As a GC, your most important professional connections are within your company. Once, those might have been the only ones that mattered to you. But we live in a connected age. We ‘know’ more people than would have seemed possible a few years ago. Some of our most important business relationships may be with people we have yet to meet face-to-face. On social media, we discover that we’re linked to people we’ve never heard of. What does this mean for the GC?
Essentially, it’s a huge opportunity. One problem the in-house lawyer used to have was isolation. Now it’s the easiest thing in the world to reach out to other GCs.
And sharing information and ideas – whether in formal settings such as a policy forum or professional association or in less formal (real or virtual) social settings – can be hugely valuable. For example, at InterCorp, Juan Antonio Castro has created a roundtable initiative where the company brings together a range of lawyers from different industries to discuss the impact of digital change, an area that’s particularly rich for sharing ideas and experience as the law and regulations are still developing.
Why would a GC not wish to take advantage of all that’s on offer, be it mentoring, the exchange of knowledge and experience, access to opportunities, a sounding-board for new ideas, or even just a sympathetic ear?
Nor do connections outside the company have to be restricted to the in-house legal community. Inspirational GCs have become opinion formers and influencers in areas such as equal rights, social justice and corporate responsibility. Others have taken on roles such as non-executive directorships or trusteeships or become mentors.
Other than in extreme circumstances – typically, bad ones – it’s not the GC’s job to be the face of his company. But the GC is always a corporate ambassador, and a top-class GC is also a top-class ambassador.
One of your most valuable assets as a GC is time. You will, of course, never have enough of it, but what you choose to do with it is crucial. Lawyers are traditionally task-focused, but many effective GCs have discovered that – while tasks can be deferred, delegated or outsourced – the uniquely personal investment of time in building relationships, both inside and outside your company, may help to achieve progress, understanding and influence in a way that nothing else will.
Questions
- Are you a good networker, both within and beyond your company? If not, can you improve your networking skills?
- Do you invest time in connecting with people?
- Do you have strong relationships with the key people in your company?
- Some people say the GC is the best- connected person in the business, as they are involved in every aspect of it. Is that true for you? And if so, do you take full advantage of it?
- Are you active on social media (not just with family / friends)?
- Are you a ‘thought leader’?
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