Voice of Experience: Chloe Barzey, Senior Executive, Management Consulting, Supply Chain Strategy, CHT North America, Accenture

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Chloe Barzey, Senior Executive at Accenture, one of the most important things professional women can do, especially as they advance, is make sure they are actively managing their career.

She explained, “As you move up in your career, it’s important to take steps to receive more education or training. You must continuously fine tune yourself in order to remain relevant in the marketplace. Being aware of your strengths and limitations and how others perceive you is key to advancing in your career path.”

Career in Consulting

Barzey began her career after graduating college as an electrical engineer. She explained, “I really enjoyed problem solving, so after college I joined National Semiconductor and entered a rotational program that let me experience engineering, manufacturing, quality control, sales and marketing.”

As a result, she said, she found her niche was in technical sales. “I really enjoyed the problem solving aspect of solution selling so I went to work for Honeywell as a technical sales representative selling fiber optic equipment.”

That experience, Barzey continued, eventually led her back to school. “I went back to get an MBA at Wharton because I wanted a greater challenge and to work on solving broader business problems. After graduating I started in consulting and have been doing it ever since.”

“I enjoy the opportunity to help solve clients’ business problems while continuously learning about innovative industries and functions and meeting new people,” she explained.

“Professionally I am most proud of the supply chain transformation project I am leading with my current client. We worked with them to define a new supply chain strategy and operating model which has helped them save more than $200M over the last two years – all while building a new supply chain organization.”

She continued, “Our fees are tied to the success of the program so our goals are mutually aligned. It is exciting to make a positive impact for my client while doing meaningful work with my team.”

Challenges for African American Professional Women

Barzey said that one of the challenges for African American professional women is that there are few women or minority role models in the top ranks at Fortune 500 Companies.”

“When it comes to diversity in the workplace, I’m encouraged that many companies today are more focused on performance and less focused on gender, race or ethnicity, but there is still a long way to go in order to have equal representation in the C-suite,” Barzey said.

Accenture takes the widest possible view of inclusion and diversity, she explained. “We realize that everyone brings distinct experience, talents and culture to their work, and we capitalize on that diversity by collaborating with each other so that we can help our clients achieve high performance around the world,” she said.

In her experience, Barzey found proactively seeking role models and mentors of any race or gender both inside and outside of work can help enhance your skill set and introduce you to broader opportunities.

She added, “Community leadership is a great way to expand your network. There are also a number of regional and national networks for women and minorities where you can meet like minded people at your level who are facing the same challenges you are.”

Tips for Success

Barzey shared some advice she learned from her mentor, author Harvey Coleman. According, career success is based on the three key elements which include Performance, Image and Exposure, or P.I.E.

“Performance. This is about the day-to-day work you’re tasked with and the quality of the results you deliver. Image is what other people think of you. Your personal brand. Do you maintain a positive attitude? Do you lead with solutions to issues, or are you the person that solely offers roadblocks when others suggest changes or alternatives? And exposure. Is your boss aware of all the contributions you make to the company? Do other team members and colleagues know about your performance and contributions?”

Simply meeting your job description will not likely get you a promotion. “The people who climb the ladder faster are high performers who are also viewed as being a capable, consistent, flexible and a positive change agent for the company as a whole,” she explained.

She added that consulting is a great career path for young women. “You will have an opportunity for continuous learning while being able to make a positive impact in business. It is a great profession for those who are not exactly sure where to begin or what they want to do long term.”

Women at Accenture

Barzey pointed out that Accenture has several initiatives designed to attract and retain women of all backgrounds.

Approximately 80,000 women work for Accenture and more than 16% of senior executives are women. “This allows for many role models and networking opportunities for other women,” Barzey explained.

She said one of the most interesting women’s initiatives she has been a part of at Accenture is the Women’s Leadership and Business Board. “It’s a task force of senior level women from around the world, who get together to work on some of the most critical business issues for Accenture while also looking at ways to retain and advance women.”

Barzey has also facilitated the company’s International Women’s Day Celebration in Atlanta, and has led numerous initiatives for the advancement of women and minorities at Accenture.

Work Life Balance

Raising three children with a husband who also works, Barzey shared some tips on balancing work and personal responsibilities. “For me, it comes down to managing expectations everywhere – home, work and with my children.”

She continued, “You need to accept that that you will never get balance across the board on a given day or week. Some days you will give more to your work and other days you will spend more time with family. As long as I set expectations in advance with my job and my family, it works out.”

When it comes to her children, Barzey said she works to include them in the “work” part of her life as well, when it makes sense. “I talk to them about work so they can feel they are a part of it. And I look for opportunities to bring them to events – when we have our day of community service, for example, or I try and turn evening work events into family events so my children can join me.”

She continued, “What children really want most is your time. Many times I take a break from work at peak family hours and resume after the kids go to bed. I have found there is a whole community of working moms who are online at night doing the same thing. Tools like Skype help me stay connected to my family when I am traveling.”

In Her Personal Time

Barzey said, “My interests include spending great times with good people, my husband, my 2 year old son, and my daughters ages 5 and 11 as well as with my extended family and friends.”

She continued, “I love international travel, relaxing on a beach, working out, reading and being involved in my community. Right now my goal is take the time to stay in the moment and enjoy it while it is here.”