10 chief legal officers share their leadership advice

How do you master the complex CLO leadership role? There’s nothing like the wisdom of peers who have walked in your shoes. Here’s a roundup of key insights from current and former legal executives on how to boost team performance, serve as a strategic adviser, stay motivated, and communicate with precision.

Embrace failure while staying authentic.

Tonit Calaway, general counsel at BorgWarner, built a successful career by taking advantage of challenging opportunities, embracing and learning from failures along the way, and prioritizing authenticity. With a broad, C-suite and board experience, Tonit has flourished as a leader and change agent in senior general counsel, human resources, and administrative officer roles. Her work and life philosophy? Owning her strengths, building strong and empowered teams, and really knowing what brings her joy.

When it comes to developing teams and the next generation of talent, you’ve got to make room for failure. Not career-ending failure—you don’t put people in situations like that—but they’ve got to be able to make mistakes. They’ve got to understand that when you fail, you own it. And then you correct it and don’t make the same mistake again.

Build a communication bridge with the board.

Sara Hays, independent director and former general counsel at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, built a successful career spanning legal and corporate leadership. Viewing her law degree as a language to unlock career paths in both law and business, she has translated her legal experience in the real estate industry to business value in the board room.

Directors, whether they’re lawyers or not, are looking to the general counsel of their companies to be on top of any of the legal issues that the organization faces. They need to know that the issues are managed risks, that processes are in place to allow the company to manage whatever comes its way. And that the general counsel will raise any concerns the board needs to know.

From managing experienced attorneys to making internal clients happy, unlock practical advice straight from the mouths of legal executives who share your challenges. Dive into the full article to equip yourself with actionable insights from seasoned innovators.