Mike Beswick – BD, Marketing and Communications Director, Taylor Wessing
If you’re currently focused on salary and status, try instead focusing on impact.
Our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition believes the biggest success stories in professional services are attributable to being great, not being quiet.
Mike Beswick, Director of BD, Marketing and Communications at Taylor Wessing, recalls his career progression and the tools that have served him well in a variety of roles at a number of top law firms.
His long-term commitment to networking and upholding the highest standards have been foundational at every stage, as has an infectious can-do attitude. In this episode, you'll learn about what Mike believes are the top five challenges for BD, marketing and comms teams in today’s competitive legal marketplace, including the need to keep up with data-driven decision-making and to provide bespoke client services.
Mike also shares practical words of wisdom for aspiring leaders, tapping into lessons learned in an evolving industry and with ongoing support from mentors. The bottom line? It’s all about cutting through the noise, creating healthy workplace cultures and bringing a bold mindset – as well as our best selves – to the workplace each day.
In Mike's words; “If you want to be successful, it’s the culture piece that really makes a difference, everyone’s smart, but you’ve got to be able to deliver results.”
Watch the full episode below:
Key Takeaways
Starting out
The product of an upbringing in North Manchester and straight out of university, Mike showed up in London with no idea of what to do!
With some scrambling, he found that first rung on the career ladder - with the Royal Mail.
Moving towards marketing
How Mike used skills associated with his history degree (such as critical thinking and the ability to synthesize) in the context of both business and law.
Gold standard
Why early exposure to PWC inspired Mike in terms of setting high expectations for commitment, diligence and excellence in the workplace.
Joining Clifford Chance
The start of a career in the legal sector and chance to bring fresh ideas – and work long hours!
Imposter syndrome
What it looked like for Mike to navigate a huge leap into BD & Marketing at the age of 26, which required devouring new information and leaning on those around him.
Transitioning to CMS (Cameron McKenna)
About experiencing a mid-market firm that offered mentoring and opportunities to explore new terrain.
Paying it forward
How sponsorship throughout his career and risks taken by people who gave him opportunities inspires Mike to do the same for others.
Maintaining the mindset
Why Mike believes attitude plays a pivotal role in taking ambitious, hard-driving people where they want to go, even on the challenging days.
Key traits being; personality, work ethic, drive, being clever, challenging one another.
Hybrid impacts
About the loss of organic workplace collaboration and the serendipity that grows out of office encounters with colleagues.
Multi-platform communication
Mike’s views on leveraging different modes of communication to link teams, maximise mutual brainstorming, learning and support.
Global culture carriers
How fostering synergy among remote team members translates into seamless trust, reciprocity and results.
About Allen & Overy
Leading the corporate BD transformation, winning key pitches and growing business relationships while also growing a young family.
Finding the sweet spot
How Mike rode out a brief bump in the road only to bounce back with a role at Taylor Wessing that offered a healthy culture as well as proactive, entrepreneurial, client-driven opportunity.
Why networking?
About the power of guidance, personal connections and recommendations – cultivated one-to-one or at professional gatherings – in building one’s brand and finding the right roles.
Biggest current challenges for BD, Marketing & Comms:
Fighting for market share amidst finite opportunities.
Maintaining client loyalty with top-notch end-to-end service.
Demonstrating a real commitment to sustainability practices.
Staying focused on bold messages that really matter to clients.
Fully embracing technology and data-driven decision-making.
Words of wisdom
'Get stuff done! (to paraphrase Barack Obama). Be the person who takes on a task and then actually takes care of it.'
'Be curious.'
'Bring the best of yourself everyday (or at least most days!).'
'Obsess on impact rather than status and salary. The latter follows the former!'
'And enjoy! If it’s not fun, you’re in the wrong place!'
Key quotes from this episode
“The people you work with are just really important. Learn from them. It makes such a difference - always setting the bar really high.”
“We all have good days and bad days, but that ambition just to be the best we can be is really inspiring … (It) feeds people and teams.”
“It’s all about bringing your best self to work every single day, even if we’re not always going to have great days … It’s how you focus your mindset when you walk into that office.” (Nicky)
“If you want to be successful, it’s the culture piece that really makes a difference. Everyone’s smart but you’ve got to be able to deliver results.”
“The best ideas come from collaboration – not just sitting in isolation.”
“It’s about putting people in the right place to do the right job, surrounded with the right people … and giving (them) the best environment to work in.”
“The power of a great team working together is phenomenal.”
“It’s all about impact and working with the business to make a difference … I love winning!”
“Those moments where you step out of your lane and have a new experience – it’s amazing how often those unintended opportunities become something quite meaningful.”
“Bringing people together is incredibly useful. Sharing ideas. Sharing connections. Be part of that (networking) ecosystem!”
“The sustainability agenda is really influencing choices and people in BD, marketing and comms teams need to be really alive to that theme.”
“You’ve got to be great or you actually may as well just be quiet.”
“Technology is a fabulous enabler to us in a way that it wasn’t 20 years ago.”
“If you focus on your impact, the rest – the salary and status – will follow. Get stuff done and focus on impact.”
About Mike Beswick
Mike Beswick is the Director of BD, Marketing and Communications at Taylor Wessing. He is also a member of Taylor Wessing’s Operational Board.
Mike has worked in the legal sector for over 20 years with senior roles at global law firms including Allen & Overy, CMS and Clifford Chance. Mike has a track record of building high–performing teams focused on revenue, reputation and relationship growth.
Mike is an advocate for the use of data to drive decision–making and building strong stakeholder relationships to deliver long lasting results.
About Nicky Acuna Ocana
Nicky has led high performing recruitment teams for over 25 years. As the Regional Managing Director of Ambition UK, Europe & US, she leads a team of highly-skilled recruitment consultants who are experts in their niche specialist areas. With an extensive network of senior and board-level contacts, she is also heavily involved in Executive Search, focusing on Director level appointments across Business Services for a range of Professional Services firms.
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