Q: What was your first professional job?
A: My first job after graduate school was at Rosemount Engineering in Eden Prairie, Minn. I started in tech support roles, which involved installing software and hardware, and was very much operations focused. I quickly moved to more customer-focused roles including serving as a business analyst, developer and project manager. These positions took better advantage of my skills and competencies – and were better suited for my personality.
After three years, I left to work at West Publishing (now part of Thomson Reuters) and have held a variety of technology and operations roles in my 22 years here. I have never looked back!
Q: How do you currently define success in your career?
A: Earlier in my career I wrote a personal mission statement, which to this day remains my measure of success. I want to be a respected leader who establishes clear focus and direction, actively supports my staff and their development, has expertise and skills across both technology and business functions, and is a role model for my team. I also want others to view me as an open, positive and approachable leader who is accessible regardless of a person’s level in the organization. If I accomplish all of this, I’ll know I am successful.
Q: What's one of your most tried-and-true secrets for maintaining or re-gaining your sanity?
A: Without a doubt, the secret is having a strong support system to help you keep things in perspective. My husband plays this role for me. I truly wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today without a supportive husband who is a good listener, both my strongest cheerleader and occasional critic, and someone who can keep me very balanced.
I think the other important piece of maintaining balance (and your sanity) is making sure you regularly take time for yourself, even if it is just a few minutes each day. It’s important to step away from the demands of both your personal and professional life so you can clear your head and re-focus. I’ve found that after doing
this, I am often able to better prioritize all the things that need to get done.
Q: What's one piece of career advice that was given to you when you were an emerging leader that you'd like to pass along to other emerging women leaders?
A: While not appropriate for everyone, one of the most important pieces of advice I ever received was to trust my instinct because it was really “on target”. It has served me well in most situations and has also helped me anticipate and prepare for push back. If you’re a person who has good instincts, you need to trust your gut.
In terms of advice to pass on to other emerging leaders, I think that one of the keys to success is always being true to yourself. You have to find your own personal style (brand, if you will) and not try to be something or someone you are not. This isn’t to say that you should ignore the sensitivities of some circumstances. You just need to be true to yourself in these situations. You can’t let a boss or an organization change who you are or what you believe in; you must trust in your convictions and have confidence in your abilities.
People often tell me that I seem very comfortable in my own skin – I really am. This comes from knowing who I am and not hiding or changing certain aspects of my personality depending on the situation. I’m always amazed at people who maintain two personas: one at work and one at home. Your personality shouldn’t be based on where you are, especially since we often spend more time with our colleagues than we do at home. Plus, for me at least, it would be too hard to keep track of these multiple personalities.
Q: What would your totally decadent day-off look like? (Think fairy-tale)
A: My perfect day would start with a round of golf with my husband at a beautiful golf course, be followed by a two-hour massage, and end with me enjoying a nice cold drink outside. On second thought, I would only play nine holes of golf and then squeeze in an hour or two of shopping.
