A trainee perspective on leadership

As a trainee solicitor, you are in a new environment and learning every day. You are involved in unfamiliar situations. Set this within the hierarchical structure of the law firm, and it comes as no surprise that “leadership" may not seem like your top priority.

We often hear from recruiters that one of the attributes they look for when hiring prospective trainees is “leadership ability”. Trainees have the potential to become the associates and partners of the future. So, successful candidates are often those who can demonstrate any number of leadership qualities, such as the ability to take initiative, inspire others, or make tough decisions.

The importance of developing leadership skills

On a daily basis, trainees are taught to focus on the details. Common trainee tasks such as drafting letters, taking notes in meetings and conducting legal research appear to be at odds with the fact that a lot of leadership is about “big picture” thinking.

Yet the success of any law firm depends on strong leadership. If the recent trend of consolidation and wider practice changes is set to continue, the ability of leaders to manage change creatively and effectively for themselves and others will be fundamental.

Exposure to different leadership styles

One of the benefits of being a trainee is the exposure to different leaders. You will most likely carry out work for a number of different people within your team. In commercial firms, seat rotations every six months provide trainees with the opportunity to work for several different departments, and even in different regional offices.

Throughout the traineeship, it is worth noticing the way in which strong leaders coordinate their team and delegate responsibility, whilst holding the attention of clients. Some leaders are direct and focused on achieving results quickly; some are outgoing; others offer encouragement; and there are also those leaders who are good at planning and organising their team. Ultimately as a trainee, recognising these different leadership styles will allow you to adopt, or adapt, those leadership qualities you most admire. Part of this will involve working out which qualities sit best with your own personality preferences.

Cultivating your own leadership potential

Becoming a leader won't just “happen” after several years of service in a firm. Ambitious trainees will seek to develop leadership skills from an early stage – and this starts with identifying the attributes we want to grow within ourselves.

As you grow in confidence and become more experienced throughout your training, you can begin to work without a partner or associate to help you all the time.

There will be practical opportunities to lead others. For instance, you may be able to lead another trainee through a task or responsibility with which you have had more experience. Trainees should also seek to develop leadership skills in other ways by becoming involved in business development activities or by being proactive in corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Strong leaders will support your development

Many firms have recognised the need to support trainee development by setting up formal “mentoring” schemes or “buddy” programmes. Regardless of whether your firm has such a scheme, you will find that strong leaders will naturally fall into mentorship roles. As a trainee, you should seek out the mentors you most admire and from whom you believe you can learn the most.

As a trainee, you are bound to make mistakes. But your mentors will make time to guide you through tasks – explaining how to avoid mistakes, and how to correct things when they go wrong.

Good leaders will get you to improve your strengths, not to beat yourself up about your weaknesses. They recognise that feedback is powerful, and will deliver it to you in a constructive way. They will push you to stretch and challenge yourself. This will enable you to grow, and give you the confidence to stand on your own two feet.

The nature of legal work means that there will be times when your team, especially your leaders, are under pressure. The best leaders will make time for others, even if this doesn’t happen immediately. It is important to have an awareness that your partner or leader may be exceptionally busy, or may need to focus on a priority.

Being authentic in your pursuit of leadership

Leadership is not about being someone else, or conforming to a leadership stereotype. There are lots of different types of leader – so play to your strengths.

As a trainee, being authentic can be tough. You find yourself in a new environment where you want to strive to please. But by opening up, you will build trust. Being yourself will allow others to see your leadership potential.

Remember that you were offered a traineeship because your firm spotted your potential to be a great leader. So, you should view your challenges as opportunities to maximise your potential. Having the confidence to develop your own leadership abilities, and to enjoy the journey whilst doing it, will translate into future success – personally and professionally – and success for your firm.