A General Counsel’s (“GC”) success is built on a foundation of skills, knowledge, and emotional intelligence, with the ability to focus on goals, an awareness of the key elements of interpersonal relationships, communications, creativity, leadership and management. GCs who become trusted advisors are highly conversant with their company’s business, its competitors and the broader industry, as well as participating with the leadership team in strategic and related financial, security and technology issues. In many respects the GC functions as the CEO of the legal department.
By the time you become a GC, it is likely you have honed many of those elements, but different career paths may have had varying emphasis on some but not others. The Executive Coach, if chosen wisely, will be able to sharpen performance, give the GC clear perspectives in the legal and management environment, teach them additional skills and assist them in seeing themselves more clearly, allowing them to reach their full potential.
Coaching is a professional development exercise tied to a coach’s deep understanding of your specific role, organizational dynamics, your personality style, the culture of one’s company and one’s career goals. The coach works with their clients with compassion, a defined rigor and an individually developed road map to fill in needed skills and executive attributes.
The process begins with the coach conducting extensive conversations with a client to learn their goals, roadblocks, observations about their environment, both professional and personal, when appropriate. For some coaching engagements, the organization will also request a form of “360,” whereby the coach conducts confidential interviews of superiors (CEO, Board members), colleagues, internal clients and subordinates. Following both the client conversations and the 360 begins a diagnostic evaluation on setting priorities, scheduling a timeline and setting feedback loops to make sure the client stays on track. The execution of a specific plan keeps the client and coach in frequent touch and, when done correctly, the plan is altered to meet new circumstances as they arise. The Executive Coach serves as a sounding board for the client. Advice and counsel are given based on what is best for the client and provides clean, unbiased feedback based on the agreed goals.
There are various types of coaching engagements, which that can focus on some or all the following areas.
On-boarding for new positions
Developmental coaching with emphasis on personal and professional techniques and soft skills
Performance coaching to hone knowledge and skills to focus on identified goals
Career coaching to assist in in defining logical career steps
Skills development to help clients master new skills or refine established techniques. This might include public speaking, running successful meetings, leadership, management, emotional intelligence, change management, time management and conflict resolution.
Strategic consulting to develop plans and the necessary tactical steps.
Leadership and management coaching to design or refine organizational structure and to optimize work effectiveness and professional relationships
Transformational consulting to move a department or the whole company into a different culture
All the components in executive coaching are designed to answer real-time and future situations. As circumstances change, the Coach will update the plan for the client.
Selecting an Executive Coach is not unlike selecting outside counsel or a personal therapist. It needs to be a solid fit as you will be entrusting your coach with extremely sensitive matters, some with deep emotion attached. You should determine if you want someone with a legal (especially GC) background or perhaps a more HR orientation where you will typically undergo a battery of personality tests. Ask for references and check credentials and longevity in this type of role.
For many GCs, working an Executive Coach brings renewed confidence, greater enjoyment in their role ,and enhanced career stability.
Advisory Board Member, Ready Set GC
Founder, New Vistas Consulting
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