6 May 2025

What I wish I knew when I started leading the legal team.

by David Curtain

Most GCs stepping into the role for the first time feel pressure to deliver. That’s completely normal — but it’s important to balance this drive to deliver results with taking time to assess what’s really going on, and build relationships across the organisation. Early misalignment can be costly — for new GCs, their team, and the business.

When I took on my first role leading a legal team, it was a big shift. I’d gone from having a GC lead my team, to being that person. I felt pressure. I wanted to be seen to have the answers. But what I needed to do was slow down and get a clear picture of the landscape.

You never start with a blank slate. Before you arrive, things have happened in certain ways that create existing expectations, opportunities and risks. I once landed in a business and found a stack of breach notices from regulators on my desk. Suddenly, a high-growth scenario looked very different as significant compliance issues emerged. This required a significant refocus of priorities. Even the best-laid 90 day plans need a rethink once you see what’s really going on.

I remember sitting in executive meetings, hearing acronyms and commercial terms I didn’t understand. I nodded and smiled, hesitant to ask questions and clarify what people were talking about. I should have asked more questions. I’ve seen others say, ‘I don’t understand it, can you tell me again?’ — and say it twenty times, without embarrassment. This is a time to have more questions than answers. You learn more that way, and it helps identify gaps and get on the same page faster.

In hindsight not asking enough questions held me back in those early days. So did asking certain questions in the wrong forum. I once had an out-an-out argument with a CEO in front of a large meeting. Turns out CEOs don’t like that! I was right on the issue, but wrong in the way I tackled it.

That experience taught me how much of the role depends on relationships. How you raise things matters as much as what you’re raising. The job becomes less about task work and more about influence. One of the best things I did was set up one-on-ones with key GMs. It created a ‘safe space’ to talk candidly about what was really happening, what they needed most from Legal, and how things could improve.

It’s important to build trust with the business — and equally important to build strong relationships within your own team. This means learning how different people think, communicate, and like to be managed. Some need direction; others do best with space. One of my team wouldn’t raise issues in a group but had plenty to say in one-on-ones. If you don’t learn those patterns early, things get missed. That’s when issues build up — or people walk.

If you’re stepping into a GC role, don’t try to have all the answers. Go in listening. Ask better questions. Take action on what matters. Be the leader who enables your team to succeed.

And when you’re still finding your feet, it helps to have someone in your corner. That’s where Front Foot comes in: helping legal leaders start well and be effective from day one.