Meet Natalie L, executive vice president and general counsel and secretary
Fearless isn’t a word I would use to describe myself. I’ve faced plenty of situations and life changes that came with uncertainty, from working in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office as a federal prosecutor to moving across the country for a job opportunity.
It’s not about whether you feel fear. It’s what you do once you feel it.
I’ve learned to harness self-doubt and use it to my advantage. That’s how I’ve gotten comfortable with the uncomfortable—and it’s what ultimately led me to my current role at Principal®.
Evaluating risks—and harnessing fears
I grew up in New York City as a child of Haitian immigrants. My father … had a keen interest in law. His pursuit of a law degree was cut short, but he passed down his passion. In our household, democracy was never taken for granted—and politics, law, and civics were routine topics of discussion. A deep respect for all three grew in me, and ultimately led me to pursue a career in law.
Despite my passion, it did not come without its challenges. Early in my career as a trial lawyer, I remember the uncomfortable sensations that flooded me every time I stood up to make an opening statement: A racing heart. Butterflies in my stomach. Pounding in my ears.
While I’m inherently risk averse, I was never satisfied staying in my comfort zone. I learned to compose myself and focus through it. I learned to prepare and study more. I learned to stop fighting my feelings but rather lean into them.
Every time you do, the muscle grows and so does your confidence. The amount of fear and apprehension decreases and the length of time it takes you to get over that concern shortens.
Building a support system
All the techniques I’ve learned come from the network I’ve built over the years. This support system helped me find the courage to move across the country to join Principal in 2022.
I called on an entire cabinet of people—my husband, my children, my parents, mentors, sponsors, other general counsels, and CEOs who have made similar moves themselves.
Leaning on people you can be honest and vulnerable with in times of change is key. But nothing has given me perspective like supporting and mentoring others.
It's what I spend a lot of my time doing as general counsel: Ensuring Principal has top talent and then providing the support and guidance they need to feel connected to the mission of the company and to do their best work.
You cannot get perspective if you stay in your own box and all you're thinking about is you. And you're only talking to other people who look like you, think like you, have the same experiences you have. It's going to make you see small things as big things and big things as small things, because you need diversity of opinions and perspectives to really understand what you're looking at.
I don't believe anyone succeeds alone. We all stand on the shoulders of giants.
