Key insights

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1. Legal Leaders as Process Architects.

Alice highlights that legal is often uniquely positioned to solve complex problems that require cross-functional collaboration. Instead of fearing non-legal tasks, lawyers should view them as opportunities to build processes that improve the overall operating cadence of the business.

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2. The Value of Longitudinal Tenure.

Spending over seventeen years at Cisco taught Alice the importance of deep institutional knowledge. This longitudinal focus allows a professional to see the full arc of strategic shifts and build the foundational trust required to lead massive enterprise transformations.

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3. Communication is the Bridge to Product Teams.

Successful collaboration with product and engineering requires legal to move past its "gatekeeper" reputation. By showing up as a partner who understands the user experience and business goals, legal can help launch products faster while maintaining compliance.

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4. Embrace a Non-Linear Career Trajectory.

Reflecting on her early days, Alice notes that she once felt intense pressure for every move to be a clear step forward. She now realizes that "steps sideways and backwards" are equally vital parts of a meaningful career journey.

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5. Patience as a Professional Virtue.

The legal profession is high-pressure, but Alice emphasizes the power of "relaxing" and letting a career unfold. Trusting the process and being open to unexpected opportunities often nets more positive results than rigid adherence to a predetermined path.

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6. Closing insight

Your career is a journey that will unfold with its own timing; the most effective way to lead is to stop worrying about the "final destination" and start focusing on adding value to the complex human systems within your business.