As a lawyer, you are called upon to be a leader in many settings: in your firm, in corporate settings, in courtrooms or as a community or bar association volunteer. Whether or not you see yourself as a leader, you are perceived by others as one in these contexts. Here are some essential leadership skills that you can apply today.
Foster a high-trust environment
Google recently hired researchers to study 180 of its teams to find out why some soared while others crashed and burned. The researchers studied behavioral norms and found teams that were the most engaged and successful were the ones that listened to one another and showed sensitivity toward others’ needs and feelings. There was a climate in which people felt safe being themselves, because there was respect and trust. This means you need to create conditions where trust and respect are present to be an effective leader. When we display genuine caring and concern for others, they assume we have good intentions. Once people believe we have good intentions, they will trust us and will be motivated to work, knowing we have their best interests at heart.
Facilitate rather than direct
As lawyers, we have been trained, and get paid, to provide answers. That same dynamic, however, doesn’t work so well when we lead teams. Experienced leaders know that a command-and-control approach is not nearly as effective as a facilitator approach. But that can be challenging territory. You may be thinking, “If I don’t provide the answers as a manager, what value do I provide?”
A good leader “holds the space” during meetings and asks probing questions to solicit answers from their team. As a facilitator, you should frame the issue for the group, then ask open-ended questions to encourage discussion and problem solving. Allow others to provide answers instead of rushing to fill the void by telling them what to do.
By using observational language (“I am hearing ...”; “It sounds like ...”), you summarize what you are hearing from the group and solicit confirmation or correction until there is general agreement and buy-in from the participants. It’s a continuous cycle of acknowledging what you are hearing and asking questions. At the end of the meeting, you should summarize the decisions made and confirm action items.
Get feedback on your leadership
It’s a good idea to get feedback from others on your leadership strengths and areas for improvement. You may find it beneficial to obtain a 360-degree assessment to get feedback from your managers, peers and direct reports. Also, you can review your most recent performance reviews for clues about your leadership. At a minimum, you should solicit feedback directly from people you trust at work, asking three simple questions:
• What are my strengths as a leader?
• Where could I improve as a leader?
• How will you know in six months whether I’m making progress?
You will be a sought-after leader if you create an atmosphere of trust and respect, shift from a directive to a facilitative style and continue to get personalized feedback on what you are doing well and how you can improve. Improving your leadership skills is a constant process of refining and learning through real life application.
Kirsten Meneghello (J.D. ’95), ACC, is the founder of Illumination Coaching. She helps others transform their teams as a coach and facilitator. She is passionate about bringing individual talents together and maximizing team effectiveness. Visit www.illuminationcoaching.com for more information.