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the clients and to sit down with them. Sometimes in the early stages and they were throwing ideas we do this formally. Other times, we sit down once around. So I learned to be at the table, and although or twice a year in certain divisions and say, “what’s all as lawyers we don’t like not taking notes, just to sit the cool wireless stuff that is coming down the pipe this and listen. year?” Because we like to understand and staff for it. Brian Wylynko: It is important to fnd opportunities to What concrete advice can you participate and, when you go to a meeting, to fnd a offer for developing a culture way to contribute by asking questions and, by con- necting those dots among departments that may be where the legal department affected by a course of action. is seen as a valued partner within the organization? Anne Giardini: There is a way into the room. If you never get invited, you’re being excluded Brian Wylynko: Developing a culture where the legal and the door is shut, there is a department is seen as a valued partner is closely as- way into the room that almost sociated with the concept of being a trusted business always works. And it actually is advisor. In-house lawyers are uniquely positioned to almost totally contrary to what take up this role because in our work we regularly look I just said. It’s this: offer to keep across departmental lines to provide all-encompassing the minutes. advice. As a consequence, we think about our compa- If it is a committee or some- nies in a very broad fashion and are able to bring this thing that does keep minutes and unique perspective to our role as business advisors. you are kind of curious about it, There are three ways for an in-house lawyer, or an offer to keep the minutes. No- in-house legal department, to become a trusted busi- body wants to keep the minutes, ness advisor to the company. The frst is consulting and if you are there in an offcial minute-keeping role, with your business colleagues so you understand the you can listen for two or three years, you will understand corporation’s priorities and can align the legal depart- everything that goes on and then, if you bide your time, ment’s priorities accordingly. Secondly, by being visible, you will be invited in a decision-making capacity. accessible and approachable in the work that you do. In particular, being visible means having an early seat Graeme McPhail: Clearly we at the table, whether it’s on the executive team or on benefted because we had Ted important team projects. Being involved where plans Rogers as our CEO, who was a are being developed and strategies are being discussed lawyer and always saw a very allows you to understand the decision-making process important role for lawyers in the and demonstrate your value at an early stage. Thirdly, organization. it’s having, when appropriate, a unique message that From a cultural perspective, communicates the top successes the legal department you need to be very responsive has had and the contributions it has made. and co-operative and you don’t want to create roadblocks. You Anne Giardini: When I frst began to be invited early don’t want to be the sales pre- to the table, I learned that a real mistake was to sit vention department; you want to busily taking notes. The participants were sometimes help the company fnd a solution uncomfortable with that because the project was so it can hit its objectives. Mesurez-vous la satisfaction de la clientèle Brian Wylynko : Nous en avons fait autant. De plus, pour démontrer la valeur ajoutée? au moment des analyses de performance, je de- mande à chaque membre du personnel de m’indiquer Brian Armstrong : La mesure que je considère la plus les 10 clients internes principaux avec lesquels il a importante est celle de la satisfaction de la clientèle. travaillé. Ensuite, je demande à chaque client com- Nous menons des études depuis neuf ans auprès ment la collaboration s’est déroulée. de nos clients internes. Nous réalisons un sondage en ligne requérant moins de 15 minutes. Nous avons Graeme McPhail : Je dis à mes avocats : « Je veux effectué un suivi de notre rendement au cours des an- que vous connaissiez très bien l’entreprise, c’est nées et nous établissons des objectifs de performance comme ça que vous ajouterez de la valeur et que annuels basés sur les résultats de ces sondages. vous deviendrez un conseiller de confance ». 5 CCCA_FM_8pgF.indd 5 11-05-05 11:08 AM