The New York Times

New York Times
October 29, 2002, Page E5
Byline Diane Cole

When a colleague told Julie Day, a lawyer in Fairfax, VA, that she was consulting an executive coach - a new breed of personal trainer who helps clients develop business acumen and people skills - Ms. Day was not impressed.

"Boy, that sounds self-absorbed," she recalled saying to herself. "I was very skeptical."

Yet Ms. Day is now a believer. Nine months ago, she hired an executive coach, Ellen Ostrow, a psychologist in Washington who helped Ms. Day redefine her marketing style and to "think out of the box." Dr. Ostrow provided tips on controlling paperwork and other administrative tasks. Perhaps most important, the results have been quantifiable, Ms. Day said: "she has become a partner in her firm."