Looking Back on the Year: Lessons in High Performance Leadership
As the year comes to a close, legal leaders are taking stock. In a final Vanguard exchange, GCs reflected on what high performance really meant in a year defined by change and uncertainty.
The end of the year is often when leaders stop and reflect. Sometimes that pause comes with a sigh of relief. Sometimes with a long list of what did not get done. And increasingly, the moment asks us one simple but powerful question: did we create value this year?
That question, asked by a seasoned general counsel during our final Vanguard exchange of the year, really stuck with me. Because behind it is a deeper truth. High performance leadership is not about staying busy or even being efficient. It is about delivering real value, even when the landscape shifts beneath your feet.
In 2025, shifting landscapes were the norm. One GC described it plainly: “The business didn’t go in the direction we thought it would. In 80 percent of cases, it changed entirely.” And still, legal leaders found themselves playing a central role in strategy, risk, operations, and yes, even culture.
Steady Hands in Turbulent Times
“We got a lot of practice this year just showing up calm,” said one participant. “Everyone else was hair on fire, and part of our job became being the steadying presence.” That composure under pressure is not just good manners. It is leadership, especially when political and regulatory uncertainty dominated board agendas and the wider corporate environment.
One consistent reflection from the group was that leadership today includes emotional fluency as much as legal fluency. When challenges mount, legal leaders are increasingly expected to help their organizations pivot quickly. As one participant noted, “We can’t just answer the question in front of us anymore. We also need to help the company explore alternatives.”
The Talent Challenge: Mind the Gap
Looking ahead, concerns about talent loomed large. A few GCs pointed out a widening gap between top senior lawyers and the next rung of their teams. “It’s not just lack of experience,” one said. “There’s a different kind of professionalism emerging that’s harder to manage.”
For rising legal talent, development plans matter more than ever. Leaders shared how younger hires are increasingly focused on growth opportunities, sometimes even asking about their next next role during interviews. Meeting them with structured development conversations and clarity on paths forward is becoming a key part of retention.
“Sometimes you have to move the compensation talk aside,” one GC said, “and instead focus on making someone a better lawyer, a more strategic thinker. That’s what really advances careers.”
Measuring Success Without a Scoreboard
Great outcomes are not always reflected in headlines or shareholder updates. Many legal teams made strides through quieter wins, saving the company money through early dispute resolution, building better risk frameworks, or training internal teams to adopt a business mindset.
Demonstrating value in those terms is harder. As one leader admitted, “I looked back at our accomplishments and wished I’d tracked them better. Even if it’s just small wins, we need to show we’ve moved the ball forward.”
That is the essence of high performance leadership. Showing value even when the scoreboard is hidden, when budgets are flat, and when change is constant. It also means managing outside partnerships more strategically.
Several GCs noted frustration with skyrocketing law firm rates, with increases of 18 to 20 percent in some cases. Instead of accepting hikes passively, leaders are employing structured budgets, firm tiering, and deeper scrutiny of how partner hours deliver business outcomes. As one participant quipped, “If they want to bring in a junior associate just to listen, that’s fine. But I won’t pay for it.”
Looking Forward: Be Clear on What Matters
As generative AI and geopolitical risk redefine enterprise strategy, legal leaders are faced with even more ambiguity. But the answer is not doing more. It is doing the right things better.
One GC summed it up powerfully: “We need to ask ourselves, did we create value, or did we just stay busy?” That question does not just apply to the legal function. It applies to every leader who aspires to lead for impact, not just activity.
As we head into a new year, the work of high performance leadership begins anew. Build trust. Stay calm. Focus on what truly matters. Invest in your people. And always add value
These insights are drawn from one of the Vanguard Network’s monthly virtual ‘GC Exchanges,’ where more than 35 sitting GCs trade insights on hot leadership topics. The gatherings are candid and confidential, with no quotes attributed to any of the participants. Are you a sitting GC and interested in joining the conversation? Click here to learn more
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