What will define legal leadership in 2027?

Throughout the day of our GC Forum GRC last week, we asked delegates to share one word they felt would define legal leadership in 2027. Their responses were brought together by the wonderfully talented Elsabé Ebersöhn in this fabulous illustration, full of clever little details and some rather charming orange birds!

What I particularly loved was how the illustration brought together the realities of business today, with the very human qualities that make someone a good leader.

Adaptability was the most common response, followed by agility, with resilience, versatility, and optionality also featuring strongly. Hardly surprising when you think about what businesses are dealing with. New regulations, political uncertainty, AI, rising costs, and the unexpected challenges that seem to arrive almost daily. Businesses need legal leaders who can help them find a way forward, and not simply tell them what they can't do.

For me, that's why the tree at the centre of the illustration works so beautifully.

It encounters a rock but doesn't stop growing. Its roots and branches simply find another way around it. Sometimes businesses need to change direction, without losing sight of what matters. The little birds tell the rest of the story, and there are some lovely details.

One is preparing to leave its nest, representing courage. In business, that might mean challenging a decision or speaking up when something doesn't feel right, even when it's uncomfortable. Another is holding an umbrella before the rain arrives, reminding us how much value there is in anticipating problems rather than waiting for them to happen.

There's a bird at a crossroads looking through a telescope, representing curiosity, clarity, and good judgement. I particularly like this one because businesses don't always need more information or more options. Sometimes they just need someone who can help make sense of it all and decide what to do next.

A bird holding a lantern in a dark nest represents integrity, ethics, and transparency. Protecting a business isn't just about contracts and compliance. It's also about doing the right thing and maintaining the trust of the people who depend on it.

And then there are the birds representing compassion, trust, and empowerment.

A parent feeding its young, another helping a smaller bird reach a higher branch. Such simple illustrations of something that can sometimes get overlooked in business: looking after people, developing teams, and helping others succeed.

There's innovation, continued learning and even a little bird demonstrating self-discipline by resisting an extra cupcake!

What I found most interesting was that, despite all our conversations throughout the GC Forum GRC about technology, risk, regulation, and the changing role of General Counsel, so many of the responses came back to people.

Businesses need leaders who can embrace change, make difficult decisions, anticipate problems, and find solutions. But they also need people they can trust, who have the courage to speak up, and the judgement to know when something isn't right.

And I think that's what Elsabé has captured so well.

The tree changes direction without losing its roots, while the birds remind us that we learn, grow, and achieve more when we support one another.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed a word on the day, and to Elsabé for turning those thoughts into something so creative, thoughtful and fun.

It's a lovely reflection of the conversations we had at GC Forum GRC, and exactly why we enjoy bringing this community together.

Keep growing, even when the landscape changes.