Leadership Coaching and Programs

My Leadership Story

The first 10 years of my legal career was spent in the insurance teams of large national law firms. Within three years of my admission, I became a Senior Associate at Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashursts). I then had an stint as a Partner in a boutique and specialised workers compensation firm.

Although I had some management experience in my early 30s, I consider that my leadership story however really started in 2007. Together with a business Partner, we founded a boutique start-up, MVM legal (later rebranded as Kaden Boriss). We grew from 4 to 50 staff in 10 years- building revenue, new lines of work and a strong team. Whilst grateful for this success, I acknowledge now that I was, in many ways, ill-equipped to lead people effectively in the early days of our business. Yes- mistakes were made! I came to realise (more slowly than others) that winning the ‘inner game’ as a leader is more important than the credibility associated with technical expertise. Simply put, it is a leader’s understanding and acknowledgement of the lifelong work associated with this inner game (with how you turn up each day) which creates a workplace culture.

In 2017, we merged with DWF, as the first Australian legal business to join the global brand. We formed the view that taking the business to the next level and achieving national coverage (particularly an eastern seaboard insurance presence) necessarily required relinquishing a level of autonomy and joining a global brand with a strong global reputation in insurance services. I then served as the Head of insurance in the Australian market following the merger with DWF.

This experience encompassed being a part of the Australian leadership team.

In October 2020, I was appointed as the Managing Director of the Australian business. After my appointment, I sat on the global executive board (an Internal operational board), which gave me working insight into the broader business including the global, economic and technological forces which will necessarily serve to shape the future delivery of legal services.

It was not all smooth sailing. Within six months of taking on the Australian leadership, I was called on manage a large restructure, cutting our Australian headcount by two thirds as we refocused on the insurance and employment practises. Coming out of Covid (in the context of new global leadership and against broader economic headwinds) it was appreciated that the Brisbane insurance and workplace businesses served as the cultural and strategic bedrock for further growth.

There is no doubt that it is the difficulties in life and business that always leads to the most salient lessons. In this case, many lessons learned about the perils of trying to build revenue without a compelling strategic and cultural thread bringing it all together. This process reinforced for me the importance of authentic leadership - maintaining empathy whilst not shirking the ‘hard conversations’.

At the end of April 2024, I stepped down from my role as Partner and Managing Director, 26 years after my admission as a solicitor in April 1996.

As a former Director of an incorporated legal and claims management business, I am open to Board appointments in businesses with purpose.

I will bring to any Board role demonstrated strategic leadership underpinned by a curious mindset, financial acumen, integrity and an ability to 'tell the story'- critical to effective communication. My CV is attached.

Cover Letter

Damien's CV

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‘What got you here, won’t get you there’- Dr Marshall Goldsmith.

My coaching approach focuses on 3 pillars- it starts with the leading of self (a lifelong process), encompasses the leading of others (the art of influencing) and finally addresses the skillset of strategically leading business.

The Three Foundational Pillars
of my Leadership Coaching Methodology

Leading Self

‘Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge’ - Simon Sinek.

Laudable statement - but impossible to achieve without taking care of yourself and striving to win that elusive ‘inner game’.

My bespoke approach in working with you focuses on developing personal skills and insight, getting you out of those weeds to ensure that -

You prioritise being respected over being liked.

You become a problem solver, who sees problems as an opportunity you stay with, digest and look to solve.

You tell a story and articulate a vision.

You promote the mindset of asking is there a better way?

You communicate effectively to inspire others.

You are authentic with insight into what may hold you back.

You understand how to motivate, inspire and bring out the best in others.

As a former Managing Director I have walked your shoes, including making many mistakes. Yes, I know what it is like to be swamped in the to do list, lost in the weeds, dysregulated and overwhelmed!

My coaching therefore starts from the important premise of self. This is not the realm of the ethereal, nor is it pop psychology. It is central to the creation of culture.

‘The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be’ - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

‘Mastering others is a strength. Mastering yourself is true power’ - Lao Tzu

‘The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood’ - Voltaire.

Leading of Others

This comes down to the art of influencing.

What you will hear in most management courses is that this is about being curious and understanding people, tapping into how they think and what they value. This is important, but it is the ‘good enough’ approach, often characterised by using ‘carrots’ and ‘sticks’ to motivate people. Without denigrating the importance of ensuring proper rewards and incentives, the gold standard is not motivation, but inspiration.

If you inspire others, you will readily influence and successfully lead. My work with you will therefore focus on ensuring
that -

You are an authentic, brave and effective communicator. As leaders, we are all in the game of recruitment (finding, keeping and developing talent).

You let go and trust others whilst ensuring clear accountability, including bringing on board people who are better than you in certain (or many!) departments, and ensuring their challenge and development.

You live the purpose of the business or endeavour, and genuinely recognise the strengths, skills and contributions of the entire team. This is easier on good days- but there will be many bad days when mistakes are made, and when you confront failure.

You ensure that credit is shared on success, and you own failure as the leader and see it as a genuine opportunity for learning and development. When confronted with failure and mistakes, inspirational leaders are curious- they genuinely promote an open environment where failures are acknowledged and recognised as opportunities for learning.

You clearly articulate the vision (do you have a clear why?) and tell the story. We are narrative people and good leaders understand that stories form the basis of all cultural transmission.

You do not shirk the hard conversations, and ensure an honest and constructive approach is taken, and taken quickly. Maintaining high performing teams (that is, not just teams that ‘get on’ together, but achieve measurable and better results) requires leaders to stand up and not shirk the hard conversations (including severance) with team members who are lowering the bar.

‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you
made them feel’ - Maya Angelou

Leading Business

The third pillar focuses on ensuring you genuinely understand your market, and more importantly, your customers and stakeholders. My work with you on this third pillar (leading business) focuses on -

Challenging you to be open and honest about potential disruption, as change and even decline in the longer term is inevitable.

Ensuring you are not just customer focussed but, rather, customer obsessed.

Ensuring you ask the question - is there a better way?

Promoting your strategic thinking, prioritising growth and opportunity and the necessary roadmap required.

Growing your problem-solving skills- your ability to stay with uncertainty, ask the right questions and be sufficiently decisive to nonetheless engender confidence.

Facing up to failure and experimentation as the keys to innovation

Your change management skills - embracing change with clarity and authenticity.

Crisis management - maintaining a calm mindset, which prioritises honesty and lessons learnt.

Project and time management - understanding that the discipline of execution and accountability, invariably trumps better ideas poorly executed.

‘The greatest danger in time of turbulence is not the turbulence - it is to act with yesterday’s logic’ - Peter Drucker.

‘In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield’ - Warren Buffet.

‘The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of a mistake’ - Meister Eckhart.

‘To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart’ - Eleanor Roosevelt.

Leadership Coaching and Programs

My Leadership Story

Damien's CV

The Three Foundational Pillarsof my Leadership Coaching Methodology

The Three Foundational Pillars
of my Leadership Coaching Methodology