Success

One firm leader, deep in a high-stakes and unexpected transition, realized that while he was handling the operational chaos, his own well-being had become an afterthought. Another client, facing rapid growth, struggled with the tension between wanting to lead strategically and defaulting to doing everything themselves.

The good news? Burnout isn’t inevitable. Here’s what these clients (and many others) are learning to do differently…

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The Hidden Edge of Elite Leadership: Why Rest and Recovery Matter More Than You Think

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The Hidden Edge of Elite Leadership: Why Rest and Recovery Matter More Than You Think

The highest-performing leaders don’t just work harder; they work recover smarter. They know that rest and recovery aren’t signs of weakness but competitive advantages. In fact, what’s true for athletes is true for elite Managing Partners: Strategic recovery is what separates elite performers from those who plateau or burn out. Here’s how to do it…

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From Solo to CEO: 4 Things This Law Firm Owner Did To Scale His Firm

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From Solo to CEO: 4 Things This Law Firm Owner Did To Scale His Firm

When “Bob” and I first teamed up, he was stuck in a cycle so many law former solos find themselves in—buried in casework, making all the key decisions, and unable to step back without things grinding to a halt. He knew he needed a stronger team, but hiring felt risky. What if he picked the wrong person? What if delegation led to mistakes? As a law firm owner, Bob understood reputation is everything.

Here are the steps “Bob” took to get out of the solo-practitioner bottleneck to setting the vision, creating the right culture, and building a team that could operate at a high level…

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Leading with Energy, Empathy, and Authority: How to Balance Connection and Command in Leadership

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Leading with Energy, Empathy, and Authority: How to Balance Connection and Command in Leadership

Effective leadership requires a delicate balance between empathy and authority. Many believe these qualities are polar opposites, but in reality, they are complementary forces that can transform your leadership style. The ability to connect with your team while maintaining strong decision-making skills is what separates good leaders from great ones.

In this blog post, you’ll explore the dynamics of energy leadership, how to find the right balance between empathy and authority, and practical strategies to implement this approach in your leadership style. By the end, you’ll have a clear framework to create a high-performing, engaged team that thrives under your leadership.

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Beyond Goal Setting: Why Vision is the Missing Piece in Achieving Your Goals

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Beyond Goal Setting: Why Vision is the Missing Piece in Achieving Your Goals

The problem isn’t in the goals themselves—it’s what comes before them. Without a clear, compelling vision to guide us, goal setting becomes nothing more than an exercise in chasing numbers. So, let’s shake things up. Let’s talk about why vision, not goals, is the key to success and how you can cast a vision that guarantees your goals are both achievable and aligned with the life you truly want.

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Master Your Energy: Pave the Way to Success

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Master Your Energy: Pave the Way to Success

Every client I work with undergoes an Energy Leadership Index (ELI) Assessment at the beginning and end of our coaching relationship. The ELI not only evaluates the current state of a client’s energy but also establishes a shared language for discussing mindset under various stressors, such as leadership challenges, performance pressure, and workload management. 

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Your $400,000 Minute: How to Own the True Value of Your Time

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Your $400,000 Minute: How to Own the True Value of Your Time

In a world where time is the one resource we can’t reclaim, understanding its true value is transformative. Imagine this: your time is worth $400,000 per minute. What would change in your life if you adopted this mindset? This perspective isn't about wealth or material possessions; it’s about valuing every moment as an opportunity to lead, strategize, and create impact.

Let’s explore why you are served by shifting from a rate-based mindset to a value-based approach to time. For professionals like lawyers, whose days are often consumed by the grind broken down into 6-minute increments, this change is essential for success and fulfillment.

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3 Key Steps to Creating a Champion’s Mindset

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In a commencement speech Roger Federer gave at Dartmouth in June 2024, he shared an unsurprising statistic: he won 80% of his matches. Makes total sense for the GOAT. He shared something else, though, that people don’t necessarily equate with being the greatest tennis player ever: Roger won only 54% of the total points he has played as a professional. That means he “failed” 46% of the time.

Here’s what Roger said…