Srivals Kumar adapts an old teaching about work and reward for modern careers. Do the hard work in the current assignment, he says, and the reward may arrive in the next one. A company may not immediately recognise the full value of an employee's contribution. The skills, reputation and evidence created there can still be noticed by the next organisation.
This idea is especially relevant to lawyers moving from a supporting role into leadership. A number-two or number-three position can be technically demanding, yet the GC role adds responsibility for understanding how the company makes money, deciding which risk deserves management attention, communicating during a crisis and building a team that does not remain dependent on one person.
Kumar's response is to "sharpen the saw", borrowing from Stephen Covey. Legal knowledge needs regular renewal because regulations, business models and forums change. He follows live proceedings beyond his own matters, including significant hearings in the Supreme Court, tribunals and High Courts. Watching how judges test arguments builds an instinct no digest can fully provide.
Writing is another part of the discipline. Lawyers who read without explaining may discover that knowledge does not automatically become advice. A short note forces the writer to decide what matters, state the recommendation and remove the excess. Commercial awareness develops in the same way: study the company's numbers, products and operating constraints rather than treating them as someone else's department.
Kumar also treats litigation like chess. The next move matters, but the end position should shape it. A legal team may win an interim order and damage the business relationship it ultimately needs. It may file an aggressive pleading that creates a reputational problem larger than the dispute. Beginning with the end in mind helps the lawyer choose the right sequence.
The end position should be written before the first move. Success may mean payment, possession, a licence, an apology, time or a precedent. Once named, it becomes easier to compare litigation, settlement and operational solutions. Teams otherwise keep acting because the previous action created the next one, long after the original business aim has disappeared.
Leadership becomes most visible in a crisis. Kumar recommends forming a small group that includes senior management, legal, communications and finance or other relevant functions. Silence can allow rumour to fill the space, while an impulsive statement may harm the case. The group needs verified facts, a clear decision-maker and a communication plan for employees, regulators, media and other stakeholders.
These are skills rarely mastered through a single seminar. Kumar's Hawkeye leadership programme uses simulations and exposure across insolvency, arbitration, commercial law, intellectual property, data, cyber issues and criminal law. The aim is not to teach every subject completely. It is to place lawyers in realistic situations where judgment, communication and business thinking must work together.
For a young lawyer, the immediate application is modest. Arrive before the meeting. Read outside the allocated paragraph. Learn to prioritise urgent and important work, delegate where appropriate and discard tasks that add nothing. Roll up your sleeves when the job looks too small for your title.
Networking belongs in the same category of patient work. Kumar's career crossed industries and functions, giving him relationships he could later draw upon for counsel, recruitment and advice. Useful networks are built before a crisis and without demanding an immediate return. Keep in touch with former colleagues, share a judgment that genuinely helps and make introductions when two people should know each other. The ledger usually balances over years, not by Friday.
I would add one caution: future reward should not excuse permanent underpayment or poor treatment. There is a difference between investing in a demanding assignment and allowing an employer to exploit loyalty. Still, Kumar's principle is sound. Work leaves evidence. A difficult file handled well can become the reason another door opens.