In-House Counsel

In-House Counsel, From Flat To Flow

How do you measure your fulfillment at work?

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decisions Concept of various pathsFor many of us who are in-house counsel, our career trajectories can look very different than at a firm. Compared to the rise from associate to partner to equity partner and beyond, there aren’t many rungs to climb at our usually flat organizations or within our legal departments of one or two. So if you’re a person who thrives on the climb alone or on attaining titles on your belt, going in-house should give you pause.

While I can’t deny that upward mobility at work has value to me, during my six years in-house, I have learned to focus less on the flatness of my company. Instead, I focus on growing my skills, knowledge, and influence. And I measure my fulfillment at work on how engaged and connected I am to what I call the “flow” of business. Here are some ideas on how you could do the same.

First, honestly assess your skills and come up with one that you want to work on for the next quarter, six months, or year. I’m a fan of choosing one to focus on because to have more can dilute your results. If you’re concerned that you’ll get bored with just one skill to focus on, my suggestion to you is to tailor how long it will be your focus, such as three, six or 12 months, instead of adding more than one at a time.

As with any goal, the more specific you can be, the better. For example, if you want to work on your communication skills — do you mean with clients, colleagues, your manager, or public speaking and presentations? To get some ideas on what to focus on, consider your prior performance reviews or asking a mentor or trusted colleague. Is there a particular leader you admire at the office? What skills do they have that you could learn or develop?

Next, consider what knowledge you want to acquire. Is it internal — such as a new product or line of business at your company? Or is it a new area of law or corporate focus like ESG? Natural curiosity helps here. If you’re looking for some inspiration, look beyond your company and consider where the excitement and energy is coming from in your industry. What are the current trends and future projections — and consider what you could learn through exploration.

Lastly, take the time to evaluate your relationships. Could you have stronger ties with your clients? Are you getting a seat at the tables that you want? Have you taken the time to get to know everyone on your team? Who do you want to get to know? Who do you want to know who you are and the work you do? If you’re not sure about the strength of your relationships, consider how and when you learn pertinent information. Are you one of the first or one of the last to know? Do you feel like people are open and honest and trust you or do you constantly have to ask and hunt for the information you need to be effective?

While this reflection exercise is not science by any means, with some focused efforts, working on specific skills, knowledge, and areas of influence can help you grow your career. And with some intention, the reality of a flat organization or legal department won’t feel stagnant, as you direct your energy to fueling your flow and personal growth.

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Meyling Mey Ly OrtizMeyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz is in-house at Toyota Motor North America. Her passions include mentoring, championing belonging, and a personal blog: TheMeybe.com. At home, you can find her doing her best to be a “fun” mom to a toddler and preschooler and chasing her best self on her Peloton. You can follow her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meybe/). And you knew this was coming: her opinions are hers alone.

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