3.2  Developing leadership skills

I have to say, how I watch young solicitors being treated, I have to say I would be absolutely appalled by how their bosses speak to them. Because these people have no training, have no human resource knowledge at all.

(Barrister, Northern Ireland)

It has to start with the partners having a culture where you can feel free to talk about, say, a mental health issue, or it doesn’t have to be a mental health issue but whatever it is, you know, without the feeling that you’re going to be criticised, that they’re going to start seeing it as a weakness: should we get rid of this person?

(Solicitor, London)

Leading a team

If you are a line manager, supervisor or lead a team, it is important to be acutely aware of the wellbeing of those you are responsible for. This video highlights the influence leaders and managers can have in determining the wellbeing of colleagues.

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Transcript: Video 6  Leadership and wellbeing

VLAD VALIENTE
Think you will also hear about jobs that are described, for example, as, oh, that's not a healthy environment, or that's not a happy ship. When you hear these phrases, you already know that something's gone wrong, and the leadership isn't there. And that's not somewhere you want to work because you know that unhappy ships will lead to unhappy people and, ultimately, a lack of productivity, a lack of teamwork, a lack of everybody pushing for the same thing.
KHYATI JOSHI
You are being taught by people who know - or who think they know-- how to teach or train. But they may not. They're human. This is how they have learned, so they pass the same methods of teaching to you. It may not be appropriate to your method of learning. But that's how it is. And if you're not on the same level as them, you may find it difficult to appreciate law and its practice.
End transcript: Video 6  Leadership and wellbeing
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Video 6  Leadership and wellbeing
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Many legal professionals in senior positions have been trained as lawyers, not managers or leaders. This can mean that they become line managers, supervisors or are given other leadership roles which they are not necessary trained and equipped for. When offered such a role, it is important to think about what training and/or support you require and what skills you need to focus on developing.

Ways to tackle these issues can include:

  • Ensuring before you begin the role that there is relevant support in place, e.g. if you are expected to manage a team of five individuals to ensure they complete a workload meant for eight individuals, it is clear that there is a need to bring in additional team members or reduce the team’s workload. If a leadership role is going to lead to a large increase in administrative work then you may want to negotiate for some more secretarial or IT support. Negotiating these issues is an important part of preparing to take on a leadership role. It helps manage your employer’s expectations and sets appropriate boundaries in place.
  • Asking your employer to fund relevant training for you. This may involve accessing training courses not specifically targeted at lawyers – a wide range of training providers offer leadership development training.
  • Doing your own research and learning. There are lots of great resources available for free online, e.g. via edX.
  • Seeking regular feedback from members of your team/individuals you supervise to assist you in identifying any issues at an early stage. This means you can deal with them proactively and it also fosters an environment where there is plenty of two-way communication.

There may be times when taking on a new role can feel challenging or even overwhelming. You may also have a sense of ‘imposter syndrome’ – a feeling that you were lucky to get the role and do not really deserve it. If that is the case, you may find this free online course helpful.

A recent survey by the Junior Lawyers Division of the Law Society of England and Wales (2019) found that many respondents commented on the need for employers to tackle the root cause of work-related stress by addressing workloads, how work is allocated and ensuring sufficient qualified and support staff are available to assist with the volume of work.

If you are in a leadership position, you may find that part of your role involves advocating broader changes to your employer, for example, where there are issues with workload allocation and measurement. It is often possible to make a strong business case for change in terms of long-term economic benefits, particularly a reduction in staff absences and attrition rates (Deloitte, 2017; Reich, 2020).

Fostering psychological safety

The term ‘psychological safety’ refers to fostering a workplace environment where people feel safe to learn, grow and take risks (Frazier et al., 2017). For people in leadership and managerial roles, it is important to think about how to foster a culture where people feel psychologically safe. Here are some relevant tips:

To do To avoid
Consulting with teams/individuals to get their views; facilitating dialogue; listening carefully. Imposing solutions; ignoring feedback and proposals; hearing what you want to hear.
Modelling appropriate behaviours, e.g. showing concern and offering support. Modelling inappropriate behaviours, e.g. being dismissive and discourteous.
Being consistent in your approach to reinforce key messages; use reminders to ‘nudge’ individuals/teams over expected behaviours and culture. Relying on ‘one-off’ training or events to foster an appropriate culture.

For more information, this article gives in-depth guidance on psychological safety.

Responding to conflict within teams

3.3  Supporting colleagues