Assertiveness - what's the right balance for in-house counsel?

Most corporate clients want their in-house counsel to be knowledgeable, have opinions, and be tough, but not necessarily opinionated, and certainly not pushy. So having the right level of assertiveness can be tricky business.

If you're a difficult person, with a little fine-tuning, you may be able to turn your difficult nature into the desired competency of assertiveness, I wrote in my “difficult boss” post earlier this year.  Like Bob Sutton, I view “assertiveness” as an important personal competency, when properly measured. And it needs to be tailored to each of your clients and situations at hand.

Difficult boss? Challenges for in-house counsel

It's no secret that bosses can be difficult people. So why would in-house counsel think they are immune from having one? On the flip side, if you supervise others, have you ever been surprised to learn that your direct reports consider you to be difficult (and you don’t)?

Being “difficult” can be in the eye of the beholder, with many shades and meanings. It can be good for direct reports and the organization, when change requires a forceful approach. When a supervising attorney is a "bad boss," it can have disastrous consequences.

If you're a difficult boss, consider these strategies and reminders: