About

Editor’s note: This interview was conducted prior to March 2020.

How do you feel in-house legal leaders can successfully introduce and implement a culture within a legal department?

I think any person in a leadership position is by definition shaping the culture of an organisation. Like any other leader, in-house legal leaders have the responsibility to be thoughtful and intentional in how they behave, because they serve as role models for behaviour across an organisation. A huge benefit of leadership is the platform you are given to set the culture. This is critically important for highly visible opportunities they face – who gets promoted, who gets top bonuses, and just as importantly, who does not. These are critical opportunities to shape culture. I’ve made the mistake in the early part of my career of approaching some of these moments without appreciating the long term impacts I could otherwise be creating, and I’ve learned later on in my career that those are wasted opportunities. I have since tried very hard to consider the long term impact my behaviour can have for others at our organisation.

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel what would it be and why?

First, think about your leadership purpose that goes beyond simply performing your role. Think about what impact you want to have in your career; what contribution you want to make; why you want to have that impact, and then try to consider how you can go about achieving that impact. Second, use empathy as the central tenet to how you approach your role. We all have clients, and it is far more important to put yourself into the shoes of your client from an emotional and strategic perspective, than it is to prove to them how smart you are. Third, fight against the compulsive desire for perfection that we all face in our careers. Perfectionism is pervasive across our profession, and it’s on the rise. I believe that it is the root of why anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse and depression are similarly pervasive across our profession. By all means, work hard and strive for excellence, but accept that mistakes will be made, and are, in fact, opportunities for growth. Finally, bring a sense of humour to work – have fun and laugh a little, especially when talking about mistakes you’ve made in the past.

FOCUS ON: LEADERSHIP

I was planning to write a piece on vulnerability, but I have talked so much about this issue over 2019, both publicly and internally at Ontario Teachers’, I thought I would share a story which shows my struggle with it.

This fall, we held the Ontario Teachers’ Leadership Forum in Toronto, for our top 200 leaders from across the globe. We had amazing speakers on culture and strategy, as well as our incoming CEO on his vision for the future. A few times during the presentations, my name was used with reference to “being vulnerable” or “embracing vulnerability” in an affectionate but joking way by some of the speakers. My executive team peers understand how important it is to embrace the uncomfortable in our approach to leadership – and they indulge me in discussing this approach using the awkward and easily avoidable term – vulnerability. In fact, a few of them separately approached me during the day out of concern that the speakers were being disrespectful to this idea of vulnerability and leadership, to get a laugh.

Initially, I didn’t have a similar reaction, but after being approached a few times, I started to wonder. I went home and thought about it, and ending up putting some thoughts in a note I sent to my concerned colleagues:

‘The word vulnerability is a difficult one, but I use it intentionally. I am not naïve about the connotations it can invoke for others. I could easily use words like courage, innovative, creative, trusting, authentic, resilient, et cetera. These are all traits we aspire to, and are proud to be identified as such. And they are the traits we need if we want to succeed in this world. But if I say “let’s all be courageous” or “let’s all be bold”, that is such an easy idea to digest, and so easy to say. However, it is not easy to be courageous or bold. That takes true risk and emotional exposure. It may end up in failure…

I want to be a courageous leader, an innovative leader, an authentic leader, a resilient leader, but I don’t want to be the leader that simply describes myself with those words. I want to look back on my path and see my actions as courageous, not my words.

So I use the word vulnerability, despite how uncomfortable it makes me feel. To be courageous, I need to be comfortable with being vulnerable and losing. And the first step, is to accept and identify with the idea of being vulnerable. To simply identify with the word courage, without the suffering and discomfort that is required to get you there, is a hollow version of the leader that I want to be.

So when I see people using that word to get a laugh, without feeling comfortable to display it themselves in that moment, I see that as progress, not an insult. I see it as an attempt to approach an idea – a word – that they know is at the core of everything, but makes us squirm.

After tonight, my team talked about those references as small victories, not insults. We can all identify with the person who wants to be courageous, resilient, authentic… No one was slagging that idea, and I doubt even the nastiest person in the organisation would do that in such public and personal way. I think they were trying to be brave, and using humour to deal with the discomfort and using my brand as a crutch.’

I think this email gives more insight into what I mean when I use the words vulnerability and leadership together. And I think this story captures the discomfort involved when choosing this path in a corporate context. It is uncomfortable, not in a “look at me, I’m taking a risk” way – but in a way that carries true emotional risk. I guess part of me will always feel uncomfortable being branded “the vulnerability guy”. But after talking to my team and reading some of the notes I have received from so many, both inside and outside my company, as to how this approach is opening doors, removing obstacles and impacting them in wonderful ways, they reminded me of something very important – if it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, then am I really trying?