Page 30 - CCCA Magazine Fall 2018

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“ My values shift has
profoundly changed the way
The Path to Growth I approach some of my prior
However, following on Chow’s experience, sometimes it takes complaints… and has made
an accident or near-miss to see those gaps. “For us, experienc- me way more effective.”
ing the accidents really brought perspective. It made us pause
to modernize things that we hadn’t,” she says—like delivering Catherine Chow, VP Legal and General
compliance messages within the company. Counsel, Keg Restaurants Ltd
“I think one of the biggest shifts for me was when one of
my staff wrote a memo to introduce a new reporting software Effective Action
app,” she recounts, “and they were trying to think of a title for
it—which normally for me would have been ‘Memo.’ Theirs was Double-loop learning is the key to turning experience into fun-
something like, ‘Same Meat, New Gravy.’ I was surprised but I damental and cultural improvement. However, meaningful re-
had challenged them to go to our staff world, rather than mak- sults do not happen without effort. This means having (some-
ing it a legal memo. I really had to shift to value the idea that we times diffcult) conversations about what is and is not working
are all in this together, rather than a top-down, here-are-the- and why, seeking honest feedback on your work, practicing spe-
rules kind of perspective.” cifc skills and mindsets, and being open to failure.
The frst step is getting comfortable with failure—that is when “I think having an open mindset to learn new ideas and new
the best learning can happen. (Though a lack of failure does not perspectives, to suspend biases and prejudices of how things
mean there is not room for improvement.) Collect information work, and to change to a new paradigm is really very diffcult,”
and analyze the situation. What lessons did it teach us? says Yam, “But staying curious and staying open to new ideas are
The next step is to look at your mental model. Critically ex- soimportant. So I've tried to become a lifelong learner. My phi-
amine your habitual assumptions, behaviours and values—why losophy has always been, ‘How do I become a better version of
you do things and in certain ways. How do these affect your myself every day?’”
actions and interactions? Are there any incongruities or prob- Garcia supports this: “I think the key is learning, and learn-
lems? Are they still relevant? ing from your peers and understanding, and then being able to
As a leader in your organization, you also need to listen ac- provide your feedback. Then incrementally working on solu-
tively and communicate effectively. Key questions to gain new tions or improvements together. The biggest thing I've seen, in
insight about both the problem and your mental model include: terms of people failing, is people coming in thinking they know
✹ What were/are you assuming about it/them? If you were to everything already.”
assume the opposite, how would things change? There are also ways for you to develop your mental model
✹ What do you believe about yourself in this situation? What and expand your perspective outside of the workplace. For ex-
do you believe about others? ample, you can pursue a part-time program such as the CCCA’s
✹ What unspoken rules or traditions are being followed? Are Business Leadership Program for In-House Counsel (this is a
they detrimental? topic in the curriculum), attend relevant professional develop-
✹ What do you normally do in such situations? What is the result? ment, and enlarge your network beyond other lawyers.
✹ What is the bigger picture or bigger outcome you are seeking? Volunteering is also a great option. For example, Yam's com-
As Garcia points out, “The key skills that being in-house coun- pany, B3 Canada, works with large corporations to match and
sel allows me to have are the ability to deal with change and train employees to serve on non-proft boards. She sees her mis-
address change as proactively as I can, but at the same time, sion as changing the world “because if employees continue to
roll with the punches. I remember back in the day, the answer just work for themselves and discuss things among themselves,
you would often get is, ‘That's not my job.’ Now I never hear in- there is the danger of group-think.” By volunteering on boards,
house counsel say that. We want to get involved in everything in “it gives employees an open, curious mindset that allows them
whatever way we can because the earlier we're in there, the less to be exposed to different ideas and to people who are very dif-
likely we're going to have to deal with a fre afterward.” ferent from themselves in many ways. So when they come back
to the company, they bring in new ideas and new skills, and
they're more creative and innovative. And more importantly,
“ There's been a change they've developed empathy.”
“As a lawyer, as an executive, part of the C-suite thinking is
for in-house counsel where that you have to take leadership for the company and you can
you're not just a lawyer. get out of touch,” says Chow. “My values shift has profoundly
You're a business person changed the way I approach some of my prior complaints …
with a legal background.” and has made me way more effective.” ❚
Fernando Garcia, VP Legal and General
Counsel, Cargojet Lynne Yryku is the Executive Editor of CCCA Magazine.

30 CCCA MAgAzIne | FAll 2018 AuTOMne