Page 13 - CCCA Magazine Spring 2015

{ Career MaNageMeNt } creatIng a culture oF mentorshIp In your legal department By Karen Sadler “If we don’t live together, we’re going to Encouraging this behaviour will help die alone.” ensure that your legal department grows top mentorIng tIps Any Lost fans? The show’s protagonist, and strengthens together, increasing in- Jack Shephard, says this line during an formal knowledge sharing and feelings of Chris gouglas, Chair of the CCCa Mentor- impassioned speech to the recent survi- collegiality. ing Committee and Vice president of le- vors of a plane crash on a deserted island, gal services and general Counsel at Best implying that the only way they will sur- What’s good for the goose is good for Buy Canada ltd., shares his top tips for vive is by helping each other. And though the gander. effective mentoring: your legal department is not necessarily Most in-house counsel move to the legal the same as a band of castaways on an department from a law frm—tradition- 1 Mentoring is a conversation: gone are island, there is a nugget of truth in the ally a more competitive, aggressive envi- the days of the wise, older employee phrase that can be applied to any group of ronment. In a legal department, the suc- doling out advice to a younger, inex- people working as a unit. cess of one refects positively on the entire perienced employee. Mentoring today At a time when inclusivity, reciprocity team, so the more skills and perspectives is about both the mentor and mentee and teamwork in the workplace are more each lawyer develops, the better for the engaging in meaningful conversa- valued than ever, it’s important to think of department as a whole. tions, discussing past situations and mentoring as more than just a one-hour In his 2012 Forbes article, “New Re- experiences, and applying the lessons appointment in your calendar every few search on Making the Most of Mentoring learned to current challenges. months. These days, mentorship should Relationships,” Drew Hansen cites a study be a permanent part of your at-work phi- done on mentoring in which the authors 2 Mentoring involves setting goals: the losophy and a natural extension of lead- interviewed 54 faculty members at the frst mentor-mentee meeting should ership, helping to build a stronger, more Departments of Medicine at the Univer- be about establishing a relationship, effcient legal team. So how can you start sity of Toronto and University of Califor- getting to know each other and cre- creating a culture of mentorship within nia. It showed that successful professional ating a judgment-free zone. However, your own department? relationships “were marked by reciproc- after that initial meeting, it is important ity, mutual respect, clear expectations, to set goals and desired outcomes to It’s a never-ending, two-way street. personal connection, and shared values.” keep both parties on track. As mentoring becomes less a formal ar- A culture of mentorship promotes all rangement and more an organic experi- of these traits, resulting in a higher-per- 3 Mentoring is about listening: Being ence, it’s valuable to think of mentoring as forming and happier legal department. a mentor is not always about solv- both an ongoing journey and a two-way ing problems. often, it’s helpful for a street. Specifcally, mentoring should never Begin with the ccca. mentee to have someone simply listen stop—you’ll always have more to learn and The CCCA’s Mentoring Program, Counsel to them and act as a sounding board. more to share with peers. You’ll also realize Guiding Counsel: The Path to Excellence, is a 4 Mentoring is about helping others that it’s optimal to be both a mentor and a free beneft for all in-house counsel mem- take a leap: junior in-house counsel mentee at the same time. bers. Features include customized training sometimes hold themselves back. In her 2008 Harvard Business Review for mentors, a confdential matching process, Mentors can provide that gentle push, article, “Give a Gift: 4 Tips for More Effec- a structured-yet-fexible meeting schedule, encouraging a mentee to take the next tive Mentoring,” author Tammy Erickson resources for mentors and mentees, and sup- step in his or her career, whether it be suggests creating a “gift culture” in your port from a program advisor. To learn more, seeking a promotion, joining a com- workplace: “Encourage anyone and every- contact mentoring@ccca-cba.org. ❚ mittee, taking on new responsibilities one to give freely of their time and insight or speaking at an event. to help colleagues. Make this common practice throughout the organization.” Karen Sadler is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the CCCA. Canadian Corporate Counsel assoCiation | CCCa-aCCje.org 13