This is the first career advice column exclusively available at Insidecounsel.com, and so I want to start out ambitiously.

Instead of discussing specific strategies on compensation, promotion, or changing employers (all likely topics for future columns), I want to suggest a general approach for success as you climb the proverbial corporate ladder. Most attorneys are bright and hardworking, yet many fail to understand what it takes to succeed in corporate America. Others grasp a need to play the corporate game but could use some tips for getting better at it.

The idea for this column originated with my own struggle to get a failing roof replaced. A town home association is responsible for roof maintenance, so it was not as simple as picking up the yellow pages and calling a roofer. As water continued to find its way into our home, I navigated a maze of Board decisions, roof consultants, contractor bids, city permits, and more. As my frustration grew with the process, I realized that I was living in a world many of you probably recognize on a daily basis, one that requires action from others and overcoming red tape.