Power, Perspective & Practical Advice: Insights from Dallas

Last week, Ready Set GC hosted its first Texas-based program in Dallas where we brought together a powerhouse group of rising GCs, seasoned legal leaders, and C-suite executives. Together, we unpacked strategies, surfaced hard-earned lessons, and explored what it really takes to thrive in the top legal seat.

Here are just a few standout insights from our panel sessions:

Top 5 Takeaways: What Experienced GCs Want You to Know

1. Be the Business Partner — Not Just the Lawyer

   
   

   Exceptional GCs embed in the business. Walk the floor. Sit in on P&L calls. Test the product. Learn the language. Legal advice only adds value when it’s grounded in how the business actually works. Keep in mind, you are an executive first and lawyer second. This is what your peers expect.

   
   

2. Find the Path to “Yes”

   
   

   The legal team can’t be the Department of No. If something isn’t illegal, unethical, immoral, or irresponsible — find a way to make it happen. Be the partner who enables smart risk, not the blocker who slows progress.

   
   

3. Claim Your Seat at the Table

   
   

   Don’t wait for an invitation — use your power. Schedule 1:1s. Launch a listening tour. Show up curious. GCs who build cross-functional trust are the ones who shape decisions. Spend time on building relationships and trust with your peers.

   
   

4. Report Out — Not Just In

   
   

   Show the value of Legal. Track and share how you reduce risk, protect revenue, and accelerate the strategy. And don’t underestimate the value of the crisis you helped the company avoid.

   
   

5. Build Teams That Scale

   
   

   Hire for mindset, not just résumé. Great teams grow from trust, not micromanagement. Use data to advocate for resources — and scale with intention.

Bonus Wisdom — One Thought from Every Panelist:

• Prioritize relationships.

• Know your business inside and out.

• Be intentional with your time and energy.

• Consider the impression you leave in every meeting.

• Cultivate your network.

• Lead without fear.

Top 5 Takeaways: Building Financial Acumen as a GC

1. KPIs Are Company-Specific

   
   

   Understand how your company defines success. Metrics like EBITDA may be customized. Make them part of how you think — and talk — about Legal’s role.

   
   

2. Financials Are Strategic Tools

   
   

   Don’t just read the earnings report — interpret it. Use dashboards, investor calls, and forecasts to anticipate outcomes, not just react to risks.

   
   

3. Master Reserves and Contingencies

   
   

   Get comfortable with accruals, disclosures, and the language of “probable and estimable.” These are table stakes for effective collaboration with Finance and Audit.

   
   

4. Collaborate with Auditors — Don’t Intimidate Them

   
   

   Great audit relationships are built on clarity and transparency. Treat auditors like strategic partners, not adversaries.

   
   

5. Keep Learning

   
   

   Shadow your CFO. Serve on a board. Read the filings. Financial fluency is a skill — not a given — and it sets great GCs apart.

Top 5 Takeaways: Real Talk About the C-Suite

1. Your “First Team” Is the Executive Team

   
   

   You don’t just lead Legal — you lead across the enterprise. Start with alignment. That’s how you build true influence.

   
   

2. Be Approachable and Proactive

   
   

   Don’t wait to be invited — create the connection. Learn how your peers prefer to engage and meet them where they are.

   
   

3. Preview Your POV

   
   

   Influence begins before the meeting. Gut check your take with a trusted peer. Come in ready, clear, and confident.

   
   

4. Build Feedback Loops

   
   

   Self-awareness is leadership currency. Use coaching, reverse mentoring, and feedback to grow your perspective.

   
   

5. Make Leadership a Daily Practice

   
   

   Every conversation shapes your brand. Every priority reveals your values. Show up as a leader — not just when it’s on the agenda.

The Bottom Line

Today’s GC role is about far more than lawyering. It’s about strategic fluency, emotional intelligence, and leading with clarity and courage. Dallas reminded us: when women GCs come together to share stories, strategies, and support — we all rise.

We’re already looking forward to connecting again at our upcoming GC programs in New York and Los Angeles and welcoming our next class of aspiring GCs to the Ascend program in New York this November.