Article: “You need to truly empathise, rather than being performative” Written by Caroline Roberts Thursday 27 November 2025 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email Tamara Box CMgr CCMI, our Chartered Companion of the Month, explains the importance of listening, embracing difference and avoiding micromanagement Throughout a legal career lasting almost three decades, Tamara Box CMgr CCMI has amassed a wealth of experience in senior leadership. Now a partner and head of structured finance at global law firm Reed Smith, where she was previously a managing partner, covering Europe and the Middle East, Tamara is also the non-executive chair of professional services consultancy Interpath Advisory. Tamara’s introduction to management came early on, when her then employer asked her to set up new offices in Singapore and London. At the time, she was just a few years into her career. She notes that there is often a lack of specific management training in the legal field, and this is one of the factors that has driven her passion for CMI. Culture, purpose and values A long-standing Chartered Companion, Tamara has been a member of the CMI Board of Trustees since 2021, and she is also chair of CMI Women. “As well as being ambassadors for chartership, Companions help us understand the landscape of management across the UK and direct the resources that CMI offers, which creates better managers everywhere,” she says. What is a Chartered Companion? A select group of the best leaders around the world, CMI Chartered Companions help shape our activities by providing thought leadership and directly supporting policy, research and product development. Find out more One highlight from Tamara’s early days as a Companion was the opportunity to share her experience of multigenerational workplaces in a lecture at London South Bank University. “We hire a lot of graduates, and what I see frequently is that they care genuinely about the culture, purpose and values of the organisation, and its place in the community and in society. It means leaders have to live their organisation’s stated values, be authentic and really mean what they say. You need to truly empathise, rather than just being performative, or they’ll see right through you.” A management title may come with the right to tell someone what to do, but people are never motivated by authority or fear, she adds. “Genuine leadership is about getting people to want to do things, and to believe in your vision, mission or purpose, so they’re right there beside you, rowing just as hard. In a good team, everybody feels a sense of ownership. We all fill in the gaps and pick up the slack for each other.” Keep reading – more from Tamara Login or register below for Free Instant Access Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Sign in with email Email remember me remember Forget? Please confirm that you want to switch off the "Sign in with email" remember me feature. Yes No Register for Free Access Not yet a Member, Subscriber or Friend? Register as a CMI Friend for free, and get access to this and many other exclusive resources, as well as weekly updates straight to your inbox. You have successfully registered As a CMI Friend, you now have access to whole range of CMI Friendship benefits. Please login to the left to confirm your registration and access the article. Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
