In order to have significant impact as a leader in your organization, you need the other members of the C-Suite to include, consult and listen to you. Your title as general counsel gets you in the room. To be truly impactful, however, you need the other C-level executives to see you not as a narrow subject matter expert to be consulted only on legal matters, but rather as a peer and adviser who also brings specialized knowledge. You need to demonstrate that elusive quality known as executive presence, or “gravitas.”

Of course, your specialized legal knowledge is essential to the business. Just as important, however, is your unique approach to business problems. Your challenge is to demonstrate the business knowledge and judgment necessary to earn the role of strategic business adviser.