Our Lead(H)er series shares the stories of women leaders at some of the fastest-growing companies in the tech industry.
Here is a recap featuring the 27 inspirational stories from 2021 with a short segment from each profile. You'll learn everything from the challenges, successes, and surprises of their careers, lots of useful advice, and more!
“For women in tech, or for women looking to break into technology, remember that you don’t need to be an expert before you start the job. This isn’t a new message but it’s worth repeating. Trust your foundational skills and trust those around you. Your colleagues, your leaders, they want to see you succeed. Your success influences theirs.”
“I never thought I would be in a CMO/head of marketing role. It used to bother me that I didn't know what I wanted to do esp when I saw the clarity my peers had. However, I have realized that not knowing has given me a richer background, and frankly has been more fun. A big secret right now is, I have no idea where I will be in 10 years!”
"As I reflect on how I’ve progressed in my career, I attribute a lot of my success to saying “yes” to new opportunities and additional work responsibilities. I’ve always tried to play the long game when it comes to my career, meaning filling in gaps in responsibilities, even if it's not technically a part of my role and thinking of them as opportunities to learn something new.”
“Aim high, take risks and work really hard. Most importantly, earn your keep/respect, don’t be entitled!”
“I think just be open to anything -- there are so many jobs and experiences that could contribute to a future in People Ops, you don’t necessarily have to start there (I didn’t). ”
“Patience, communication, empathy, and the ability to persuade are also skills that have gotten me to where I am today. I’ve spent many years honing those skills, they certainly are not skills you develop overnight. The variety of my work experiences really helped me with these skills too – which says a lot in terms of not needing a “traditional” career path to get where you want to go. ”
“I often tell people that their career paths won’t be linear. It’s important to be open to new opportunities, roles, and industries. Gain as much experience and knowledge as possible and if you are no longer passionate about the role or work you are doing, try something new! "
“Second, find a good mentor(s) that you trust to help you on your career journey. A mentor doesn’t always have to be someone you have a direct mentorship relationship with. I have had people that I would consider mentors that I just watched how they interacted with people or handled situations. Everyone in your life/career can be a mentor informally. It is also important to find advocates for you outside of your direct management chain.”
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“Treat people the way you want to be treated. Titles don’t matter. People are people. Work with people. They will help you, and you will help them.”
“There is no job below you. You can learn something from everything you are tasked with. You may just have to figure out what it is. Sometimes it won’t be the big cool challenge you are looking for but they are all steps towards that.”
“Focus on finding work that’s interesting and puts you in the company of interesting and smart people, the rest will come together.”
“Feedback is a gift, but it's often wrapped up in stinky old newsprint instead of a cute bow. Being able to discard the wrapping but still keep the gift will help you grow and bounce back from adversity faster. ”
“I can’t count how many times I have been the only woman at the table, the only woman in the room. I have literally had vendors sit down and try to explain the interwebs to me before pitching their service, or ask me for the wi-fi password and then turn away. I am definitely aware that I have had to work harder, perform better, just to be considered. It can be really hard to persist, but you just do it. And then you reach a hand down and help the person behind you.”
“Don’t worry if you haven’t figured it out as of yet. Find good people to learn from either in your job or outside of it and ask lots of questions of how people got to where they are. As noted above, find mentors that do what you think you strive to achieve and then figure out how they got there. ”
“Grab any opportunity you get to learn new skills. It’s ok to feel uncomfortable with what you don’t know. If you’re in your comfort zone, you’re probably not growing. Find the right people to work with - who can challenge you and mentor you.”
“Explore! I am in the position I am in at least partially by happenstance. I said yes to a lot of opportunities that let me figure out and refine my career path (which I am still doing, by the way).”
"Embrace the ways in which you are different, that’s your power and your contribution to expanding people’s perspectives.”
“I would tell them to be open minded and take chances. Don't always play it safe. Go for the opportunity that excites you the most because your passion will fuel your path. Whatever job you're doing, give it your all. Ask a lot of questions, be curious and take notice of what others are doing.”
“Raise your hand and don’t be afraid to stretch yourself in a function or area that is new to you. I think there is value in being specialized in a specific skill set or role, but there is also value in having experience in many functions (even if it is just volunteering to work closely with another team). We often call this knowing enough to be dangerous."
“It’s easy to think that certain jobs only exist for certain people. Get rid of your fixed mindset. Put yourself out there, and start asking for introductions, asking for help and mentorship, spending time really nurturing relationships, and finding ways to get exposure to the work you want to do. You HAVE to ask for it, and you also have to start saying yes to things, even when everyone else around you tells you to say no : ). It’s ok to not follow the pack.”
“Be inquisitive and take your time to dig into what you’re working on to learn past your immediate task. Regardless of your role and responsibilities, there is always something to learn whether it’s how to do something, how not to do something, new technologies, pros and cons to different implementations and solutions, process improvements, etc. Your learnings from your experiences will prepare you for future opportunities.”
“Whatever job you do, be excellent at it. Take full responsibility and ownership of what you are doing and it will open countless doors for you."
“Be open to opportunities. I think people can be too focused on looking at a position’s title vs. what they can learn from the job. I never thought I would have a few of the positions I’ve held, but when I saw the scope of the jobs and the responsibilities I would have, they piqued my curiosity and I recognized that they would allow me to learn and grow.”
“It is important to be able to work well with others. It may sound overly simple but it is important to be inclusive and respectful to everyone no matter their level or title. It is also important to never adopt the mindset that you know everything, no matter what your title is.”
“Step up. Do the hard thing -- take on a project that is big and scary or overwhelming, step into a place in your organization that needs a leader, give candid feedback in a loving way, etc. What’s hard is different for everybody, but you have to learn to recognize your edges and then lean into that discomfort. That’s how you grow and become a bigger, better, more powerful version of yourself.”
“Never be afraid to take on new challenges and ask a lot of questions. Embrace your mistakes and learn from them. ”
“Never turn down an opportunity, even if you think you might be getting in over your head.Joining a company with a culture that allows you to fail is key, because that’s how you learn.”