The Recipe for a Successful General Counsel
Will the dish turn out better if an extra dash of salt or another heaping tablespoon of butter is added? Although tastes differ, basic ingredients are required to produce the desired results and delight the dinner guest. Remarkably similar to the approach for making a unique recipe, candidates for General Counsel roles must master basic techniques and provide the right “mix” of attributes to realize their goal of obtaining a GC or Chief Legal Officer position.
Just like making a unique recipe, candidates for General Counsel roles must master basic techniques and provide the right “mix” of attributes to realize their goal of obtaining a GC or Chief Legal Officer position.
In the GC AdvantageSM webinar, “The Recipe for Making a General Counsel,” Laura Stevens, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Cengage Group, and John Gilmore, Managing Partner of BarkerGilmore, joined me to discuss ways to develop a personal strategy for obtaining a GC or Chief Legal Officer position. This article is a summary of our discussion.
The Secret Ingredients for a General Counsel
Like a menu, a resume provides a listing of what a candidate has to offer, but the successful GC candidate requires the right fit for the role. There is not one particular background or constellation of experiences that fits all searches. Additionally, companies value soft skills, such as the ability to lead through influencing others, earning trust, and effective communication. From a Board of Directors perspective, clear and succinct communication, business judgment and understanding, and creative problem-solving skills are what is sought in General Counsel candidates.
Companies frequently consider internal candidates during executive searches for the GC role. Unfortunately, in some cases, the internal candidates have not earned the trust and respect needed from the board and leadership team and are not considered for the position. Consequently, robust succession planning requires a multi-year plan that creates opportunities for internal GC successor candidates to gain board exposure, work on high-value projects, and lead cross-functional teams. Of course, having a powerful business partner advocate for you is sometimes the magic ingredient for an internal candidate.
7 Strategies To Help You Become a General Counsel
Develop Gravitas
Gravitas is a critical ingredient for landing a GC role. Gravitas is about coming to the table and making a positive impression on the people there. It refers to how someone presents themselves; it’s the ability to influence others and instill confidence.
The best way to demonstrate gravitas is by being authentic and communicating in a compelling way. This is not about having the loudest voice but instead about knowing your value and adding it at the right time. Gravitas and the ability to communicate legal issues in business-relevant terms are key to building trust and helping leadership make decisions.
Build a Strong Brand
Laura built her brand on being patient, developing others, and being responsive. She does this by listening to and understanding the business’s concerns. She is known as a developer of people and for her relentless pursuit of helping the team make the best decisions, regardless of whether the decision is her idea. Additionally, willingness to take on new, uncomfortable challenges leads to new opportunities to build trusting relationships.
Authenticity and humility are key to building a brand in a way that makes a candidate likable and relatable. John relayed the story of an attorney he helped prepare for a GC role. The attorney landed the GC role because of her law firm experience from 20 years prior and the fact that she stayed in contact with those colleagues, one of whom was a trusted advisor and friend to the CEO. She was authentic, humble, and built sustainable relationships.
Take on Stretch Assignments
When taking on stretch assignments, be opportunistic. Do not sit back and wait for others to hand over assignments. Laura noted she founded her company’s privacy office and compliance function. Now, she is looking into creating an enterprise risk management function. Look for the gaps and assess what the organization needs in the next 18 months; raise suggestions and then your hand to grasp those opportunities.
It is Not All About You…Seek Feedback and Give Credit
Everyone improves with feedback so ensure you periodically request feedback from managers, clients, and peers to understand others’ perceptions. Seek feedback for continuous improvement, not affirmation or praise. Humility is best demonstrated by not trying to prove you are the smartest person in the room and know all the answers. Rely on and give credit to others. The best leaders know that they are only as good as their team. Laura noted that clients understand that when she says, “I don’t know,” she will come back with an informed opinion instead of guessing the answer and that she will rely on those who do have the requisite knowledge and expertise to reach that opinion.
Learn How to Publicize your Results Without Sounding like a Braggart
Deliver results before publicizing wins. Remember: no one works alone, and crediting others who contribute to an initiative’s success is critical. Share successes and celebrate the team’s accomplishments on LinkedIn, the company’s chat groups, or other means of external and internal communication. Let people know what you are working on and what you have achieved. Speak factually about accomplishments and use concise language to help people understand your role and your achievements. Facts rather than adjectives help achieve publicity without bragging.
Do Not Rely Solely on Electronic Communication to Build Relationships
Focus on building relationships, even when working remotely, and find the time to have real-time, face-to-face conversations with people in the company, physically traveling to various locations when possible. Pick up the phone or have a video call; do not just rely on emails and texts. Half of communication is non-verbal (facial expressions, tones, body language). There is no body language in emails, texts, and e-chats, and tone can be misconstrued. There is still no replacement for “in-person” communication.
Gain Exposure as an Internal Candidate
As an internal candidate, be proactive about getting exposure to the right people in the organization. Seek projects outside of the legal department to work cross-functionally, particularly on projects that help support company cultural initiatives that result in presentations to the C-Suite. Ask your GC for opportunities to present to the C-Suite and/or the Board of Directors.
Recipe Notes for GC Candidates
When seeking a GC position for the first time, keep the following tips in mind:
- Having no fear is critical to getting the first GC role. Candidates must not fear taking a chance, offering an opinion, relocating, or stepping out of their comfort zone. Actively pursue greater responsibilities, and do not wait for opportunities to find you.
- No one is ever “ready” for the GC role. Do not let the job description or the feeling of not having full coverage of the legal areas or expertise be an obstacle. Job descriptions often unrealistically describe the perfect, fictional candidate. Nobody has all the experience and expertise. Demonstrating how you would handle unfamiliar situations/tasks can be very compelling.
- Networking is critical for getting recognized and learning about new opportunities. Network internally and with external audiences, not just with search professionals. Networking provides broader industry knowledge, experience, and access to GC positions. Ask others questions and learn from them.
Fulfilling the GC Role
Once hired, the goal is to have the CEO’s ear and work closely with them. New General Counsel should meet with the CEO regularly to discuss their areas of greatest concern. Laura mentioned how she redirected the focus of her regularly scheduled meetings with the CEO to be conversations about what was on the CEO’s mind. This was the best way to learn what he thinks about the business and what is concerning him. The conversations became more open and unstructured, thereby building trust and comfort.
Listen to the Whole Conversation
Do not simply listen for legal or compliance concerns. Successful General Counsel are businesspeople first and lawyers second. Ask questions, respectfully challenge conventional wisdom, and listen for what is not being said. By doing this, the GC can add value even when what is being discussed has nothing to do with the law.
Demonstrate Success Even When Mitigating Risk
Much of the work a lawyer does within an organization is preventing negative situations from arising. Showing an innate ability to mitigate risk is essential to success as a General Counsel. While it is a challenge to demonstrate averted risk, try to connect the risks being mitigated to successful business outcomes. Be willing to talk to executives about balancing risk with reward.
Consider Working with an Experienced Executive Coach
Executive Coaches can help you attain your career goal of attaining a GC role as well as succeed in that role once you get it. If you are already a GC, consider hiring an executive coach, such as one of BarkerGilmore’s Strategic Advisors and Coaches, to improve your ability to serve as a strategic business partner. Having a trusted advisor provides a confidential sounding board and expert consultation to facilitate effective decision-making. Their expertise enables them to offer a wide array of proven insights and solutions to address critical issues such as:
- Building high-performance teams
- Organizational structure and staffing
- Strategic planning and vision
- Culture and team dynamics
- Legal and compliance department optimization
- Navigating GC-CEO-board dynamics
- Managing transformational change
Navigating the Path to General Counsel Success
The journey to obtaining and fulfilling the role of General Counsel is dynamic and multifaceted, and it is essential to develop a personal strategy tailored to the unique demands of the role. By incorporating the valuable insights shared in the webinar and embracing the challenges and opportunities along the way, aspiring legal leaders can navigate a path to success. No one comes to a new GC role “fully baked,” but using the right ingredients and focusing on time and temperature results in the best opportunity for success.
Marla Persky and our team of professionals are happy to help accelerate the initiatives that you’re already pursuing or to supplement your current strategic thinking to help you realize your vision. Please reach out if you or your organization may benefit from our recruiting, leadership development and coaching, or legal and compliance department consulting services. Let BarkerGilmore help you build and optimize your legal and compliance departments.
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