Cultural sensitivity

Trade marks are a global business, especially given the growth of the internet. So being able to work with people in different time zones, and with diverse backgrounds, is invaluable. Many of our visionary trade mark managers have to work unsocial hours just to be able to speak to their colleagues worldwide. Cultural sensitivity also helps when it comes to enforcement: you may have to work with your competitors and even be prepared to sit down with people you don't like or don't agree with. In charge of policing the brand, you sometimes need to be aggressive, but this approach has to be balanced with a sensitivity and willingness to be diplomatic. Diplomacy is also important internally, especially when you face conflicts with other departments over priorities, budgets or resources. A good trade mark manager is "able to persuade the business side to invest in enforcement", as one private practitioner says.