Kendra Brodin: Emotional Intelligence and Well-being for Attorneys

You're smart, you do excellent work, and you deliver for your clients. So why should emotional intelligence matter to your practice? Because, as it turns out, it shapes almost everything else: how you win clients, how you lead, and how well your brain actually works on a Tuesday afternoon. Bill and Tobi talk with Kendra Brodin, founder and CEO of Esquire Well, a lawyer and former law firm C-suite executive who left her role to focus entirely on attorney well-being. Kendra explains why emotional intelligence and well-being are two sides of the same coin, and why clients, not HR departments, are the ones pushing this topic up the agenda. You'll hear: The four quadrants of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, relationship management) and how each shows up in client work Why business development is, at its core, applied emotional intelligence How major clients like U.S. Bank have started issuing well-being guidelines to their outside counsel, and why "I'd rather have your 3 p.m. work than your 3 a.m. work" is a client argument, not a wellness slogan The research showing that a lawyer who hasn't slept performs at the level of someone who is legally intoxicated How to respond to the "I billed 2,000 hours and turned out fine" partner, without picking a fight A practical way out for associates who freeze at the thought of asking for business: drop the sale, build the relationship This episode is especially relevant for: High performers who are delivering but no longer enjoying it Associates who avoid business development because it feels intimidating Firm leaders wondering whether investing in well-being pays off Your competence isn't just what you know. It's also whether you're in a state to use it.