There has been a paradigm shift in the role of the new-age counsel. From being “just a lawyer,” the focus has shifted to “effectiveness” and “impact” as the differentiating factor. Today, the general counsel needs to be an effective business partner. Much has been said and written about the skills he/she needs to have in this regard. One important skill, which is often overlooked, is that of managing change. A general counsel today must constantly maintain the balance between providing sustainable solutions to protect the brand and reputation of the company while being mindful of the commercial requirements. This is certainly a challenging deliverable, one that requires you to successfully drive change and create impact in a fast-changing regulatory and business environment, currently exacerbated by the global pandemic.

Appreciating the importance of change management has been a personal learning for me. After moving into my current role more than two years ago, a review of the existing processes led me to believe there may be room for incorporating certain best practices. I got about the task with my usual enthusiasm but soon realised that when it came to implementation, it did not turn out as expected. There was some resistance to an acceptance of the new. It was clear that a change of approach was necessary.

I was aware that change was not easy but more importantly I learnt that it may not be just process dependent but can be largely people dependent. The first step in managing change is to start with yourself. Unlearn, relearn, under-stand the organisational ecosystem and build relationships with stakeholders. This helps to arrive at a critical under-standing of what may or may not work and enables you to strategise appropriately. The next step is to identify key stakeholders and make them a part of the change process; in fact, get them to champion it. When that is done, relentlessly strive to enable incremental changes that may collectively support the larger cause. Finally, demonstrate the positive impact of the implemented change on the company and distribute credit generously. Change management is a collaborative process; it cannot be accomplished alone. You need others to help drive your agenda as if it was their own for it to get embedded. While general principles of change management are usually translatable, one can never undermine the influence of jurisdictions and working cultures on the mechanism of change management.

It’s observed that change in strategic imperatives or operational outcomes is more difficult to implement in the ordinary course given established practices and a desire to maintain status quo, especially if they have thus far served the purpose. The situation can be quite different in times of crisis. The current pandemic has seen companies adapt to a new normal rather quickly. It’s primarily an outcome of new regulatory and business requirements that necessitate immediate action to maintain business continuity. Participative behaviour remains key but stakeholder buy-in certainly becomes easier. Change management, therefore, is also largely situation dependent.

As for me, after some initial hiccups and quick rethinking, I have been able to build credibility and drive change and make some valuable contributions especially in enhancing corporate governance and the culture of compliance with a focus on “tone at the top.” As I look back from when I started at Maruti Suzuki, a few learnings on managing change immediately standout. Any form of change is slow in coming. A new environment is always challenging. There is a different way of doing things that needs to be understood and appreciated. I have personally found that expertise and professionalism helps, abundant caution, patience and perseverance is advisable, understanding the system and people is key and driving consensus-based outcomes is critical. The ability to introspect, reinvent and being positive comes in handy. The end is important, but how you choose to reach the end is even more so.