Business effectiveness boosted by power to influence, GCs believe

The vast majority of general counsel are keen to receive training on influence to boost their career prospects, according to a major new research project by Nabarro.

The firm's third annual general counsel report – which surveyed 100 GCs from FTSE-listed and large private companies – this year focused on the subject of influence.

The survey found that although 77% of GC respondents find it 'fairly easy' or 'very easy' to influence people in their day-to-day work, 75% said they were keen to receive further training.

While 87% of respondents believe the ability to influence can be learned, just 36% said they had received training, coaching or mentoring in this regard. 

Eighty-two per cent said they would be more effective within their business with improved influencing skills, while 88% said such skills would help their long-term career.

When looking at factors identified as limiting to a GC's influence, the report asserts that legal heads need to "rise above day-to-day involvement with legal details if they are to make a real commercial impact".

Kellogg Europe chief counsel Orla Muldoon commented: "The more senior I've got in business, the less my contribution is about the law. I approach business challenges not from a legal perspective but looking at whether something is the right solution for the business."

The report also lists the key groups with which GCs need to achieve influence; with their own legal team identified alongside management and peers.

Sony Mobile Communications corporate vice president and GC Jonathan Pearl (pictured) said: "Influencing the legal team is often one of the hardest parts of the job. With clients you can hide behind the mysterious cloak of the law. But your team knows if you're talking rubbish."

Misys GC Tom Kilroy added: "Lawyers can tend towards the intellectually arrogant; believing we are smarter than the rest of the business. We need to change this if we are to be influential."

The study, Nabarro's third annual GC report, was led by partners Jonathan Warne and Peter Williamson.

The results came as a survey of 320 global GCs released this week by accountancy group KPMG found 67% of respondents said they were more involved in the formulation of business strategy now than five years ago, thanks in part to increasing risk and regulation. However, 62% of these GCs said they did not sit on the board.