Reflections on female leadership for International Women’s Day

Workplace Insights & Trends

With International Women’s Day (IWD) approaching this Sunday on March 8, we’re celebrating by sharing reflections from female leaders at our company about work-life balance and achieving leadership positions.

The first IWD gathering dates back to 1911, but the day is not country, group or organization specific – it belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. This global day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

Lot of themes trickled through from our own women in the workplace, but below are some highlights:

Flexibility

“My passions, family and friends are just as big a part of my life as work. In order to satisfy all dimensions of my life, stay well rounded and engaged fully, I schedule and prioritize personal health appointments, exercise/gym time, volunteering/community involvement, and kid activities during the traditional ‘workday.’

This often means that I am working early in the morning, later in the evening and at points during the weekend to make sure all is balanced. It’s almost impossible to block off time for strictly work or strictly personal time, so orchestrating a combined schedule where both fit together is imperative.”

– Stephanie Brock, VP & GM Maine

Prioritization

“I’ve learned to become comfortable with the realization that not everything needs to be done right that minute, and that having others help is key (even if I may not like how they are doing it). Prioritizing what is important has also been extremely helpful. I came across a quote a while back that really stuck with me….

‘You can do anything once you stop trying to do everything.’ – Oliver Emberton

Not every task is created equal. Things vary in level of importance and urgency and realizing where your tasks fall is very helpful in terms of prioritizing and delegating accurately.”

-Jennifer Landman, Director of Project Management & Sales Support

Gut instincts

“For me, exercise is a way to help with work-life balance. I try to give that to myself at least 2 – 3 times per week. The fluidity comes into play here as work often overrides workout plans. However, if you can shift and stick to the commitment, you feel more positive and ready to continue to shuffle. When it comes to family/kids – you need to trust your gut. You just know when someone really and truly needs you and you must give yourself permission to be present for those times.”

-Melissa Watson, Director of Workplace Strategy

Overcoming impostor syndrome

“There will be times you will be challenged because of your gender, but you should refuse to accept the stereotype and label. Think of yourself as a leader, period! Leverage your emotional intelligence to understand what makes people tick and work to create collaborative, productive relationships with colleagues. Work harder, be smarter and care more than anyone else in the room, regardless of their gender.”

-Dawn Tofil-Monde, Sr. VP Strategic Accounts/Client Services

Do it yourself (DIY)

“When I started my AV business, I didn’t know anything, but I invested the time to figure it out. I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but that is how we all learn. After selling my business to Red Thread, I was looking for a new challenge, so I proposed a marketing plan to the CEO for an email marketing and event program. He agreed and that led me to my current role here. The bottom line is that in order to move forward with your career, you need to take initiative and be comfortable with being uncomfortable in taking risks and mastering new frontiers.”

– Amy Holt, VP of Marketing

Want to get involved?

Inspired by our leaders? Let us know by tagging @RedThreadSpaces and joining the conversation on social media using #IWD2020. Check out how other organizations are celebrating, too: