Community Discussion: For those who've been in this role for years, how do you keep growing professionally and avoid feeling stagnant?

Author (Legal Operations Specialist):

For those who've been in this role for years, how do you keep growing professionally and avoid feeling stagnant?

Legal Operations Responses:

Been in legal ops for nearly a decade and, not gonna lie, there are days I feel like I've hit a wall. Took on some courses recently to freshen things up. How's everyone else handling the long-haul in this role?
- I get where you're coming from. I've started attending non-legal conferences. The fresh perspective from other industries can be super enlightening. Plus, it's fun to be the 'legal guy' in a tech or marketing crowd!
- Ditto on the feeling stagnant part. It's tough. But I've found that mentoring younger team members or newcomers to the field gives me a fresh perspective. It's like seeing the role through new eyes and remembering why I got into this in the first place.
I took a slightly different path. Took a sabbatical and went back to school for a short course. Not only did I learn new things, but I also got to network with a completely different crowd. Highly recommend if you can swing it!
- That sounds amazing! I've been considering a sabbatical but wasn't sure how to spend it. For now, I've been diving into podcasts and webinars. It's a small step, but it's something.
I've started collaborating with our IT department, learning more about the tech side of things. It's a whole new world and challenges me in ways I hadn't anticipated. Plus, it’s added a new dimension to my role.
- Your IT collab sounds interesting. I've been thinking of doing something similar with our finance team.
Rotational assignments! Spent a few months in marketing and another few in HR. It shakes things up, and you come back to your role with a broader perspective. Also, it's a great way to break the monotony.
All these ideas are gold! For me, it's been about personal growth. I've taken up personal development courses. It might not be directly related to legal ops, but it's made me approach challenges with a renewed mindset.