BLI 25: Leadership as a Team Sport - Young Lawyers Version

New leaders may be tempted to think about leadership as an individual endeavor, but experienced leaders know that true success requires a team effort. At the 2025 ABA Bar Leadership Institute, ABA Young Lawyers Division Chair Dani Borel and Membership & Marketing Director Cali Franks-Field shared collaborative leadership strategies and delegation best practices during their session, Leadership is a Team Sport: Young Lawyers Version.

1. Set Clear Expectations

As chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division, Borel oversaw more than 200 appointments to leadership positions within the YLD. While most bar leaders won’t make nearly that many appointments, Borel emphasized that a successful term begins with clear expectations that align with the year's goals.

When someone applies for a YLD position, leadership provides a document outlining time commitments, primary responsibilities, and who they will be working with. “I reviewed those descriptions for every single position within the ABA YLD because I wanted the people who were applying to have a consistent notion on the front end of what I was expecting of them,” said Borel.

2. Maintain Open Communication

Don’t go at it alone. Franks-Field stressed the importance of maintaining open communication with other officers. “Communicate so that you and everyone involved knows what’s happening and that there’s no stepping on toes, because we’re all in this for the right reasons,” said Franks-Field.

Borel credits discussions with the two YLD chairs prior to her term, Josephine Bahn and Tamara Nash, with helping create momentum for division initiatives. Before Bahn’s term began, the three of them agreed that the YLD Parents in Practice and First Gen initiatives would be three-year projects. “It was really nice to have that runway because we were able to create something that had a bit more longevity,” said Borel.

Helping incoming leaders become familiar with the inner workings of the organization can help continuity as well. Borel recommends that the current chair begin copying the next chair on emails about halfway through their term. This allows the incoming leader to get acquainted with organizational processes and stay informed about project developments. “They’re not starting with a blank slate,” she added. “The more time they spend figuring out those things on their own, the more inefficient they are.”

3. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

Both speakers agreed that lawyers often try to do everything themselves. But for the good of the organization—and their own growth—learning to delegate is essential.

“There have been multiple times when in the delegation of something to another leader, I had the panicked thought of, ‘This is not going to get done,’ but then it did,” said Borel. Getting comfortable with delegation starts at the top. “The best thing you can do is to pick a good team and then empower them,” she added.

Franks-Field noted that developing delegation skills through bar service is great preparation for professional leadership. Lawyers without bar experience may find themselves unprepared when workplace leadership roles arise. She emphasized that bar work provides a safe environment to build these skills alongside supportive peers.

Her advice for smoother delegation: align your vision with your team’s skills, empower them, set clear expectations, keep the workload manageable, and show grace when things don’t go exactly as planned. “You want to give all the opportunities to other lawyers so that they can rise to the occasion ,” said Franks-Field.

4. Give Yourself Some Grace

Don’t expect everything to run perfectly during your leadership year. Borel shared what she calls the “80% principle.”

“You only really get about 80% of the leaders who do a really good job,” she said. “Unfortunately, no matter how many leaders you’re working with, whether it’s 200 or 12, there’s always about 20 percent that you feel like you’re pushing or pulling them along the whole time.” She encouraged approaching these situations with empathy and a problem-solving mindset.

Evaluate the timelines, assess what’s been accomplished, and identify what still needs to move forward. Franks-Field also reminded attendees to reflect on why each individual volunteered in the first place. “Finding that reason can be very valuable in what drives those individuals either being involved or not being involved,” she said.