Page 37 - CCCA 239285 Magazine_Fall 2015

{ strategic ManageMent }

5. know the art and process of ■ Negotiate and establish special project ■ Once your clients have defned the re-
departmental budgeting. categories not affecting budget. sults they want you to focus on, reverse-
■ Remember that last year’s actuals are ■ Share or download costs for priority and engineer them to design aligned KPIs
only a great predictor of what hap- unforeseen projects with business units. and evaluation criteria/measurements.
pened last year. ■ Be your department’s CFO and use ■ Nothing motivates client service and
■ Estimate workfow and timelines for tricks of the trade like other units. For solution orientation more than having
upcoming supportable business proj- example, appreciate that internal nego- clients score lawyers on those criteria. In-
ects, as this will affect your people, sys- tiation is likely and use legitimate ac- corporate surveying into the standard af-
tems and costs. cruals to avoid “use it or lose it” results. ter-action process and act on the results.
■ Engage with business clients to proac-
tively “negotiate” timing and spacing of 6. evaluate, survey, assess and recast 7. engage internal clients like external
needs to ensure success on expectations. dynamically. customers.
■ Be cognizant and vigilant of any ■ To determine how to get the job done ■ Be practical, speak in plain language
changes to the department’s address- better, faster and cheaper, you have to or business terms (not legalese), don’t
able scope of work associated with dif- engage in both critical self-assessment over-lawyer and never lose composure
ferent levels of budgeting. and client feedback loops. with clients.

CanadIan CORPORaTe COunSeL aSSOCIaTIOn | CCCa-aCCje.ORG 37