Career Tips from Innovative Female Executives

Today’s society is keen on diversity in the workplace and creating equal opportunities for all employees. However, in the contemporary society where women’s rights are prevalent, many people are not embracing egalitarianism as strongly as they could. The good news is that society has come a long way and is making progress. But there is still a long way to go with gender equality within the workplace.

Below are career tips from innovative female executives and their success as leaders within their organizations.

1 – Kelsey Libert (Fractl): “Reward your employees”

Employees need to know that they are appreciated. Sometimes people will toil for years for their employer and never feel as though their progress and effort is worth anything. They begin to question why they are even exerting so much energy. Establish an employee rewards program so that your employees will know how much you appreciate them. Ms. Libert even suggests offering little surprises for your employees just as a reminder of your appreciation.

2 – Meg Whitman: “Do something that you love”

Many people will choose a career that is practical, prudent, or has a wide job market or a lot of opportunity for advancement. But the CEO of Hewlett-Packard suggests that if you are going to invest so much time and energy into something, you have to love what you doing. If you do not truly enjoy it, you will not have a thirst for excellence.

3 – Jacqueline Hinman (CH2M Hill): “Know your industry”

What is your area of expertise, and where in the industry are you starting? If you want to be a CEO or elevate through the corporate ladder, it is not enough to have knowledge in your area of specialization. You need to have knowledge of the entire industry so that you can better navigate through it to success.

4 – Indra Nooyi: “Embrace tough assignments”

This CEO of Pepsi suggest that you seek out the most challenging assignment and do it well. People would be more impressed if you wrote a 200K word academic treatise very well than if you wrote a 50 word blurb well. Seek out the challenging assignments, because people are generally not impressed if you do an easy job well.

5 – Jessica Mah: “Learn your specific customer’s needs”

As the CEO of inDinero recounts the experience of almost seeing her company collapse, she said that what saved her was customer interaction. She visited all of her customers and determined what they needed so that she could fulfill those needs precisely. She was willing to adapt her company model to the needs of her clientele.

6 – Sandy Geroux: “Offer them a platform”

Employees who have been on the job for a while may pick up on things of which a CEO will be unaware. The CEO of WOWplace International suggests that these employees should be given a platform to speak their minds. They have insight to provide. Offering a platform will also let the employees know that their insight is appreciated and noticed.

7 – Melinda Gates: “Make time for your family”

It is important to foster strong bonds with family. But this will also serve as an effective stress reliever. If you are totally consumed in your work with no recreation at all, it will be to the detriment of your success. Make time for your family and make time for recreation.

About the Author: JP grew up in a small town in Washington. After receiving a Master’s degree in Public Relations, she has worked in a variety of positions, from agencies to corporations all across the globe. Experience has made JP an expert in topics relating to leadership, talent management, and organizational business.