- Thanks to an accomplished gentleman who mentored and propelled my passion for advocacy of the law through court practice, I write down my thoughts on how I relate it to my corporate governance practice.
Before I joined the corporate world, one of the things I dreaded about the prospect of migrating from private law practice was the thought that I would get “rusty” with my acquired litigation skills and bored with mundaneness in a corporate!
I took the leap, nevertheless and discovered that my fears were uninformed and I will tell you why, here.
I quickly learned that as a team member in a corporate, my professional services were considered to be facilitating, supportive, risk avoiding/mitigating, advisory, to name but a few. I had a lot of work to do and I was busy!
However, as you go up the corporate ladder, your interactions with what I call “engine dynamics” of your professional practice become less, favoring more strategic management and organisation activities.
To address the fear of getting rusty, I have over the years taken deliberate efforts to structure my work ethic to align to one that supports refreshing and updating myself with current trends.
I share the following tips which I hope can help others;
Having an open door policy to colleagues, (regardless of where they rank on the hierarchy) for consultation where they need my insight while striking the balance between giving access to experience and the risk of undermining the authority of others.
2. Offering oneself as a mentor and coach
3. Having regular and focused group meetings with a view to share concepts and brainstorm on matters that colleagues are currently handling to create an opportunity for you to share your past experiences and learn about current trends
4. Taking time during free moments to discuss topical matters, not necessarily related to anything your group is handling but has a bearing on future assignments. A healthy debate is quite refreshing and it gets the right levels of adrenaline going to refresh/update your mind!
5. Establishing networks that promote your desire to keep up to date with other areas of your practice
6. Deliberate steps towards personal growth and increasing your competitive edge as a professional…consider further academic qualifications and certifications
7. Conscious working towards self actualisation as regards your profession. Ask yourself; what kind of professional would you like to be that would best suit and satisfy you?
As usual, I am eager to hear more tips from friends!
