3 Principles To Build Success In Corporate Law - Above the Law
In today’s fast-paced world, it can feel like everyone is looking for “one weird trick” to get ahead. Whether it is the newest technology or knowing the right people, lawyers of all ages can become caught up in trends. These are important, but some people forget to build a solid foundation to enable personal success.
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the Boss Move podcast about the values that have enabled me to be successful. While it is hard to narrow down, I feel three principles have been particularly helpful to me in corporate law.
Authenticity
When I was 12, my family moved to the United States. I spoke no English, so my social life was utterly destroyed. While reading and writing in English came quite naturally, it took me almost a decade to become truly fluent in spoken English.
As you can imagine, this led to a complicated relationship with my accent. A friend told me that you can replace your accent with speech training. I seriously considered this for a while, but then I talked to my father, who thought it was a waste. He said the people who actually matter to me don’t care about my accent, and those who do care about my accent don’t matter. He was right.
Authenticity is about being true to yourself. In your life, you will encounter plenty of people who don’t like you the way you are or want you to be something that you are not. Keeping up with these expectations is exhausting, and it hides who you really are. None of us are perfect, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be ourselves.
Look For Opportunity
Your next job doesn’t have to be a version of the job you have today. People often think about the opportunity as moving up a ladder, one step at a time. That approach can leave you blind to the opportunities that surround you every day.
I pride myself on never doing the same job twice. Throughout my career, I have found opportunities to take my talents and leverage them to take on interesting new challenges. This path isn’t for everybody, but many people (especially those from marginalized groups) should stop waiting for permission to advance themselves.
Reputation Matters
I am reminded more often about how much reputation matters. People that I knew years ago pop up in new and surprising places. This is especially important in law, where the most valuable asset you can have is a reputation for integrity and hard work.
Social media rewards short-term attention for long-term reputation. Making bold statements or picking fights gets you likes and shares for the moment, but these comments tend to age poorly. The internet has a long memory. Make sure you show up intentionally in every interaction.
The Rest Of The Story
Obviously, these are just a starting point. There is a lot that goes into being a good lawyer and a good leader. Still, I think the principles of authenticity, looking for opportunity, and developing a solid reputation are underappreciated.
What about you? What principles have helped you in your profession in the past? Which ones will be most valuable in the future?
Olga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat and Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.
source: https://abovethelaw.com/2021/11/3-principles-to-build-success-in-corporate-law/
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