Mentorship As A Strategic Investment
- deborahsolmor1
- 9 minutes ago
- 5 min read
For folks in GC or senior in-house counsel roles, the idea of needing a mentor can feel awkward. We somehow get in our heads that, by the time you reach a senior role, you should be decisive, confident, and self-directed, all on your own. And yet this is often when mentoring is most valuable: as your role and responsibilities increase, the stakes generally are higher – you generally feel more alone and there is less room for mistakes.
Mentorship at this level is less about learning the mechanics of the job or the niceties of the workplace. It is about navigating complexities – organizational politics, executive dynamics, career inflection points, and leadership tradeoffs. It’s about continually developing skills, judgment, and capabilities that don’t come easily.
Understanding The Value of Mentorship
For experienced in-house counsel, the value of mentorship often lies in:
Perspective and pattern recognition. A mentor who has “seen this movie before” can help you distinguish between noise and signal, urgency and importance.
Confidential sounding board. Senior roles can be lonely. A trusted mentor provides a space to test instincts, voice concerns, and think out loud without reputational risk.
Career calibration. Whether you are in or considering a first GC role, a move to a different industry, or deciding when (or whether) to step away from a role, mentors can help you assess options realistically. They can help you think through changes in your role by giving you a solid framework and the key factors to consider so you can make the best decision for yourself.
Leadership growth. Mentors can challenge how you show up as a leader, how you influence without authority, how you manage up, and how you balance legal risk with business objectives. They can help you envision who you want to be as a leader and how to get there.
For women in particular, mentors can also help unpack the unspoken expectations that often accompany senior roles and provide guidance on navigating bias without internalizing it.
Rethinking Who a “Good Mentor” Is
A common mistake is assuming a mentor must look a certain way. Often new GCs look for a sitting or former GC, in the same industry, with a similar career path. While those mentors can be incredibly valuable, they are not the only option and sometimes not the best one.
Consider broadening your definition:
Inside your organization (but outside of legal). CFOs, CHROs, and other senior business leaders can offer insight into how you and your (or your team’s) legal advice ise perceived and how decisions are made at the executive level. They can help you to understand what business or interpersonal considerations you may be missing and how to better capitalize upon your strengths.
Former executives or board members. Retired leaders often have time, perspective, and fewer political constraints. They also bring a career’s worth of insight, often having navigated many different roles and challenges along the way
Peers one step ahead. Someone who has recently navigated a challenge you are approaching (e.g., first public company GC role, first GC of an organization, or first external GC hire) may offer more relevant advice than someone decades removed.
Outside your industry. Think about the someone whose skills compliment (rather than duplicate) yours and who brings a different perspective or way of working.
Non-lawyers. Particularly for tutoring on a particular industry, the means and manner of how board members may think, and leadership and influence issues, a non-lawyer mentor can be surprisingly effective.
The most important criterion is not the prospective mentor’s title or resume, but their judgment, candor, clarity and willingness to invest.
Choosing Your Mentor
Mentoring relationships at the senior level are rarely formal. They tend to grow out of professional respect and genuine connection. Some practical approaches:
Leverage existing touchpoints. Board interactions, outside counsel relationships, industry groups, and alumni networks are fertile ground.
Start small. An initial ask does not need to be “Will you be my mentor?” Instead, ask for a conversation or advice on a specific issue. Starting small also gives you space to see whether this person – no matter how promising they seemed – is actually a good fit for you as a mentor.
Be clear about why them. Mentors are more likely to say yes when they understand why you are seeking their perspective and what you would like from them as a mentor.
Have more than one. It is unlikely that one person can address all your developmental needs. Consider having a handful of folks in your orbit to whom you look for different types of guidance/support, and perhaps even pose the same challenge to a few of them to gain additional perspectives.
Seek challenge, not just crisis support. Make sure growth and development are your top priorities.Look to the relationship to challenge you and your thinking, not just provide commiseration or comfort. Be open to honest feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable, because that discomfort is often where real growth happens.
Normalize the ask. Know that mentorship at this level is common, even if not always openly discussed.
A simple, thoughtful outreach that respects the other person’s time generally is enough. And, remember, being declined isn’t personal; it often is the mark of a good mentor who is making sure they have the time and the proper skills to deliver value. Don’t get derailed, ratherregroup, rethink, and ask the next person.
Driving the Relationship
Mentorship works best when the mentee takes ownership. That includes:
Setting the agenda. Come prepared with topics or questions, and consider sending to your mentor in advance. This signals respect and seriousness.
Being honest about challenges. The value of mentorship diminishes if you sanitize issues or seek only validation. Take chances in what you share. Be vulnerable and humble, and make it a safe space for thoughtful criticism (along with the coaching).
Being clear about expectations. Make sure you’ve identified for yourself what you expect from your mentor and that you make that ask. Knowing what you need – even if it is a confession that you aren’t sure what you are looking for will help the mentor show up and provide guidance in the right way.
Not expecting advocacy. Although true that mentors can also be advocates or even sponsors, ensure that your goals are primarily growth and development of particular skills (or competencies or approaches). A mentor is not there to solve a problem for you but to help you to evolve and gain perspective and think differently.
Following up. Close the loop on advice given – what you tried, what worked, what didn’t. Never underestimate the power of a “thank you” or acknowledgement that the person was of help to you.
Allowing the relationship to evolve. Some mentors are best for discrete periods or specific issues. That’s okay. Some may morph into longer term relationships. See where it goes. Embrace the value you can get – and give.
You’ll likely find that a good mentor-mentee relationship – like most relationship-based models – is not a one-way street. The conversations you engage in and the problems you work through with your mentor will almost certainly lead to insights for the mentor and even a mutual sharing of concerns and advice. This, my friends, is the making of a strong and productive professional relationship.
You’ve Got This …
Seeking mentorship as a GC or senior in-house lawyer is not a sign of weakness or uncertainty. It is a critical recognition that leadership is complex and that good judgment is shaped and sharpened through taking on different perspectives and being challenged in your thinking. Mentorship can be a powerful counterweight to isolation and a catalyst for sustained, confident development.
The most effective mentoring relationships are not accidental. They are built with intention, humility, and mutual respect, and they q
uite often make the difference between simply holding a senior role and truly thriving in it.
SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Crate & Barrel Holdings, Inc.
Advisory Board Member, Ready Set GC