Are you leading – or running alongside – the organisation?
For general counsel, senior lawyers, or function heads, it’s easy to “run alongside” the business: competent, well-regarded, but still outside the real seat of power. At some point, the shift to enterprise leadership requires letting go of functional depth and leaning into influence, ambiguity, and visibility.
It’s not about being more strategic - you already are. It’s about being seen differently. Trusted not just for your functional expertise and judgement, but for your leadership impact. That shift can feel subtle from the outside, but inside it often stirs up discomfort: Am I visible enough? Am I adding value in the right way?
If this feels familiar, a couple of questions to sit with:
Do I wait to be consulted, or do I shape the agenda?
What would leading beyond my function actually look like, day to day?
You don’t have to have the perfect answer. But noticing the questions is often where the shift begins.
I work with experienced leaders who are ready to make that shift… quietly, deliberately, and on their own terms. If that’s where you are, feel free to get in touch.
Until next week, take care of yourself and others
Madeleine
I help accomplished professionals untangle difficult career questions so they can thrive in work and life.
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