Russell Reynolds Associates: Inside the Mind of the General Counsel

Russell Reynolds Associates’ Inside the Mind of...series addresses the leadership and behavioral attributes of various groups of executives.

Inside the Mind of the General Counsel From gatekeeper to dynamic bridge

The Russell Reynolds Associates database contains more than 5,000 data points from the top ranks of corporations worldwide. They compared 78 top legal executives with their broader database of executives (as well as with CEOs and other executive figures) on 60 psychometric scales from well-validated leadership assessments to understand upon which scales the top legal executives showed statistical differences from the other populations.

External forces: why the general counsel role broadens by the day

Beyond their fulcrum role as a key member of the leadership team and savvy board advisor, three external forces have put pressure on the general counsel position to be increasingly proactive and agile:

Globalization—With businesses that are becoming more dispersed in terms of revenue, operations and growth opportunities across widening geographies, the complexity of the regulatory landscape and the sheer physical challenge of managing the business and risk places greater pressure on the general counsel to extend lean resources across a diverse landscape with creativity and discipline.

Technology—Fast-moving information and nearly instant broad access to that information have challenged general counsel to move quickly to address a host of issues and threats—whether related to cyber, privacy, social media or a 24-hour news cycle—that did not exist in their current form 10 or even five years ago.

Government oversight—Across a wide variety of industries and a global assortment of jurisdictions, government oversight into business activities has become more precise, more granular and more focused on the need for organizations to proactively take the correct steps (above and beyond simple compliance). Not surprisingly, general counsel have been at the forefront of leading organizations through this paradigm shift.

The best general counsel are decisive, dynamic and warriors against red tape When Russell Reynolds Associates examined best-in-class general counsel against their peers, three key differences emerged. The highest performers are 18% more decisive than their executive peers—immune to “analysis paralysis.” They also are at home in the spotlight and 18% more likely to display dynamic leadership. Finally, they are a whopping 36% more likely to cut through bureaucracy—a striking trait given the stereotype of GC as upholders of rules and regulations. builder.

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