The CLO communication gap

We surveyed more than 150 legal executives in the United States—all high performers and direct reports to the CLO—on what their legal function’s top three priorities were for the coming year. Then we asked their CLO to answer the same question. Among the CLO-direct report pairs, only 4% were fully aligned on the top three priorities of the legal function.¹ When asked what their biggest strengths and biggest development opportunities were, only about 50% of direct reports identified the same as their bosses.²

Communication breakdowns can pose all kinds of threats to an organization, especially when it comes to legal functions. So, how can CLOs help bridge the gap? Here are three steps legal leaders can take to better communicate with their direct reports, mitigate confusion, and allow their legal teams to understand (and care) about leadership’s goals.

Step 1: Create a vision statement and communications plan

It’s one thing to know your priorities. It’s another to articulate them in a way that resonates and drives results. CLOs can start by identifying their top three to five priorities and creating a vision statement for each priority. These statements can frame priorities in a way that allows direct reports and team members to know why they’re important and how addressing them can make their lives easier.³ Once vision statements are drafted, CLOs can create a communications strategy specific to each priority, and incorporate each one into an overall communications plan.⁴ The plan and statements should be revisted regularly—changes may be needed along the way.

Step 2: Rethink the performance review process

The traditional performance review is a once-a-year look at an employee’s past performance. Consider enhancing this approach with frequent formal and informal check-ins throughout the year. This provides a forum for your team members to initiate conversations about their objectives (instead of waiting for you to do it), request feedback regularly (to avoid unpleasant surprises at annual review time), and adjust their goal-setting, learning, and performance as needed to keep their careers on track. Performance management then becomes a process of constant, two-way communication, with every conversation a chance to strengthen the alignment between the CLO and their direct reports.

Step 3: Craft an engaging employee experience

Employee engagement refers to the emotional commitment an employee has to their organization and its vision. An engaged employee may be more likely to expend discretionary effort toward your priorities for them and the legal team more broadly, improving their own performance along the way. To improve employee engagement, think critically about how the legal team is organized and where you may be able to adjust it to create a better experience for the team. This might mean investing in employee growth opportunities, creating a culture of recognition, or even offering coaching sessions for legal leadership.

CLOs have a growing number of responsibilities, all with an expectation to bring a legal lens to the business strategy. Fulfilling these responsibilities can depend on attributes like unity, influence, and persuasion... But most importantly, it can depend on how well they’re able to communicate and connect with their direct reports.

¹ Interviews of CLOs and their direct reports, Deloitte CLO Program, October 2017–March 2019 and March 2022–October 2023.
² Ibid.
³ Ajit Kambil, “Elevate your transition priorities,” Deloitte Insights, June 12, 2014.
⁴ Ajit Kambil, “Elevate your leadership communication strategies,” Executive Transition Series, Deloitte, 2015.