One of our recurring themes in Lean Adviser is the contrast between in-house counsel and attorneys in law firms, where we analyze the disconnects and how lean methods can bridge them.

As we continue the series on whether a higher emotional intelligence (EQ) makes women better leaders than men, we ask whether men and women navigate in-house and law firm environments differently, and whether a woman's innate EQ can be an advantage.

To some extent, of course, the same factors exist in-house and at law firms. As we discussed in previous lessons, all organizations need a balance of voices, and can operate to their own detriment if they put women in leadership positions for metrics, without actually hearing them. In both places, the best you can be, as a man or a woman, is your authentic self.