Dare To Lead As Your Authentic Self

Your Authentic Self 

 

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 As the founder of a startup, Tracy Young often worried that employees and investors valued male CEOs more -- and that being a woman compromised her position as a leader. In this brave, personal talk, she gives an honest look at the constraints women face when trying to adapt to a male-dominated business culture -- and shares how she developed the courage and vulnerability to lead as her complete, raw self. (This talk contains a graphic story. Discretion is advised.)

5 Ways The 50 Fastest Growing Women-Run Businesses Survive The Coronavirus And Thrive

Women in Business


 

Geri StengelContributor

 

 

ForbesWomen

I write about the success factors of women entrepreneurs.

 

Tierra Kavanaugh of TKT & Associates, Mary Hensley & Julie Hashagen of Enspire Energy, Asma Ishaq of ... [+]

TKT & Associates, Enspire Energy, Modere, Battaglia Associates, Solvix Solutions, and KaTom Restaurant Supply

Between February and April of 2020, lockdowns and shifting demand caused by the Covid-19 crisis hit women-owned businesses particularly hard: 25% of women-owned companies closed.*
But, some not only survived, they thrived.
"At a time when bright spots are few and far between, we are thrilled to celebrate the business accomplishments of these 50 inimitable leaders," said Camille Burns, CEO of the WPO. The 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies from Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) and American Express was released a few days ago. "Not only do women-owned businesses fuel the economy with trillions of dollars in revenue and the millions of jobs they provide, many have also pivoted their offerings and business strategies to provide essential services and accommodate their employees, which has proven to be vital for navigating the pandemic," said Jessica Ling, Vice President and General Manager, Marketing Strategy, Content and Experiences at American Express.
What lessons can be gleaned from women running the fastest growing businesses that policymakers and women running companies can use?

1) Government Supplier Diversity Programs Are A Win-Win

A majority—68%—of the 50 Fastest-Growing Businesses do business with the government. If you're 51% owned by women or other underrepresented groups, you can take advantage of government supplier-diversity programs at local, state, and federal levels. Creating more significant opportunities for historically underutilized businesses to grow and prosper through public procurement policy is a strategy that can help women-owned businesses not just survive the pandemic, but thrive.
Local governments spend $1.8 trillion on goods and services, state governments $2.1 trillion, and the federal government $4.5 trillion. Government supplier-diversity programs also improve the competitiveness of their supply chains. Supplier diversity programs benefit government agencies and taxpayers by:

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• accessing innovative products/services
• increasing competition, resulting in better prices and service levels
• highlighting their commitment to diversity and inclusion
• building a shared and durable prosperity
• becoming more flexible, agile, and resilient

Governments at all levels can leverage their spending to help women-owned businesses pull through the crisis and grow.
Of course, you'll need to get certified. How you do that will vary depending on the government agency from which you are seeking to win contracts. At the federal level, the certification process just changed.

2) Tapping Global Markets

For many chart-topping women run-businesses, the world is their oyster: 56% of the 50 Fastest Growing do business globally. Those in the US recognize that three quarters of the world's purchasing power and over 95% of world consumers are outside US's borders. "... there is vast upside potential for these and other fast-growing women business owners to reach even further internationally ...," said Laurel Delaney, president of GlobeTrade.com, founder of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global, and Chicago Chapter Chair of the Women Presidents' Organization.
Only 12% of businesses that export are owned by women. To encourage more to do so, track trade by women-run companies, highlight their importance in the global economy, offer gender-related provisions that facilitate fast-track global growth, provide more resources, such as training, financing, and mentoring, commented Delaney.

3) Empower Employees To Work From Home

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a massive shift from working in an office to working from home: Eight in ten—82%—corporate leaders plan to allow employees to work remotely some of the time.** It's no different for the 50 Fastest. Though the number of people working partially or fully remote has been rising slowly, the coronavirus pandemic dramatically increased that trend. Working from home was the most significant adjustment for the six female leaders who shared their experiences. Some now see a real benefit from work-from-home policies.
Transiting to a remote workplace was the biggest pivot that TKT & Associates, the fastest-growing woman-owned business, made in response to the crisis. The company assists public- and private-sector clients to assess procurement, reporting, and compliance monitoring. It also does staffing. The business was founded by Tierra Kavanaugh, who recently passed away. Questions were answered by Kimberly Bunton, chief administrative officer and general counsel.
Working from home was also the most significant pivot for Asma Ishaq's company, Modere. She is the CEO of the third fastest-growing woman-run company. Modere delivers innovative products—personal care, health and wellness, and household care.
"I learned that we can work remotely and be effective and that I can put a lot of trust in my employees," said Christine Meyer, president of Battaglia Associates. The company is a general contracting firm specializing in commercial and industrial services and materials. It is the fifth fastest-growing woman-run company.
Solvix Solutions provides a single location to find all your business technology solutions and is eighth on the list. "We have started building our practice of supporting employees working from home and helping businesses provide better support to those who will continue working from home," said Stacey Rock, managing partner and president.
For employers, the benefits include lowering the cost of office space. For employees, the benefits include a flexible schedule, the ability to work from any location, and no more commuting. "We are currently considering remaining remote indefinitely," Bunton said. "We can be effective and, in some cases, increase productivity working remotely."
However, as Mary Hensley, president and director of marketing for Enspire Energy, points out, there are conflicting issues. She founded the company with Julie Hashagen. Enspire is a full-service, natural gas marketing company and ranked #2 on the list. Remote work fosters less of a team environment. Some employees are thriving at home and want to stay remote, while others want to return to the office. Policies need to be developed that accommodate all workers' styles. Companies are learning lessons.
To mitigate the risk of a cyber threat, Enspire also has increase security measures.

4) Expand Digital Offerings

To make sure companies are meeting the needs of customers, they are introducing more virtual products. TKT is expanding its digital products and is not alone in developing online products. "We have added product segments that weren't available through our company prior to the pandemic," said Patrica Bible, founder, president, and CEO of KaTom Restaurant Supply. It is one of the nation's largest restaurant equipment suppliers, and ranked tenth on the list.

5) Move Fast and Be Agile

Finally, Bunton points out that whatever strategies you are putting in place for your company, "Be flexible. Adapt quickly."
What changes can you make so your business thrives despite economic uncertainty?

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website. 

*Robert W. Fairlie, The Impact of Covid-19 on Small Business Owners: Evidence of Early-Stage Losses from the April 2020 Current Population Survey, NBER Working Paper No. 27309 June 2020 JEL No. J15,J16,L26
** Gartner Survey Reveals 82% of Company Leaders Plan to Allow Employees to Work Remotely Some of the Time

Three Keys To Help You Rise To The Top

Rising to the Top


Jill Griffin

Contributor 

 

Careers My passion is helping women leaders rise.

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• You will need champions, trusted advisers to help you interpret the business landscape, inside the firm and out. And you can’t be mentored by an adversary.

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This past Thursday I had the privilege of being a guest on Maria Bartiromo’s Fox Business show, Mornings with Maria. We talked about women being represented on boards, and we agreed that, though the trend is up slightly, progress is still moving too slowly.

That troubles me. I and others like me are on a fervent mission to educate, write to and encourage women to rise. And while a few women have risen to be CEO’s and corporate board members, many more have climbed the ladder only to stall several rungs below top management. They are clearly top leadership material, but they are mired in the middle, a frustrating development for both them and their organizations who could really use their unique talents and gifts to be even more successful.

A couple of years ago I interviewed top women leaders, women who have managed to move through the maze and end up at the top, for my book, Women Make Great Leaders. I thoroughly enjoyed these conversations and I learned a great deal about how they got there. There were quite a few aha moments for me during those exchanges. I discovered some truths--keys if you will--to help unlock the door to high level leadership for women.

First, let’s look at some facts and figures:

Women have made progress, but they haven’t consistently progressed to the top

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According to Pew Social Trends , the share of female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies reached an all-time high of 6.4% in 2017, with 32 women heading major firms. But the share fell to 4.8% in 2018 after several high-profile women left their posts, including Denise Morrison of Campbell Soup Co. and Meg Whitman of Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The late Katherine Graham, of The Washington Post Co., was the first female CEO to make the Fortune 500 list, in 1972. As recently as 1995, there were no female CEOs on the Fortune 500 list.

On the other hand, the share of women sitting on the boards of Fortune 500 companies has more than doubled, from 9.6% in 1995 to 22.2% in 2017. Again, good progress, but not enough.

There’s economic benefit in having women in leadership

The Peterson Institute for International Economics did a survey with 21,980 firms from 91 countries and found that having women at the C-Suite level significantly increases net margins.
“A profitable firm at which 30 percent of leaders are women could expect to add more than 1 percentage point to its net margin compared with an otherwise similar firm with no female leaders,” the report notes. “By way of comparison, the typical profitable firm in our sample had a net profit margin of 6.4 percent, so a 1 percentage point increase represents a 15 percent boost to profitability.”

Women make teams smarter.

And, all of the evidence says that women make teams smarter. In their June 2011 Harvard Business Review article “Defend Your Research: What Makes a Team Smarter? More Women,” Anita Woolley and Thomas W. Malone wrote: “There’s little correlation between a group’s collective intelligence and the IQ's of its individual members. But if a group includes more women, its collective intelligence rises.” The authors and their assistants had given standard intelligence tests to subjects between 18 and 60 years old. Each team was asked to solve one complex problem along with completing such tasks as brainstorming, visual puzzles and decision-making exercises. “Teams were given intelligence scores based on their performance. Though the teams that had members with higher IQs didn’t earn much higher scores, those that had more women did.”

What I Learned from My Interviews 

The successful women I interviewed for my book gave me much to think about and ponder. There was so much important information that space doesn’t permit me to share all of it with you. So, let me boil it all down to a few thoughts.

If you want to be successful, you’ll need three critical elements that seems to be a part of every successful woman’s journey:

• Ask for what you need and want.
• Be a generous team player
• Know how to help drive the firm’s strategy and financial results from where you sit.

I would only add this piece of advice: Don’t make the men in charge of your organization your enemy. You will need champions, trusted advisers to help you interpret the business landscape, inside the firm and out. And you can’t be mentored by an adversary.
So, work really hard. Make friends. Be kind. Listen carefully. Say yes to opportunities when they come your way. Make yourself invaluable, and you and your organization will rise.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Jill Griffin

Contributor

I am passionate about helping ambitious people to rise. I am an independent public board director, Harvard “Working Knowledge” author; and founder of Jill Griffin Ex...

 

Jun 10, 2019, 12:00pmViews: 46,640

Overcoming Struggles, Going To College, And Striving To Build A Legacy

The Secret To Women's Empowerment Is Women

Women Empowerment


The Secret To Women's Empowerment Is Women

Keemia Ferasat Forbes Councils Forbes Los Angeles Business Council

CommunityVoice 

Entrepreneurs

Post written by

Keemia Ferasat

Keemia Ferasat is the Founder and CEO of Style Salute, a mission-driven digital media company focused on the positive power of women.

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What a year it has been already.

Record numbers of women are making their voices heard in Congress. There are almost 75 million of us in the U.S. workforce. We are educated like never before, earning more than ever, and starting business and philanthropic empires that are changing the world.
We’ve come a long, long way, baby … but we have more work to do to change perceptions and ensure gender equality for future generations.
Lean In and McKinsey recently released research showing that despite all the “leaning in” we have done, there has been virtually no advancement of women in business. As the study put it: “Progress isn't just slowed — it’s stalled.”
Depressing, right? It's not the best news, but I am hopeful about our fate because we are finally talking about the issues that hold us back and collaborating on how to confront them.
I believe that one way forward is to make sure that women support each other. How can we expect women to succeed if we're not directly involved in the effort? Women comprise almost 47% of the workforce, we control up to 80% of consumer spending and we own more than half of the investable assets in the United States. But somewhere, somehow, we became convinced that we needed men to empower us.

We are the solution.
The combined voice of women is powerful and it can uplift our communities. We should be standing up for other women at work, telling success stories and banding together so that we can't be ignored.
In honor of Women's History Month, here are three steps women (and men) can take to continue to move the needle closer to equality.
1. Sponsorship at work matters, especially for women. 

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It has been said that the biggest decisions about your career are often made when you are not in the room. So, what can you do? Forget the mentor — get yourself a sponsor.
While mentors guide you and give you advice, sponsors go beyond traditional social, emotional and personal growth and advocate on your behalf. For women especially, it takes more than meeting expectations and getting the work done to get noticed. you need a sponsor fighting for you. Too often, women make the mistake of assuming mentors and sponsors are interchangeable.
Sponsors can also offer career coaching and guidance that enable other women in their organization to make more strategic contributions. Many trailblazers, including the Tory Burch Foundation, Broadway Angels and Female Founders Fund are setting up networks to help women find sponsors and advance professionally.
2. Invest in women.

As Elastigirl said in The Incredibles: “Leave the saving of the world to the men? I don’t think so.” Sallie Krawcheck often mentions this quote when she's talking about her digital investment platform Ellevest. (Full disclosure: Ellevest is a partner of Style Salute.)

There is a growing number of impact funds that allow investors to power social and economic change by advancing women globally. How do they work? Say you invest in a fund that provides loans to women-owned businesses in a community. You can potentially earn financial returns from the fund, and it enables other women to grow their businesses.

And when those businesses grow, they create new opportunities and more profits, leading to financial growth and a more robust economy. Studies show that women reinvest 90% of their income back into their families and communities. In other words, when women thrive, we all thrive. Investment funds that pursue above market returns through investing in women include Golden Seeds LLC and Ellevest Impact Portfolios. 
3. Standing up makes a big difference.
One roadblock to equality is women's tendency to stay silent. We have all been there — we witness something at work that isn't OK, and we ignore it out of fear, jealousy or ambivalence. We need to change that. We can all speak up as individuals. When you witness "mansplaining" or a woman being given "office housework," say something about it in whatever way makes you and everyone else feel comfortable.
Supporting each other will help us advance at work, start businesses, buy dream homes, reach our big life goals and achieve even more. This matters for all of us and for our communities.
None of us are operating in a silo. Advancing women in our own communities and offices and providing opportunities for them to reach their potential is important both for attaining gender equality and also for meeting a wide range of international development goals.
We can bridge the gender inequality gap by sponsoring women, investing in them and standing up for them. My mantra: empowered women empower women. When we support each other, when we work to make women stronger, when we break through taboos to speak up — if we do it together — everyone wins.

It’s International Women’s Day! Here Are 24 Ways You Can Legit Help Women

International Women's Day


Celebrating Women!

We tapped our fave strong-as-hell celebs, activists, creators, and change-makers for their genius tips and resources.

By The Editors

Mar 8, 2019

Hey, it's International Women's Day today (but also every day, ya know?!). IWD dates back more than 100 years, to 1909, when female activists in New York were demanding voting rights and better pay. Now it's a day to work for equality around the globe while celebrating the accomplishments of women. To help you get in on the action this year, we asked the ladies we most admire for their best tips and advice on how to actually make a difference in other women's lives today and every day. Because, in the words of of Rep. Lauren Underwood, the youngest Black woman ever elected to Congress, "Girlfriends, we need you!" Read on and be inspired.

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Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator (D-CA) and 2020 presidential candidate, @kamalaharris

"What's happening at the border is a human rights abuse. I've met with mothers being held at detention centers who risked everything to get to the United States with the hope that their children could have a better future and whose children were taken from them. What I heard from them is that they think no one has their backs. We need to remind these hundreds of women still being held at the border that they are not alone. On International Women's Day, let's make our voices heard—donate to an organization working with these families, call or write your representatives in Washington and tell them that ripping babies away from their parents is not who we are as Americans. Women have proven time and again that when we stand together in solidarity we are a powerful force for change."

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Renata Pavam

Isabella Boylston, principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre, @isabellaboylston

“Start a talking circle with your friends or colleagues. You can learn so much from listening to other women, especially those from different backgrounds. A talking circle is a great way to empower women to speak up and plant the seeds for change.”

Roger-Moenks

Lauren Bush Lauren, CEO of FEED, @laurenblauren

“Be a conscious consumer and put your money behind brands that support female artisans, fair labor practices, and training and development opportunities for women, allowing them to be competitive in male-dominated marketplaces. My company, FEED, just launched a collection of stunning artisan-made bags for IWD that provide school meals and employment for female artisans.”

Glenn Nutley

Janel Parrish, actress and star of Pretty Little Liars and The Perfectionists, @janelparrish

“Collaborate instead of competing. When women support one another, it’s the most powerful thing. Put your heads together when you’re with your girls and create together!”

From left to right: Sophia Amoruso; Lena Waithe; Anna O’Brien

COURTESY OF SOPHIA AMOROSO; GETTY IMAGES; ANNA O'BRIEN

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Sophia Amoruso, founder and CEO of Girlboss, @sophiaamoruso

"I've just recently heard about I Fund Women, a Kickstarter of sorts to enable anyone to support women entrepreneurs. Everything from podcasters to fully-blown small businesses are featured, making it easy to put your money where your mouth is."

Lena Waithe, writer, producer, and actor, @lenawaithe

“Donate whatever you can to support Planned Parenthood health centers, or donate your time as a Planned Parenthood volunteer.”

Anna O’Brien, author and fashion influencer, @glitterandlazers

“Before I was an influencer, I worked in technology, which is pretty much all white men. I often think about how it’s impossible for the tech ecosystem to support women's needs if we’re not helping building it ourselves. The only way to do that is to give women the skills to actually compete. For International Women’s Day, donate to Black Girls Code, which teaches young women of color to be the tech entrepreneurs of the future.”

Ruben Chamorro

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Zara Larsson, singer and songwriter, @zaralarsson

"One way you can support women is by donating to South Africa’s Keeping Girls in School program. Education is key to young women becoming empowered and being able to make a real difference in the world."

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Courtesy of Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams, founder and chair of Fair Fight and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate, @staceyabrams

"The idea that women deserve a seat at the table extends to their right to vote. Like so many systemic barriers, women of color are the most likely to bear the brunt of discriminatory voting practices. By calling your local legislators to demand an end to rampant voter purges, a more fair allocation of resources, the use of hand-marked paper ballots, and the end of voter ID, women can ensure their voices are heard at the ballot box and beyond."

Courtesy of Vans

Lizzie Armanto, professional skateboarder and Vans team rider, @lizziearmanto

“I'm spending IWD skateboarding and sharing my passion with women and girls at a skate workshop. I’ve seen how when girls are able to grab a skateboard, they can really build confidence, and it’s great for community building. When you can help people find their passion and put their energy into something and feel accomplished, it boosts their self-esteem and shapes their identity.”

From left to right: Chelsea Clinton; Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin; Blair Imani

COURTESY OF CHELSEA CLINTON; SHARON SUH; COURTESY OF BLAIR IMANI

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Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation and author of She Persisted, @chelseaclinton

“An issue that often flies under the radar is diaper need. One in three families struggle to buy enough diapers to keep a baby clean, dry, and healthy—and no mother should ever have to worry about being able to provide what’s best for their baby. I’m so grateful for the National Diaper Bank Network and its partners, which help families access diapers. I hope everyone will learn more about the diaper gap in our country and support their local diaper bank.”

Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin, cofounders & co-CEOs, theSkimm, @dmweisberg, @czakin

"Always ask to bring a plus one. When we were first starting out, we relied on a network of incredible women who helped open doors for us and introduced us to people who have helped us grow our business. Since then, we try to pay it forward by inviting one woman to join us for any event or meeting that they may not otherwise have access to. We understand the power of networking and this is an easy way to help connect women at all levels."

Blair Imani, historian and author of Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History, @blairimani

“When you talk about women, make sure you’re not just talking about white women or straight women or abled women or Christian women. I often see historians claim that women first entered the workplace during the 1940s, but Black women have always been a part of the workforce going back to when we were enslaved. When people cite 1920 as the year when women achieved suffrage it erases Native American women, who did not even have citizenship until the Indian Citizenship Act passed in 1924, and women of color, who could not exercise their right to vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The future includes more narratives, not less—and it will take all of us speaking up at home, at work, and with friends to change the way history-telling happens.”

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Want to Help Other Women? Start Talking. Stop Blaming

How To Help Other Women

Jo Piazza Contributor i

Women@Forbes I write about women pushing limits of creativity & entrepreneurship.

Ellen Pompeo speaks to the crowd at Marie Claire's annual Power Trip.KATHRYN WIRSING/MARIE CLAIRE

Ellen Pompeo is fired up. She's fired up and she's unapologetic about it and she's wearing the chicest blue power suit you've ever seen while her daughter Stella is snacking on gummy bears and smiling a smile as big as the moon as she watches her mother straight talk a room full of powerful women about how to be even more powerful.

"We’re taught if we’re not bitches we aren’t going to be taken seriously. But we need to be bitches to the men not the women," Pompeo says. "Start talking to each other. Stop blaming each other."
This room likes everything Pompeo says. They nod and whoop and cheer and pinch one another, almost like they're trying to figure out if this is a dream. Imagine, a Hollywood actress actually telling it like it is. Pompeo has been telling it like it is for awhile now, but it's one thing to read about it and it's an entirely different thing to see it right in front of you.

"As women we’re not taught to be brave and celebrate ourselves. We’re taught to be quiet and shy and not brag about who we are and what we make. It’s time to start bragging," she continues onstage to the rapt audience at Marie Claire's annual Power Trip conference.
Bragging is celebrated at the Power Trip which brought a hundred powerful women in business, tech and Hollywood together for 36 hours in San Francisco to brag and chat and connect.

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The idea of the Power Trip is to transcend the traditional conference and allow women to collide and collaborate. Pompeo is currently living that ethos. She wants women to talk and once they start she doesn't want them to stop.
"One of the most important things we’ve learned in the past year in Hollywood is that we need to start speaking to each other. In Hollywood we were not in a culture of being able to talk to each other," Pompeo says. "We  need to ask other women, 'what are you making?' 'what did he do to you?' 'This is what they're paying me.' 'This is what he did.' We need to share with each other everything we know because there’s power in numbers. We should believe women and support women and defend women and protect each other because the men are not going to protect us."
Pompeo's advice represents the new breed of advice for how women can help other women. And it was really just the tip of the iceberg during the Power Trip. Here's some of the best advice we gathered from this crowd of wildly inspiring women about how to actually lift up other women.
Jen Rubio, President and Chief Brand Officer, Away
"Call on them. Ask for their feedback in meetings. Give them opportunities to lead new projects. Proactively identify ways to call them out for their wins, like in a team-wide Slack note. It will help us all get more comfortable embracing our successes, not just anticipating our potential failures."
Sarah Kunst, Managing Director, Cleo Capital
"Give women money."

Sharon Stone told the crowd the advice she gives her three sons: "I explain to my sons what boundaries are and that no means f---ing no."KATHRYN WIRSING/MARIE CLAIRE

Sharon Stone, Actress, Producer, Activist
"The stories we tell matter. The people telling them matter. Together we are stronger. Together we will change the world."
Nancy Berger, Publisher, Marie Claire

“Connect a woman to another woman that can help her - it’s all about connecting.”

Laura Holstein, Head of Development, Calamity Jane
"Lead with respect and compassion for other women.  Be more inclusive and befriend women who are different than yourself!"
Anne Fulenwider, Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire
"I find ‘women supporting women’ an honorable goal but somewhat daunting in its generality. Start with the specific. Start with the women you know and know how to help. Make an introduction you think could be useful. Give a meaningful compliment. It matters. Women are always so busy trying to problem solve we rarely stop to make sure we ourselves are okay. Check in with the women in your immediate circle. Cultivate your own community."
Rehab Fagiri, Co-founder and CEO, AptDeco

"Make a conscious effort to help one to two women within the next 12 months and really follow through. It’s not enough to take meetings with junior women.  Go the extra mile to help them reach their next milestone — listen, dig, plot and build together.  Set regular checkpoints and closely follow their progress. We will see more women in senior positions when we all work collectively as a team, roll our sleeves, and fully dive in. As the saying goes, it takes a village to educate a child and it takes a village to see more women in senior positions." 

Courtney O'Donnell, Director of Strategic Engagements, Airbnb

 

"Create environments that encourage women to raise their voices.  We all know how it feels to be in a meeting or group, and not feel "heard" despite our best attempts.The simple and intentional act of reinforcing women's comments, highlighting their ideas and creating spaces that feel supportive can go a long way."

 

Julie Rice, Chief Brand Officer WeWork

 

"One of the highlights of my career thus far has been the awesome women I have had the pleasure of meeting. One way we can really help each other out is to SHARE contacts. My business partner Elizabeth and I get a lot of pleasure from sharing out time and the relationships we have cultivated with other women. We are enthusiastic “connectors “.  I think back to when we were starting SoulCycle and how few female entrepreneurs we had to help point us in the right direction. Connecting awesome women with complimentary skill sets who can help each other accomplish big things is a tangible way to support other women." 

Sheila Shekar Pollak, Chief Marketing Officer, Athleta
“I deeply believe movement powers our brains and bodies.  Grab a girlfriend and try something out of your comfort zone.  If you’re a yogi, take a kick boxing class; if you’re a runner, try stand up paddling.  If you love the studio, go for a hike.  By being vulnerable, you’ll realize all you’re capable of - and with a friend, you’re more likely to try something new and to have some great laughs!”

Jill Kaplan, President, NY/NJ, United Airlines
"There is a difference between networking and having a network.  Therefore it is critically important that you have at least 3 or 4 women in your inner circle that you trust and enjoy being with; because you need to know who you can count on to give you honest, real advice even if it is tough to hear."

Jo Piazza is the bestselling author of The Knockoff, Fitness Junkie and How to Be Married. Her new novel, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, will be released in summer 2018 by Simon & Shuster.

Jo Piazza is a bestselling author. Her new novel, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, a searing story of political ambition, marriage, class and sexual politics, comes out in July.

22 Powerful Women on the Productivity Tips That Help Them Succeed

How owerful Women Can Give You Their Advice

Great tips here!

By Emma Hinchliffe

8:00 AM EDT

As we put together our annual Most Powerful Women ranking, we took a moment to ask these powerful executives: how do they get it done? Twenty-two women on Fortune‘s list shared the productivity tips that allow them to oversee billions with time to spare.

Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President, and CEO, Lockheed Martin
No. 1

My biggest productivity tip for leaders is to have bias for action in all you do. You must reject the idea that things “just happen.” This helps create a mindset to take on challenges, constantly learn and improve, and make decisions in a way that shapes the future.

Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President, and CEO, IBM
No. 4

I have two: First, only you control your time—and you set your day’s priorities. Second, as you prioritize your work, always do the hardest things first.

Gail Boudreaux, President and CEO, Anthem
No. 5

For me, the most important thing to ensure productivity and success within my organization is communication across all levels, all of the time. I believe a leader who can communicate their vision and goals consistently and clearly is more likely to result in employees feeling a true sense of purpose and passion for success. And build the right culture.

Judith McKenna, President and CEO, Walmart International
No. 14

Don’t procrastinate! I love the Mark Twain quote, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Ann Marie Campbell, EVP, U.S. Stores, Home Depot
No. 16

Find and harness your superpower. As women, we often think we have to be perfect in our roles before taking on a new opportunity or challenge, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Every person brings forth their own unique strengths—we must all dig deep to find that superpower and then own the unique value we bring to the table.

Amy Hood, EVP and CFO, Microsoft
No. 20

Sleep, so you can be as helpful, creative, and engaged as possible with your team on the hard stuff.

Leanne Caret, President and CEO, Defense, Space & Security, and EVP, Boeing
No. 23

Surround yourself with a brilliant team and listen to them. And a nice helping of Diet Coke.

Geisha Williams, President and CEO, PG&E
No. 24

Never underestimate the importance of taking care of yourself—get a good night’s rest, take breaks, eat healthily. You’re readier for what the day brings your way.

Beth Ford, President and CEO, Land O’Lakes
No. 30

Be on time. I believe the first signal of whether or not you respect people is showing up on time for whatever is on the agenda.

Lisa Davis, CEO Siemens Energy, Siemens AG
No. 31

I think it is about technologies and keeping a clear objective. Firstly, adapting to, and adopting, technologies that foster expeditious collaboration is a great way to drive productivity. Whether it is to use collaboration platforms for team work versus scheduling meetings or entire business units using virtual reality to help colleagues diagnose technical problems from across the globe, to reducing a complex supply chain with additive manufacturing, technology allows us to increase our productivity.
Secondly, always staying focused on the task at hand. In our complex world it is easy to get consumed in details and lose track of what you are trying to accomplish. Always keeping a clear objective and ensuring you and the team stay focused ensures success. And always asking the question, ‘What specifically are we trying to accomplish or what problem are we working to solve?’ is key to success.

Julie Sweet, CEO North America, Accenture, No. 32

Unplug to unlock—I am at my most productive when I make sure to disconnect in the evenings and on weekends. It helps me recharge and see the new ideas that make an impact.

Jennifer Taubert, EVP, Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson
No. 37

Hire amazing people. When you have a fabulous team, everything is much easier.

Lynne Doughtie, Chairman and CEO, KPMG U.S.
No. 38

Every day, focus on the things that only you can do—and do those first. If you allow yourself to get bogged down with your never-ending “to-do” list, you’ll miss opportunities to make the greatest impact.

Bridget van Kralingen, SVP Blockchain, Industry Platforms, Accounts, and Partnerships, IBM
No. 39

I believe in binding anxiety, not creating it. Learning, creativity, and progress come when you use anxiety for good and establish a tension of the task. I’ve witnessed a great deal of productivity lost when paralysis sets in due to fear and judgment. When we create an environment where we can harness urgency, enthusiasm, and collaboration in a positive way, great things can happen.

Kelly Grier, U.S. Chairman and Americas Managing Partner, EY
No. 40

There’s no question that the best productivity tool is a great team that you leverage extensively. I also block out at least an hour every day to “think” and focus on the important and escape the urgent.

Michele Buck, President and CEO, Hershey
No. 42

Your most valuable asset is your time. Every moment of every day counts. Be ruthless about prioritization so that you make the absolute most out of your time. Take control of your calendar—it’s freeing to say no to meetings or engagements where you aren’t uniquely adding value or bringing back insights to drive commercial growth. If you are willing to say no, it gives you opportunities to spend your time on what’s really important. Ask yourself, “where is it that only I can make the difference?” That’s where you should be.

Carolyn Tastad, Group President, North America, Procter & Gamble
No. 44

I think the biggest productivity driver is clarity on what matters most and focus on only that. Put the other stuff aside. Strategy is very important ­ and once you have a strategy, execute those choices rigorously. Don’t stray. Don’t get distracted. Don’t let the choices creep.
And then there are the little tips. I try to focus my day on big stuff. I leave email to the end of the day ­so that I’ll be time-pressured to get through it as efficiently as possible. I leave the little follow-up stuff to the evening ­ for the same reason. And I have an amazing assistant who keeps my life organized ­ and helps me say no when I need to.

Mary Dillon, CEO, Ulta Beauty
No. 45

Collaboration is easily my best productivity tool. I always look for the ability to collaborate in all my teams and colleagues. It is so important to surround yourself with leaders who are functional experts who can bring specific expertise to the broader team. Business is complex and all functions are interdependent. I am convinced that we run a better, more productive business when we are collaborating across all functions.

Helena Foulkes, CEO, Hudson’s Bay Company
No. 46

I’m a walking “to do” list. Every Friday I think through critical work that needs to get done in the following weeks to have the impact I want to have. And every day I prioritize things I must get done along with other items, personal and professional, which need follow up.

Anne Finucane, Vice Chairman; Chairman, BofA Merrill Lynch Intl., Bank of America
No. 49

Don’t listen to the distractions, focus on the long game. Put a great, motivated team around you.

Kathryn Marinello, President and CEO, Hertz Global Holdings
No. 50

As a Lean Six Sigma master black belt, my goal is to shape a process-driven culture at Hertz. Achieving continuous, stable and predictable process results is critically important to business success. And technology is the secret weapon. Process automation drives faster communication of strategies, increased time spent on strategic priorities and greater project completion rates.

Barbara Humpton, U.S. CEO, Siemens
Ones to watch

Delegate! I’ve learned that nothing makes people happier than to be trusted with important work.
Contributors: Kristen Bellstrom, Grace Donnelly, Matt Heimer, Emma Hinchliffe, Aric Jenkins, Beth Kowitt, Monica Rodriguez, Lisa Marie Segarra, Lucinda Shen, Jonathan Vanian, Phil Wahba, Jen Wieczner.

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