In-house teams value emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) can play a key role in the effectiveness of in-house legal teams, according to a LexisNexis in-house advisory board.
EI covers self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy and social skills, and there is growing evidence that those with high levels of EI are more likely to succeed as leaders, and that companies which develop the EI of their leaders are more profitable.
The board discussed the view that lawyers in private practice are sometimes not very good at engaging with clients beyond task level. This may be because corporate structures are often less rigid than private practice law firms, which means in-house lawyers often work harder at their people skills.
It recommended that in-house teams consider the following when working with lawyers from private practice: challenging them in conversation to be flexible and aware; focusing on building a mutual level of trust; creating a complementary culture; and choosing law firms that actively solicit and value general counsel opinion on how to run their practice better.
The board’s report, Unlocking your Emotional Intelligence, offers advice on how to build EI in a team, for example, by setting aside time to share viewpoints and discuss ideas, sharing success stories with the wider business, and giving credit where credit’s due.
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