A few days ago, I officially marked my 20th anniversary working for the greatest legal team on the planet: the Microsoft Corporate, External & Legal Affairs team.

While it’s hard to believe that I joined Microsoft 20 years ago on December 2, 2002, it continues to be an absolute honor and privilege to work at Microsoft. I want to thank all of my terrific Microsoft teammates over the years who have made me a better lawyer, a better leader and a better person.

Since I have also been a lawyer “in the field” serving our world class sales teams during my Microsoft career, I also want to thank our outstanding customers and partners for the opportunity to earn their trust.

At this point in my career, I pride myself in being a coach and mentor to help develop the next generation of great Microsoft lawyers and legal professionals.

To commemorate my 20 years at Microsoft, here’s 20 things that I have learned which may be helpful to you in the workplace:

☑️ Wellness, Wellness, Wellness: Taking care of your mental and physical well-beings are your most important investments.

☑️ Change is the Only Constant: Embrace change and never fear it.

☑️ Always Be Learning: Don’t be a “know it all.” Be a “learn it all.”

☑️ Simplify: Don’t overengineer matters. Instead, decomplexify them.

☑️ Offer Solutions: When identifying potential issues, also provide meaningful problem-solving solutions.

☑️ Integrity is Everything: Be highly ethical and never compromise your integrity.

☑️ Be Kind: Always be nice, respectful and professional with everyone.

☑️ Exude Confidence: Be self-assured and believe in yourself.

☑️ Play Bigger Than Your Role: Perform your job at a high level by going above and beyond.

☑️ Ruthless Prioritization: Make it a habit to relentlessly prioritize your work.

☑️ Earn Trust With Others: Trust cannot be claimed. Trust must constantly be earned.

☑️ Seek Feedback & Be Coachable: Ask for and embrace feedback from others

☑️ Make Your Teammates Better: Always provide high value to your teammates and constantly share your knowledge with them.

☑️ Drive Clarity: As Brene Brown like to say, “being clear is kind.” Overcommunicate when needed.

☑️ Be Humble & Energetic: Remain hungry, thankful and enthusiastic.

☑️ Keep Things in Perspective: Unlike doctors, firefighters and other first responders, most of our work does not involve saving lives. Stay balanced and keep your job in perspective.

☑️ Toot Your Horn: Advocate for yourself by actively messaging the positive impact of your work to your management team.

☑️ Relationships Matter: The workplace is not a meritocracy. Build deep relationships with senior leaders.

☑️ Inclusivity: The highest performing teams are those who are highly inclusive.

☑️ Remain Optimistic: While your career journey will have its up’s and downs, always stay positive.

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Photo of Dennis Garcia Dennis Garcia

Dennis Garcia is an Assistant General Counsel for Microsoft Corporation based in Chicago. He practices at the intersection of law, technology and business. Prior to joining Microsoft, Dennis worked as an in-house counsel for Accenture and IBM.

Dennis received his B.A. in Political…

Dennis Garcia is an Assistant General Counsel for Microsoft Corporation based in Chicago. He practices at the intersection of law, technology and business. Prior to joining Microsoft, Dennis worked as an in-house counsel for Accenture and IBM.

Dennis received his B.A. in Political Science from Binghamton University and his J.D. from Columbia Law School. He is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut and Illinois (House Counsel). Dennis is a Fellow of Information Privacy, a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States and a Certified Information Privacy Technologist with the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Please follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisCGarcia and on his It’s AI All the Time Blog.