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CCCA_V7No3_CoverStory-FIN_CCCA 13-09-23 4:05 PM Page 22 Cover Collver, now general counsel at Canadian Tire Corp., describes growing up “in an environment where girls were reward- ed for being nice and respectful, not aggressive or assertive.” Having seen “the importance of communications and inter- personal skills” she worked hard to develop them and has encouraged members of her group at work to do the same. “I want them to be confident on their feet,” she says, “and be seen as strong and visible leaders.” Addressing this issue is a key component of Humphrey’s programming. “Women have been socialized to blend in, while men have been socialized to stand out, which translates directly into what we see in the corporate environment,” she says. “It’s not learning a male’s style, but learning an authentic leadership style.” Heads Up Before becoming an executive coach, Sharon Ranson spent more than 20 years on the frontlines of the business world. Since founding The Ranson Group in 2003, she has worked with hundreds of senior women executives seeking to add, improve, or enhance specific skills as they prepare to move into leadership roles. “I am a big believer of companies invest- ing in their talent rather than remediating existing problems,” she says. “The ideal candidate is one who has raised her hand for leadership but knows she is not quite ready, which can include not knowing what kind of leader she wants to be.” Likening the move from lawyer to legal leader in the general counsel role to women rising to senior leadership roles in the capital markets or in professional services, Ranson sees a pattern of behaviours in women that separate them from men and, consequently, from the top jobs. “Women lawyers and executives alike have a greater tendency to believe that if they simply put their head down and work hard, they will get noticed,” Ranson says. “Their entire focus is on their technical prowess as lawyers, which of course you need, but that does not make you a leader.” “ Then they enter the workforce where they continue to think that success means staying in the office, working really hard, and producing the best legal research memo possible. They have no idea that the rules of work are completely different. as part of the team and as leaders who can inspire others to reach a solution,” she says. ” —Gail Harding, Canadian Western Bank Canadian Western Bank’s general counsel, Gail Harding, has expressed the same sentiments: “As undergraduates and then in law school, women view success as doing well on exams and getting the best marks,” she says. “Then they enter the workforce where they continue to think that success means staying in the office, working really hard, and producing the best legal research memo possible. They have no idea that the rules of work are completely different.” For Humphrey, the most important benchmark—and true differentiator—for successfully moving ahead in the corpora- tion is going from subject matter specialist to leader. “One of the critical changes women must make is to see themselves Compounding the problem, says Ranson, is that “Women also tend to be pleasers, in terms of wanting to make people happy.” For the high-accountability role of general counsel especially, where women have to live and breathe risk-taking every day, wanting to please while avoiding delegating responsibility is a recipe for failure. “I have some superb young techni- cians on my team who give me all the legalese I could ever want,” says Françoise Guénette, senior vice-president, corpo- rate and legal services at Intact Financial Corp. “However, it takes leaders to assess the pros and cons of situations and then make the decisions and recommendations to management.” One leadership attribute that seems to be shared by the women we interviewed is involving their team in every phase of decision-making. They are likewise devoted to establishing themselves as the go-to centre for creative business solutions 22 CCCA Canadian Corporate Counsel Association FALL 2013