Who can trust the General Counsel?

Gurpartap Basra, Co-founder & CEO of GC Connected, explores the role of trust as the cornerstone of a General Counsel’s influence and shares some key principles in earning that trust in the moments that matter most.

“Trust is like a vase… once it’s broken, though you can fix it, the vase will never be the same again.”
– Walter Inglis Anderson (American painter, 1903-1965)

That line wasn’t written for General Counsel – but it could have been.

Every decision, every conversation, every moment of silence builds or breaks the trust that defines your credibility as a GC.
Because once trust cracks – even slightly – everything changes.

Trust, for a General Counsel, is more than a personal value. It’s the foundation of influence.
Without it, your advice is questioned.
With it, your leadership reaches beyond the legal function.

“Being right is expected. Being understood is what makes you credible.”

But how does a GC actually build and sustain that trust?
Here’s 6 pointers:

1. Deliver clarity in a world of complexity.
The most trusted GCs do not overwhelm leaders with legal risk; they give them clarity.
When business partners walk away from a conversation with certainty instead of confusion, trust compounds.

2. Balance judgment with empathy.
Technical precision matters but so does human understanding.
People trust those who can read a room as well as they can read a contract.
Being right is expected. Being understood is what makes you credible.

3. Speak the truth – especially when it’s uncomfortable.
Trust is tested in moments of tension.
It’s in those times when a GC must say, “This may not be what you want to hear, but it’s what you need to know.”
Courage builds trust. Silence erodes it.

4. Be consistent in values, not opinions.
Boards and CEOs trust predictability of principle.
Even if they do not always like your answer, they will respect that your reasoning is rooted in integrity, not convenience.

5. Build trust in small moments.
Follow up when you say you will.
Be discreet with what is shared.
Show calm under pressure.
Every small action is a deposit – or withdrawal – from your trust account.

6. Lead with transparency and humanity.
In uncertainty, the GC’s steadiness becomes the company’s anchor.
Openness about risk, honesty about limits, and calm communication build trust not just in your judgment but in your character.

Trust is not built in statements.
It’s built in moments – the quiet ones, the hard ones, the human ones.me.

About the author:

With over 25 years in publishing – and more than a decade focused on the legal world – Gurpartap Basra spent 11 years at Legal 500, where he launched and led the major GC-focused projects around the globe. He played a pivotal role in creating and establishing GC Powerlist across 50+ countries, rolling out the GC Summit series, and building a hugely successful global legal events business. Along the way, he’s built one of the strongest networks of General Counsel worldwide. Now, as the co-founder and CEO of GC Connected, he’s using that experience to bring senior in-house lawyers together on a platform designed for connection, collaboration, and shared insight.

Gurpartap Basra
Email: gbasra@gcconnected.com

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