With LegalTech tools on the rise in the past years, many teams have encountered a big challenge: resistance to change. For this reason, change management has become an essential component of any introduction to new tools, more so in traditionally resistant jobs such as legal professions.
When it comes to the role of the general secretary for instance, there are natural and clear psychological and emotional factors when it comes to resistance to change. There is a natural fear of losing their professional essence, which makes change go beyond simple reluctance. The concerns about identity, purpose, and relevance are immensely present in the changing corporate landscape we are witnessing.
Principles of Psychological and Emotional Resistance to Change
The psychological impact of technology adoption also extends to professional worth. The rise of AI-assisted governance tools can lead to an identity crisis, as general secretaries may question their significance in a world where algorithms can generate reports, schedule meetings, and even provide compliance recommendations. The fear of being replaced by a machine is not just about job loss—it is about losing the professional recognition and respect that comes from being an essential human presence in governance. We can discuss several concerns that can apply to other professionals in legal and governance roles too.
Disruption in Routines
One of the core reasons for resistance is comfort with established practices. Long-standing routines provide a sense of security. As a result, disrupting them can lead to discomfort and anxiety. For years, general secretaries have meticulously managed board processes, governance structures, and more, in methodical ways. LegalTech tools, no matter how advanced, challenge this balance. Why so? Because things such as automation, although efficient, remove the familiarity of traditional workflows.
The Cognitive Dissonance Effect
Adding to the first challenge is the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance. Many general secretaries acknowledge the benefits of digital transformation. We often talk about improved efficiency, reduced errors, and greater compliance accuracy. However, they also experience internal conflict. In short, some struggle to reconcile these advantages with their personal apprehensions about job security and diminished influence. This paradox often results in resistance… Not because they fail to see the value in technology, but because they fear what it means for their long-term role.
A Threat to Some Authority
Intricately linked to this is the perceived threat to authority. Many general secretaries pride themselves on their role as gatekeepers. Gatekeepers of curating information, filtering communications, and ensuring that executives receive only the most pertinent details. Automation disrupts this dynamic by offering leadership direct access to information, sometimes reducing the need for an intermediary. This shift can feel like a loss of control and, ultimately, a reduction in their perceived importance within the organization. The truth is general secretaries get to keep this authority as they are usually gatekeepers of their governance tool.
The Lack of Tech-savviness
Another emotional barrier is anxiety over technological competence. Many legal professionals have spent decades refining their expertise in governance and compliance, but not necessarily in technology. The rapid pace of digital transformation can be intimidating, especially for those who feel they lack the technical proficiency to keep up. The fear of being unable to adapt can further entrench resistance, creating a cycle where reluctance to engage with new tools leads to a widening skills gap.
The above mentioned are just a few common aspects that feed resistance to change. These points can apply in a lot of legal professions, but when it comes to the general secretary, what are they most concerned about? Let’s explore.
Specific Concerns of Resistance to Change for General Secretaries
1. Will I Lose Importance and Relevance?
Beyond the concerns mentioned previously, general secretaries face a quite unique fear: growing distant from – what has long been – their core responsibilities. Their role is deeply tied to interpersonal relationships, discretion, and institutional knowledge. As technology takes over certain functions, there is an underlying anxiety that these critical elements will be devalued.
LegalTech cannot replicate the trust and advisory capacity that general secretaries cultivate over years of experience.
Board members rely on them not just for procedural expertise but for their ability to read situations, navigate complex personalities, and mediate discussions. While automation can support governance processes, it cannot replace the human nuances that define effective leadership.
2. Will I Lose Influence on Decision Making?
General secretaries have long held important strategic value that translates to influence power to some extent. This value is built on point such as relationships and their deep knowledge of board needs and concerns. Of course, their ability to navigate corporate hierarchies with discretion and finesse also counts. The rise of LegalTech can seem to threatens this carefully curated dynamic, opening up questions. For instance: if technology can streamline governance, will there still be a need for the personal touch that has defined their profession?
The greatest threat to influence is invisibility.
Legal secretaries operate in a space where their effectiveness lies in proximity—both literal and figurative—to board members and executives. As digital dashboards replace face-to-face briefings, it is only natural to fear that the need of ear-to-ear conversations and
whisper-in-the-ear advising will disappear.
Why None of it Will Happen
The truth is General Secretaries General will always maintain a level of influence, it all lays on how they position themselves as digital governance experts. More often than not, they are at the start of the digital transformation, keeping control on the use of the chosen board management tool for instance. Furthermore, digital board management tools are an opportunity to put in place where the tool and general secretary co-exist. Think of it as a hybrid model, more than a tool that does it all.
While automation can support governance processes, it cannot replace the human nuances that define effective leadership.
If done well, general secretaries can transform from being seen as the administrative element of the tool, to strategic enablers who bridge the gap between technology and executive leadership.
Ready to Drive Change?
Forward-thinking general secretaries are already pivoting. Leading conversations about how technology should be integrated, rather than reacting to its implementation is fundamental. Successful general secretaries are those who will reshape perceptions—convincing board members and executives that while LegalTech tools are powerful, they are only as effective as the human insight that guides their use. After all, it all comes out from our minds, the tool alone without human interaction can’t do anything.
