I’d be remiss in letting WHM go by without sharing a few thoughts on my own career trajectory.
I’ve been fortunate to have had strong female role models. As @ValerieJarrett notes in her WHM Spotify Playlist – it is very hard to be what you cannot see – and she challenges “trailblazing women” to share our stories so that women early in their careers can find that our ceiling can be their floor.
So – (in no particular order) Lesson one: Be Curious. I’ve always been the first person in the office to offer to take on a new project, client, or program. It served me well in terms of increasing my visibility in and outside of the organization and allowed me to continuously learn and pick up new skills. This requires that you’re not afraid to fail and that you have enough humility to ask questions and learn from your mistakes.
Lesson two: Work hard. Being a hard worker is a good trait, regardless of gender. Enough said.
Lesson three: People matter. Co-workers, professional colleagues, vendors, and clients all deserve respect. People don’t like to be “bsed”. Be honest. If you make a mistake own it and fix it.
And finally, I never turn down an invitation to coffee. I’ve lost count of all the people who have generously offered me their time and counsel. I’m especially grateful to the hiring managers (Seth) who took a chance on me and the female supervisors (Georgia, Sue, Pat) who showed me how women could lead.
#womenshistorymonth I look forward to hearing your stories.