Mastering Time Management: Tips for General Counsel on the Clock

Essential Strategies for General Counsel with Seasoned Executives

Many of us struggle with not having enough hours in a day to finish everything on our plates. This is especially true for General Counsel, who are constantly asked to do more with less, offer airtight solutions for every problem, and put out fires throughout their organizations. Skilled time management is essential to success, enhancing productivity and professional reputation while reducing stress and creating space for career development. As management expert Peter Drucker has remarked: “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.”

In the GC Advantage^SM webinar, “Too Much To Do and Too Little Time To Do It: Time Management Tips for General Counsel,” Dave Robinson, retired Executive Vice President and General Counsel at The Hartford, and Jung Choi, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Vista Outdoor // Revelyst, joined me to explore how to prioritize tasks, delegate effectively, and leverage time to optimize its value. This article is a summary of our conversation.

Balancing “Deep Work” with Fine Detail

Successful time management is defined as consciously planning and controlling the time spent on specific tasks to increase efficiency. Historically, GCs have been free to focus on deep work, which involves intense concentration on challenging tasks for prolonged periods of time. But in today’s environment of heightened demands and fewer resources, GCs may be forced to toggle between directing high-level strategy and diving into the most granular details. The constant shifting and ever-broadening scope demands even more precise time management.

Track Time to Uncover Trends

One recommendation is to create a time log for two to four weeks that captures each task and its time. Although GCs have often taken in-house positions precisely to avoid tracking billable hours, this detailed audit yields insights on tasks whose time eclipses their value. The GC can then review the team’s time log results to gauge whether the most time-consuming issues align with the most critical projects. If there is a disconnect, the GC can initiate a deeper discussion about prioritizing tasks and time.

Dave has conducted time audits using tools ranging from automated software prompts to traditional manual logs. Despite the inconvenience, his overworked team was willing to complete the audit to develop better practices. In Dave’s case, he noted that responding to emails in his inbox dominated his time. He focused on his calendar, blocking off hours for essential tasks and checking email periodically.

Keep Priorities Front and Center

Pinpointing the most vital tasks can be difficult, especially if somebody is standing in your doorway with demands. High-priority matters should be tied to the goals and strategic objectives of the company.

The panel recommended having an annual review session with the CEO to discuss goals. After refining the list to focus on the top five priorities, they are documented and kept visible to maintain focus despite distractions. Jung assesses priority by three metrics: its importance to the CEO and leadership team, its potential to strengthen the company, and its strategic impact on long-term goals.

Eisenhower Matrix of Urgency and Importance

The Eisenhower Matrix of organizing tasks based on urgency and importance is attributed to the distinguished World War II general. This two-by-two matrix has four quadrants, each with its own level of assessment:

• “Urgent and important” tasks demand attention and action.
• “Important but not urgent” tasks are priorities without deadlines.
• “Urgent but not important” tasks should be delegated, if possible.
• “Not urgent and least important” tasks can be deferred, outsourced, or eliminated.

Leadership consultant Mark Nevins remarked in Forbes that the most challenging quadrant for many executives is “important but not urgent.” Examples include professional development, relationship building, and personal matters such as exercise and doctor’s appointments. According to Nevins, the most effective people reserve meaningful time for activities in this quadrant, resisting the temptation to push them off. Dave keeps items in this quadrant on his radar by including them in his calendar.

Jung stresses the importance of carving out time for “important, not urgent” matters, such as talent development and relationship building, which require long-term investments of time. For “urgent, not important” matters, she recommends asking questions to clarify which actions the GC needs to undertake, if any. This insight may involve developing relationships with clients and building knowledge of the institution, which are tasks in the “important but not urgent” category and warrant time.

Workflow Tools to Manage Time

Dave has used legal workflow solutions such as “Onit,” a request form alternative to email. This tool keeps track of requests the legal department receives and suggests the most appropriate attorney to respond, using AI as a guide. In addition, the latest versions of Microsoft Outlook glean data from one’s calendar and inbox to report how much time the user spends on email, in meetings, or in focus time. Such analytics determine whether to allocate more time to specific tasks.

One crucial aspect of time management is delegation, which rests upon understanding who is best suited to handle assigned tasks and how to supervise without micromanaging.

Jung points out that leveraging team resources through delegation is crucial for advancing GC careers. Delegating builds trust and enhances leadership skills. However, GCs must remember when and what to delegate and specify a desired degree of involvement. It is also important to acknowledge that some issues should not be delegated, no matter how minor they seem.

Maintain High Standards, But Curb Perfectionism

One obstacle to time management is the GC’s tendency toward perfectionism, which can tax already limited resources.

Dave points out that lawyers and compliance officers take their roles and responsibilities seriously as service-oriented professionals. This ingrained tendency toward perfection springs from a fear of failure. Jung suggests GCs ask themselves two questions: First, what are the consequences of not doing something perfectly? If they are negligible, letting go of perfection is advisable. Second, how does modeling rigid perfectionism impact the mentality GCs shape for their teams? Rehashing mistakes saps time and energy. Instilling an attitude that mistakes are permitted if they are productive – conveying a lesson for moving forward – helps build a culture of innovation, transparency, and resilience.

Multitasking is a Myth

Recent studies reveal that multitasking is not doing multiple tasks at once. Instead, it involves abandoning one task to switch to another, producing friction. One recent New York Times piece by Oliver Berkman bluntly states: “Stop Multitasking.” Research suggests focusing on one discrete task at a time instead. The reality is that GCs are frequently interrupted but can limit multitasking of their own volition. For example, when on a video call or reading an article, refrain from checking your email or scrolling through LinkedIn.

Set Boundaries to Protect Time

Carving out time for priorities rests upon the ability to say “no.” However, declining requests from CEOs and other stakeholders is understandably tricky. Comfort level with setting boundaries may depend on timing, the nature of relationships, and how long a GC has served in the role. One key factor is the importance of the request for the organization. A heightened significance may merit a GC’s involvement and attention, even if the issue is beyond the legal scope. GCs can also ask clarifying questions to guide those seeking help in specifying needed resources. They may need a writer or project manager rather than a legal advisor. In this way, a GC can provide insight, direction, and structure, drawing on strengths while protecting their time.

A similar strategy involves meeting with leaders at the beginning of each year to set five priorities. When a new pressing matter arises, the list is revisited, and leadership is consulted on which initiative it should replace.

AI’s Role in Technology and Time Management

Dave agrees productivity and time management can thrive under generative AI, whose large language models can digest vast swaths of information to yield concise summaries. Companies need to evaluate the value of adopting and utilizing such tools.

Jung believes the most significant benefit of AI’s potential is automating repetitive tasks like scheduling meetings and responding to emails. However, she cautions that the attendant monitoring of computer activity raises concerns regarding confidentiality and security.

Manage Time Before Time Manages You

Cultivating time management skills can help GCs focus on priorities, nurture relationships, and shape a thriving culture of productivity within and beyond their organization. A trusted advisor from BarkerGilmore, where some of the world’s most seasoned GCs serve as executive coaches, can help you optimize time and resources most effectively.

As always, reach out anytime if you or your organization may benefit from our recruiting, leadership development, or legal and compliance department consulting services.

Maureen Brundage and our team of professionals are happy to help accelerate the initiatives that you’re already pursuing or to supplement your current strategic thinking to help you realize your vision. Please reach out if you or your organization may benefit from our recruiting, leadership development and coaching, or legal and compliance department consulting services. Let BarkerGilmore help you build and optimize your legal and compliance departments.