Why I became executive coach, by lawyer

A lawyer, Bukola Seun-Oloruntuga, has said she became a career and executive coach to help individuals in the workplace achieve their professional goals.

Popularly known as Coach BSO, she spoke on the sidelines of the “Accelerate Your Career Growth” webinar series, which she organised.
It is a platform for experts, coaches and thought leaders to share insights and strategies on how professionals can fast-track their career growth in the new world of work.

The first edition, which held on March 17, 2023, featured a dynamic panel of coaches and experts from the Britain, including Kemi Oye, Emeka Ebeniro and Mohammed Kasujee.

Seun-Oloruntuga said as much as she enjoys practising law, her true passion lies in helping people achieve their full potential.
“Coaching allows me to combine that passion, my personal experiences and skills in communication, problem-solving, and leadership development to help professionals navigate their career paths, develop leadership skills and achieve their goals.
“Additionally, coaching allows me to have a more flexible schedule and the opportunity to work with clients from various industries and backgrounds,” she said.

The lawyer explained that career coaching involves helping individuals identify and achieve their career goals through various strategies, such as self-discovery, personal branding and personal growth.

Executive coaching, she said, focuses on helping leaders improve their performance and effectiveness through feedback, leadership development and goal setting.
Seun-Oloruntuga still deploys her legal skills to help her clients, especially in estate planning. She said: “As a lawyer, I help my clients to leave their loved ones with more than fond memories through effective estate planning.

“As a career coach, I help my clients to accelerate their career growth and become the best versions of themselves through my podcast, one-on-one or group coaching programmes and webinars.
“As an executive coach, I help leaders and executives achieve work-life balance, develop leadership skills, improve communication skills, and drive organisational change through one-on-one coaching.”

In an era lawyers are leaving the profession to other vocations, Seun-Oloruntuga shared tips on how they could succeed.
She said: “My top career tips for every lawyer would be: one, be a lifelong learner. The world has become volatile, unstable, complex, ambiguous, and disruptive (VUCAD).

“Only a commitment to continuous learning will make it easy for you to adapt and stay above the curve.
“Two, build a strong network. Your network determines your networth. Three, find and keep your three musketeers. Every professional needs a mentor, a coach, and a sponsor.
“You need a mentor to provide guidance, a coach to open your eyes to all your potential and hold you accountable and a sponsor to mention your name in the right place to the right people at the right time.”

With unemployment a major national problem, Seun-Oloruntuga urged the government to invest in policies that promote entrepreneurship and attract foreign investment, which she believes are critical to creating job opportunities and lowering unemployment.

“While it is difficult to predict what the incoming government will do, I remain optimistic that with a commitment to serve the Nigerian people, any government will be positioned to bring about the change that our dear country desperately needs,” she said.

On why she organised the webinar, she said it was to provide practical solutions to problems that professionals face at every level of their career journey.

“The Accelerate Your Career Growth webinar series is supposed to bridge that gap by being a platform where credible coaches, experts and thought leaders can share valuable insights and practical strategies that can help professionals fast-track their career growth,” she said.

Experts at the webinar shared valuable insights on how to stay relevant and valuable as a professional, build a personal brand that sets one apart, and identify and capitalise on opportunities in the new world of work.

According to an Executive and Career Coach, Kemi Oye, staying up-to-date with industry trends and having relevant skills is key to positioning oneself for growth in the new world of work.

A business consultant and personal branding/transformation specialist, Emeka Ebeniro, emphasised the importance of building a personal brand that communicates a professional’s value to prospective clients and employers.

A career coach, business mentor and professional speaker, Mohammed Kasujee highlighted the need to identify and learn new skills that will set one on a new career trajectory.