Voice of Experience: Sally Boyle, Partner and International Head of the Human Capital Management Division, Goldman Sachs

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Sally Boyle“The tougher the job, the faster you learn,” says Sally Boyle, who began her career as an employment lawyer before seguing into human resources and now leading that division in Europe and Asia in her current role at Goldman Sachs.

Unlike many women who chart a clear path as working moms, Boyle considered taking a break from her law career before her maternity leave and broached the subject with her female boss. “She instead encouraged me to take a master’s course during that time,” Boyle recalled. Her boss was writing a book on employment law, and suggested that if Boyle chose her topics carefully, she could parlay what she was learning in school into helping her write the book.

“I was a little taken aback when she arrived at the hospital with flowers and an enormous parcel of law books, but it was good advice,” Boyle said. While she found it challenging to study with a baby, overall she felt it was the perfect opportunity to keep herself connected with academic law and her boss.

Within 14 months she had her second son and continued to work towards her master’s degree, and then three years later, she decided it was time to go back to work. Her boss was committed to helping the next generation of women live more flexible lifestyles, and Boyle opted for a part-time schedule, since her barrister husband traveled frequently.

Several years later, deciding to ease back into full-time work, she took an interim job at a smaller firm outside the city. But after three years, she was yearning to be back in London, so activated her network and joined Goldman Sachs in 1999.

The firm was about to go public and having an employment lawyer in the London office was a new venture for them too. “It was the best job in the city. I was giving advice in a territory that spanned different cultures and covered 40 cities.”

Then in 2008, Boyle was tapped to take on responsibility for Goldman Sachs’s Human Capital Management Division in Europe. “I was a little surprised, having been a lawyer all my life, to be offered this opportunity to run a regional HR division. But even though I said I didn’t know that much about it, they expressed confidence I was well suited to the role.”

Her predecessor had moved to Asia to become head of human resources there so with no transition Boyle took the position, coincidentally on the very day that Lehman Brothers met its demise. She became partner in 2010 and now oversees the human resources businesses in Europe, India and Asia.

Taking on Challenges

For Boyle, the professional achievement she is most proud of is pivoting from law to human resources. “I was able to use skills I’d acquired as a lawyer, but also needed to intuitively figure out how to lead since there was no road map.” She said that her role in human resources is much broader than what she had been doing in law – allowing her to oversee everything from gyms to childcare centers, and helping employees with every phase of their careers, from the first time they show an interest in the firm to when they leave, including training and development.

She’s particularly interested in the overlay of the millennial generation and their expectations. “The way that we’re thinking about our biggest asset, our people, has to change, and it’s fascinating to work on new ways to retain and motivate our best people.”

Reviewing her career path, she knows she was able to advance into new areas because she had confidence in other people’s assessment of her. “I wasn’t constantly wondering whether I had the skills to take on a new role; rather I said yes because the people who asked me said I could.”

She has seen the rewards of having the confidence to take the leap into new things and rather than staying complacent. She says that she was fortunate to have strong mentors and sponsors who were constantly helping her see what a smart next step would be.

A Path to the Top

Right now, Boyle is enjoying an aspect of her role helping Goldman Sachs work with women in thoughtful ways to enhance their experience. “I got this mindset from my first boss,” she says. “Rather than having an attitude of, ‘I’ve had it tough and you will too,’ she helped smooth the way.”

To that end, Boyle has worked on programs in Europe at Goldman Sachs designed to engage women on maternity leave and give them a good experience coming back to work. The program connects the manager and woman from the start to talk about expectations while she is gone and when she returns to make sure that she is well integrated during the transition time.

Additionally, Boyle advises women entering the industry to build a strong network not only within the organization but more broadly. Boyle knows this from experience: had she neglected her network, she wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to work at Goldman Sachs.

“I have confidence that women can do it all — they can be good mothers and good partners and successful workers, but you have to realize that it will be quality not quantity that will get you there.” She says that goes both ways – for family time and for work as well. “Managers need to give employees flexibility and trust them to manage their work.”

Away from the Job

An avid former tennis player, Boyle has recently turned her attention to cycling. In addition, she began golfing several years ago in an effort to join her family in one of their favorite pastimes. “It used to be my family was on the course, and I was at the spa,” she says. “But it’s an addictive game, once you start.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Movers & Shakers: Sofya Pogreb, COO, TrueAccord

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Sofya PogrebFocus on people, not just projects – that is the “aha” moment Sofya Pogreb had recently when a colleague paid her that compliment. “Spending time working with my peers, mentoring people and trying to understand their needs helps me problem solve and ultimately lead,” she said, adding that companies need to realize that their success lies more in their people and talent than anything else, especially in the fields of technology and finance.

Born in Moscow, Pogreb moved to New York City when she was 14. She attended MIT in the 1990s with the intent of majoring in political science and becoming a lawyer. But it wasn’t long before she realized that most of her fellow students were pursuing computer science, not political science, and although the first time she’d ever touched a computer was her freshman year, she ended up with a double major in computer science and finance.

Pogreb was awarded internships at HP and Intel, and was particularly grateful for her designation as recipient of the “Intel Women in Engineering” honor, which paid a large part of her tuition.

Fascinated by marrying technology and business, she joined McKinsey & Company. “I loved working with smart people, and I enjoyed the variety of projects that the consulting life gives you the opportunity to experience,” she says.

After eight years, she left McKinsey, in part to avoid extensive travel, and landed at PayPal where she grew to run its Americas Risk Management division, leading a team of 40 risk professionals. One of the accomplishments of which she’s the proudest was her role at PayPal helping them assess the risk and reward tradeoff, considering such aspects as how aggressive they wanted to be on fraud and how liberal they wanted to be with merchants.

“My recommendations had significant financial implications, and that was a major change from a consultant relationship, where you give advice but your head is not on the line, so to speak. At PayPal, I had the opportunity to live and breathe the numbers every day.”

A True Fit at TrueAccord

Early in 2015 she left to join TrueAccord as its COO.

She is excited about the challenges inherent in her new position, although she admits she never thought she’d move from a stable corporation to a startup. “When this opportunity presented itself, the leadership team made me feel comfortable I could make it work. I see it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Pogreb sees TrueAccord as leading an industry sea change. “I found the passion of the team to be contagious,” she says, since the debt collection industry is ripe for a change. Although the market is significant, there has been less innovation in the past century than almost any industry.

“We believe there’s a huge opportunity to take the techniques that have been used in marketing and risk management and apply them to this industry. Everyone dreads the call from a debt collector, but what you’re trying to do is have a conversation. Through technology we can identify the right tone and language for each consumer based on what we know about them and then use automation to remind people when bills are due.”

Abandoning Assumptions about the Workforce

Pogreb had two assumptions when she started her career – neither of which turned out to be true. The first was that if she worked hard, she would be appreciated and success would follow. She did find that applicable in the early stages, when her career success was driven by working really hard and being the person on the team that the leadership could always rely on.

“As I became more senior, though, willingness to work hard became less of a factor and can even work against you,” she says. “Managers are not looking for me to work hard, but want me to be a strategic thinker and a leader.” She says this continues to be a challenge for her, but also a blessing since these days she can’t put in as many hours with a young family to attend to.

“Managers are not looking for me to work hard, but want me to be a strategic thinker and a leader.”

Pogreb’s second assumption was that she would be offered a well-defined career path, one that laid out how and when she would advance.

“This was never true,” she says. “You can’t count on your employer to map things out. You always have to have a vision in your head of what you’re working toward, and while it’s likely to change, you always have to be heading down a path you have defined.”

She adds that each decision can close some doors, but each one also leads to a learning experience, even perhaps showing you that what you thought you wanted isn’t what you had expected, and it’s time to build a new path.

Pogreb had that experience herself, when she took a break from consulting and joined a large bank, on a quest for a better lifestyle and working hours. “Professionally I have never been so miserable,” she recalls, adding that everyone has different needs but it was not for her. “Not being pushed resulted in my problem-solving skills deteriorating, and that was a huge learning moment; I overshot on my quest for lifestyle.”

However, she adds that it was still a valuable expertise, because it helped her learn about herself and what she needs to be satisfied in her career.

She suggests that women share their vision with their mentors and sponsors, who can then be aware of opportunities that might fit.

She has found sponsors to be vital to her career ascent – and they don’t have to be women, contrary to advice she had initially heard.

“When I remember all the sponsors that I’ve been lucky enough to have, most of them have been men. Men have done wonders for my career by exposing me to opportunities and supporting me when it came to promotions and new responsibilities.”

And that’s the outlook she brings to TrueAccord. She appreciates its diversity in race, gender and age but knows that the important thing is to hire and promote the person who can do the job the best.

A Homegrown Role Model

Pogreb’s work ethic has always been modeled by her mother, who was 40 when she brought her to the United States. A music teacher by training, she had hoped to teach but found it too frustrating to be expected to praise children who weren’t prepared for their lessons.

Instead, she went back to school, supporting the family by cleaning and babysitting, and became a nurse, despite a lack of medical background.

“When I start to think about any problems in my career, I focus on her trajectory — her career path was survival, with no mentors or sponsors. I admire her for pushing through and doing whatever it took to succeed. That’s what I intend to do for my family, but I know it’s a luxury that I can also work in a field I am passionate about.”

As a single mom to an eight-year-old and an 9-month old, Pogreb is devoted to providing that stable life for her children and appreciates that her company provides ample flexibility for her to balance her family priorities with work.

Though free time is hard to come by, she used to be a competitive ballroom dancer, specializing in the quick step tango. She hopes to eventually go back to it since it’s an activity that can be enjoyed at any age. And, she finds that dancing is the perfect metaphor for career success: “You have to work together to be successful.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Beth Paul, Assurance Partner with PwC US

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Beth PaulBeth Paul made partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) after she was with the firm 13 years. A graduate from Pace University and a skilled accountant, she is guided by a quiet pragmatism and sharp intellect. These qualities give Paul a confidence and sensibility that remains down to earth despite her great success.

Paul began working at PwC directly upon graduation in 1992. Her career began in the auditing practice working on companies in the industrial products sector. After spending seven years in that sector, she joined the national professional service group for what was supposed to be a two-year tour in PwC’s SEC services group. Instead, she stayed in that group and was made a partner in 2005, a feat she acknowledges as her proudest professional achievement. “That day created a memory that will last forever. It has been 10 years, but in some ways, it feels like yesterday.”

Use feedback to build your brand

After 22 years with PwC, Paul feels that young women coming into the profession will benefit from understanding the importance of building their brand as well as some of the barriers that can prevent them from doing it most effectively. Essentially, Paul believes that your professional growth is built upon being able to hear what your co-workers, supervisors and mentors have to say about their impression of you and your work.

“You have to get candid feedback early and often. You will get different feedback at each stage of your career—but in order for you to advance, people have to be able to see you in the role. You need to be able to build a brand that allows you to project that image. That is why the feedback is so important; we can all have blinders on as to what we are really like. If you don’t get feedback, you won’t know how to progress—you can’t fix what nobody’s telling you need adjustment.”

Accessible accounting practices are best

In 2012, Paul was asked to join the firm’s accounting services group within the national professional services group as the strategic thought leader. In this role, she works with other leaders in her firm to determine the firm’s position on emerging trends in auditing, accounting and financial reporting. Paul is now deeply engaged in her new role and one of her primary goals is to help the firm share their insights and perspectives on accounting developments through new mediums, such as videos and new distribution channels such as the use of social media and PwC’s CFOdirect e-newsletter and website.

“I am most excited about the fact that we are trying new and different things, like social media, to distribute our content. We are also looking to expand our audience by tailoring the message to a variety of audiences.”

She says that one of the most interesting trends in accounting today is the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s simplification initiative.

“Thinking about ways to change the current standards to remove complexity will help reduce costs, minimize the possibility of inconsistent or incorrect application, and ultimately make it easier for all stakeholders.”

You won’t ever be in the locker room

In terms of barriers for women in her industry, Paul loops back to the importance of being able to receive feedback, and using this feedback in a productive manner instead of dwelling on it or letting it get you down. She reflects about some great advice she was given as a new partner that helped her understand this process and how it can affect women differently than men.

“I was a brand new partner, and a very seasoned female partner said to me, ‘when men are in the locker room together, they can tell each other what they did wrong, then slap each other on the butt and walk out of there with insight into what they need to do better next time. You aren’t going to be in the locker room so, you are going to need to be more proactive in how you get the feedback you need to succeed.’”

This advice helped Paul see how important it was for women to find an advocate who would not be afraid to speak openly with them about their performance. Paul is clear that women and men are definitely different, but she lays part of the responsibility to see that difference—and do something about it – with women.

“You can’t just ignore it; you have to do something about it. You have to be willing to listen to the feedback constructively because the more you are willing to listen, the more people are going to be willing to give you that feedback and help you.”

And, for the women who share a seat at her table, she believes they owe it those who are less tenured to reach out, mentor them and be engaged with the younger women making their way up the ladder.

A calm focus wins over fast and busy

Paul believes that PwC provides a very supportive working environment, for men and women alike. PwC offers flexibility programs to help women and men accommodate their family life and navigate the many decisions between balancing life and work. “I’m proud that we have a very inclusive and collaborative culture.”

Outside the office

When not at work, Paul enjoys her daughter’s competitive cheer competitions. To help balance out the busyness, Paul started practicing yoga three years ago and finds it tremendously beneficial.

“Yoga is really about being in the moment and having that clear focus. I think there is a real place for that. It has impacted me greatly, and not just in a healthy, get-fit way, but from a broader perspective. When you apply that focus to work, you can really get a lot done in a short amount of time.”

By Rebecca S. Caum

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Men Who Get It: Douglas Kennedy, President/CEO, Peapack-Gladstone Bank

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Doug KennedyDoug Kennedy has always been committed to championing women in the workforce throughout his banking career, which began as a full-time teller working his way through college.

Not only did his teller position begin his career in banking, but it also earned him a wife. After college, he joined the training program of a local Connecticut bank, where he began by working in a branch. As the industry deregulated, banks were increasingly growing, and so did Kennedy’s career. He held leadership roles with a number of banks, most recently with Capital One where he was responsible for commercial lending in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast; he was also market president for New Jersey. Two years ago, he joined Peapack-Gladstone Bank as its president and CEO.

A Diversity Champion

Diversity has always been important to Kennedy.

“If there wasn’t diversity, the world would be a boring place, and you’d never progress beyond your own beliefs and capabilities,” Kennedy says. For him, diversity starts in his family life. “At the end of the day, I am aware of the diversity in my personal life; this life experience translates easily to what diversity means at the bank.”

Over his 35-year career, Kennedy has worked alongside many talented women and has championed women’s issues, including a job-share situation early in his career with two women whom he knew were top performers that the bank needed to keep.

“It was not well received at the time, and I really had to push for it since management feared that male clients wouldn’t appreciate it.”

Kennedy collected statistics that showed that the job-share employees were more productive than their male counterparts. Armed with the numbers, his human resources department invited him to an off-site meeting of 400 bank leaders, where he was able to show that it wasn’t a crazy, far-fetched idea. “The proof was in the numbers,” he says. “Having math to prove something as a banker elevates it from just an opinion to a fact.” His presentation helped pave the way for additional similar job-share situations — a huge advance at a time when the lack of technology made it harder for women to stay in the workforce.

Maintain Diversity

Currently, more than half of Peapack-Gladstone Bank’s employees are female, and six months ago, he was instrumental in starting a woman’s organization called LEAD (Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Development) which invites senior women in to speak about their careers and the challenges they have faced. The bank’s executive vice president, Karen Rockoff, acts as the senior female leader, and has created a curriculum that speaks to women’s needs and interests and is helping the company develop an agenda to support them.

His goals for the year include accessing female senior leaders in the organization who can organize talks around wealth and how to plan for retirement. “Women can have a gap with financial issues, and since that’s one of our core competencies, we want to deliver those insights to our employees,” he says. In addition, the curriculum will double as an outreach for other corporations with women’s groups.

Kennedy says that he approaches diversity from an enlightened perspective. “I just never have differentiated people on the basis of gender, starting with my wife and I, who have always viewed each other as equal partners. Just because I had the role of breadwinner didn’t give me any authority above hers managing the family and household. So with an equal partnership at home it has been a fairly natural approach when I come to work.”

He says that he would always consider the best person for a position — whether it is a man or a woman. “You have to look at each position and ask yourself, ‘What are the skills each candidate has, what are the skills that are needed, and do they align?’”

Advice for Leaders

Though he sees the prejudice changing, he believes that men would benefit from listening more. “If you are willing to listen to different perspectives, at the end of the day you will end up benefitting. Despite my experience and leadership, it doesn’t mean I have all the answers. We all gain by paying attention to diverse views.”

He says that the key to success in an organization is hiring people who are thoughtful, who have more knowledge about a particular subject and then tapping into that talent — no matter who it is – which will always end up delivering better results. Listening will help any leader find great ideas and solutions to problems.

“If everyone at our company had identical experiences and thoughts, we would be a colossal failure. Diversity is one of the principle assets of any organization and is essential to achieving our future success.”

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Voice of Experience: Kristin Olson, Partner, Goldman Sachs

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Kristin OlsonFor Kristin Olson, career success comes from being reflective about what you enjoy doing and finding a career role that plays to your interests and your strengths. “Over a long career, pursuing something that interests you and challenges you daily will make you much more successful and happier.”

Olson is a lifer at Goldman, having joined the firm as an analyst in the Financial Institutions Group in the Investment Banking Division right out of her undergraduate studies at Georgetown. She figured it would be a great fit for her international economics background and an ideal launching pad to learn in a firm renowned for its accomplished professionals and tremendous amounts of deal activity. As an analyst, she had what she calls a “phenomenal two year experience,” which included cultivating relationships with other employees who have grown in the firm with her and are now in senior positions.

After two years in the analyst program, in 2000 she joined Goldman’s dotcom effort focused on online wealth management, where she worked primarily on marketing and client acquisition activities. She then joined the Special Investments Group within the Investment Management Division, where she has been ever since, earning steady promotions, until she was named partner in 2014.

“Making partner at the firm where I spent my entire career is something that makes me incredibly proud. When I started as an analyst I couldn’t have imagined it happening. I have had the opportunity to help build and be a part of an incredible team with impressive longevity.”

Olson sees the industry as one that will continue to be exciting.The alternative investment landscape continues to evolve and change and become more accessible to a wider universe of investors.In particular, focusing on alternatives allows Olson to hone in on what the interesting investment trends are and how to access them.For example, today technology is transforming and disrupting traditional industries left and right, providing compelling investment opportunities to capitalize on that growth.

Advice For Women That Resonates

In her experience, Olson has found that women are more likely to second guess themselves or feel less secure in their abilities. “Women have to first recognize their abilities and then be more vocal and speak up. They tend to stay quiet even though they have the same skill set and are just as capable. If there were more female role models at senior levels that would help the confidence of more junior women,” she said, adding that it has to be a priority to get more women role models at higher levels throughout the industry.

She advises young women entering the industry to be themselves, be heard and not to try to conform too much. “Teams really benefit from a female approach and the diversity of thought we bring. Some women feel like they don’t want to stand out, but they fail to recognize that being a woman can be and is an asset.”

And for women who have achieved career success, she urges them to continue to challenge themselves. “It’s easy to become complacent, but when you accept those stretch assignments, you’ll find it’s the best way to continue to learn and grow.” In addition, she finds that stepping outside your comfort zone can allow you to meet a new universe of colleagues, and even find a role you didn’t know would inspire you.

Olson herself had that experience, working with a mentor in investment banking, who had always told her she should consider sales. “He urged me to consider a sales role right up until I ended up in one, and he was right. I enjoy the dynamic nature of managing client relationships and it challenges me constantly”

Goldman Sachs’ Investment Management Division has its own women’s network, with which Olson has been involved over the course of her career. She and a colleague recently assumed leadership of the group and are planning future events. Olson has found it to be an excellent way to get to know more women in the division with its focus on mentorship and networking events.

With two young children, Olson and her husband have their hands full outside of the office too.

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Corinne Martindale, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Management, Voya Investment Management

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Corinne Martindale“If you had told me when I was in college that I would have a career in investment management, I would have said that you were crazy! I am a great example of how you sometimes have no idea where the road may take you, but if you allow yourself to be open to new opportunities, you will end up in exciting places and in roles that you never imagined.”

That is how CorinneMartindale describes her career journey. As an English and Political Science major in college, she had dreams of becoming an editor or writer. After graduation, Martindale worked at a public relations agency and then accepted a position at GE Asset Management, which completely changed the course of her career: she learned about the asset management business through various trade support specialist roles and subsequently worked her way up to a client portfolio management position. When an opportunity to be considered for the role of institutional product manager at Voya Investment Management was presented, she saw it as an exciting way to apply the skills that she had learned at GE while immersing herself in a new company. After serving as a product manager, Martindale eventually became head of product management in 2011.

“I have been fortunate enough to work at companies such as GE and Voya, where if you demonstrate that you are a dedicated, hard-working and fast-learning individual, your previous background doesn’t necessarily limit you – they look for certain skills and traits in employees and then assist in developing your additional industry aptitude.”

Along the way, she decided that to successfully continue on her chosen trajectory, she needed to develop additional business acumen and completed the Executive MBA Program at NYU Stern. “It was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Martindale said. “Those were two of the most challenging years of my life in terms of trying to balance work, life and school, but it provided me not only with the additional skills and tools that I needed to strengthen my expertise and capabilities as a business leader, but it also gave me a new network of professors and fellow students who inspired and challenged me.”

Even though her current position wouldn’t seem to reflect her initial career goals and love of writing and editing, she has found that having those related communication skills are critical and applicable to every role and have greatly benefited her in the asset management industry.

Risks Pay Off

As she looks over her career, Martindale has had a number of professional moments that have left an inedible impact. After only a few years in asset management at GE, she applied for a role that was typically held by individuals with more years of experience. The hiring manager thought she was too young and wanted to dismiss her as a candidate for those with more experience. However, another senior leader who knew Martindale’s work supported her advancement and relayed that she just needed to be given the chance – that she was the type of individual who would put in the hours and effort to overcome the learning curve that this new job might bring.

“I told the hiring manager that I would not let him down and if given the opportunity, I would promise to be a hire that he never regretted,” Martindale recalls, adding that it took all the strength she had not to let self-doubt cripple her as she continued the interview process. She eventually was offered the ‘stretch assignment’ and went above and beyond to overcome the initial perceptions placed on her to achieve success in the position. Though there were times she felt frustrated that she wasn’t immediately viewed in the firm as an expert, she will never forget the note she received from the hiring manager when she decided to leave the firm. He told her she had proved him wrong and that she was one of the strongest hires he had made.

Personal and Team Achievements

From that experience, Martindale learned that sometimes the toughest jobs or circumstances where others may doubt your capabilities are the best opportunities to test your own boundaries and rise to the challenge. “You won’t learn and grow as a business leader if you always follow the ‘safe’ route and only take on projects or jobs where you are already an expert. “

“I also learned how powerful it is to build your own personal ‘brand’ via the work that you produce in your current role and the importance of creating relationships with other leaders within your organization. There are good odds that one day another leader may need to ‘go to bat’ for you or help you advance to a new level. Having proven yourself to these leaders and having established trusting relationships outside your own team will help you in many ways.”

Another achievement Martindale cited was creating and building her current team at Voya. Moving from an individual contributor role to managing a team that initially included peers as well as colleagues with more experience was new ground for her. Martindale realized immediately that there aren’t many resources (or much time) available for training an individual to manage others, even though it offers new challenges and situations.

She has found that helping her team advance in their own careers is one of the most satisfying and meaningful jobs you can have, as you learn from them and see them shine in the accomplishments they deliver to the firm. “It is so important to hire the right people and support the teams that work with you – and for you – because no one can be successful completely on their own.”

Take a Risk for Greater Return

Looking back, Martindale believes it’s ok to not always know what your next title or job will be – that although you should always set goals and milestones for yourself, they can change or veer off course. “For so many years, I knew exactly what I thought I wanted to be and how I was going to get there and when my vision changed, it shook me a little. I have always been a planner when it comes to my professional life but I have learned that there isn’t necessarily one path that you will lead you to the next step in your career.”

For that reason, she advises young women to take a chance on an opportunity that might initially seem terrifying. “Every project, experience or job that scared me or made me nervous turned out to be the best move for me,” she says. “I wasn’t always successful at first but I always learned from those experiences and they propelled me forward and gave me the opportunity to embrace the next challenge ahead.”

Networking for Success

Martindale hasparticipated as a mentor and mentee in the mentoring program at Voya and has found it to be very helpful as a forum to not only learn and grow from the advice and guidance from female peers and leaders but also from male counterparts. However, she finds that much of her valuable insight has also come from the more informal mentoring relationships she has developed over time.

She stresses that you cannot underestimate the power of networking – both internally and externally with professionals within and outside of your own industry. “I have uncovered so many new ideas or new processes from those in other industries that I can apply to my own roles.”

She says that networking can often be one of the first things we sacrifice in our daily routines because it’s difficult to find the time and can often put you outside your comfort zone if you aren’t a social person. But as you progress in your career, having a network of professional colleagues inside and outside of your own firm is vital to being able to advance.

“Every person has a different and unique story about how they got to where they are in their career and I have found that many leaders are usually very willing to share their personal and career experiences. You can gain great insight and advice by listening to the lessons learned by others.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Men Who Get It: Roger Mitchell, Managing Director, TIAA-CREF, IT Business and Resource Management

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Roger Mitchell“Increasing diversity is not the responsibility of women or the minority group alone,” says Roger Mitchell. “What is often overlooked is that everybody benefits from diversity, because there is a clear impact on the bottom line, and strong correlation to increased performance, engagement and innovation.”

On his journey to becoming a strong champion of diversity, Mitchell began his career in the UK with Ford Motor Company in a series of human resources roles.Ford eventually offered him the opportunity to move to Detroit, where he lived for 15 years. After a stint as head of HR for Ford’s global IT group, Mitchell segued into a position leading the global IT strategy team. He later joined Fidelity as a member of the HR leadership team. Mitchell subsequently came to TIAA-CREF as the managing director of IT business and resource management, and as a member of the IT leadership team.

Throughout his career, Mitchell has identified the need to expand roles for women as a business imperative. “In IT specifically there’s already a shortage of talent, and it’s tightening even more,” he says. “There’s a necessity to attract and retain both talented women and men, because we are under a tremendous amount of pressure for those skills.”

The Light Bulb Moment

Mitchell first became a diversity champion during his time at Ford when he ended up in a significant disagreement with his boss over missing a meeting to take his kids to the doctor. “When he asked me why my wife couldn’t do it, I had to explain that she worked too, and she had an important meeting at that time and couldn’t miss it,” Mitchell recounts, adding that was when he realized that everyone benefits from flexibility.

He recalls that earlier in his career it was expected that men would put in unlimited numbers of hours as the breadwinner, and he found there were times he didn’t get to spend the time he wanted to with his own family.

Part of changing this traditional mindset is challenging premises such as “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,” as espoused by John Gray in his best-selling book.

“I don’t believe that our differences are so extreme, that we might as well be from different planets. I frame it more as men are from earth, and women are from earth too.”

While he agrees that there may be some differences in communication styles, he points out that there are differences even among people of the same gender or across different cultures. “I find it more productive to spend my time focusing on similarities between men and women and any other groups,” he said emphasizing how focusing on differences is divisive and can be the catalyst for unconscious bias.

Identifying and Managing Unconscious Bias

Mitchell is sensitive to unconscious bias, and one example he has seen is how women are judged more on performance than on their potential. He also finds that they are remembered for their mistakes more than their achievements, and that they continually walk a tightrope between being too masculine or too feminine.

“You are either not liked or not respected when you get on the wrong side of the tightrope,” he says.

In Mitchell’s view, systemic change is what will count. He sees his role as impacting those systems to advocate for diversity and inclusion — whether that’s in the areas of employee development or compensation.

“Early in my career we would look at numbers and targets and make symbolic appointments but if they were the wrong appointments, that would set everything back,” he said.

One systemic change he is working on is reviewing job descriptions to check for unconscious bias. He has found implied hours of work or exaggerated amounts of travel that might deter women when in fact they might not really be necessary. To help solve the problem, he says he asks his team to really think about whether the targets they are offering are typical or an extreme example.

Other areas ripe for diversity opportunities are talent review meetings where high potential females are identified. Mitchell says he has challenged his peers in those meetings to validate their selections and compare them to the female candidates.

“We have to look at all of our processes and make sure that there are no unconscious biases,” Mitchell said. “My role as an advocate is to remind people to make sure we’re not missing those who might not be getting the attention and exposure they deserve.”

He also knows that you have to interrupt unconscious bias as it is happening – maybe when you notice that someone is not being heard in a meeting, try to stop the flow of conversation and help them get the floor to make their point.

Spending Political Capital Wisely

Throughout his career, Mitchell has often acted as a sponsor, and in doing so realized that it requires him to use some of his own political capital. He also appreciates that his own sponsors, who value his judgment, help him lobby for those whom he is sponsoring. “It is crucial to focus on talent and use your political capital wisely or you lose the trust of your peers and your own sponsors.” He tries to maximize female opportunities by looking for talented women and putting them on key projects that allow them to exhibit their best capabilities. He also says that as a strong advocate for expanding talent, he tries to hire people who are better than himself and to not feel threatened but to see this as an opportunity to challenge himself. A crucial part of identifying and developing top talent is providing them support and placing them in challenging stretch assignments.

“It is crucial to focus on talent and use your political capital wisely or you lose the trust of your peers and your own sponsors.”

Mitchell admits that his blind spot earlier in his career was to pick people who were just like him, assuming that if he was successful and chose people close to his profile, that they would be too.

“I know now that is flawed logic, and that you need employees with different perspectives and backgrounds,” he says. “I learned that hiring those in my own image wasn’t giving me as successful a team as I could have had. You need spirited conversation and push back to arrive at the right viewpoint.”

Advice for Leaders

Mitchell says that having two daughters of his own in the workforce gives him a unique perspective since he’s heard their stories. He advises others to listen to the experiences of female colleagues and never assume you understand how they feel.

“When you’re speaking, all you’re doing is repeating what you already know. When you’re listening, you’re potentially learning something new.”

He also believes that women have a role to play – notably by making sure that they state their needs rather than letting someone make an assumption. For example, a woman back from maternity leave or one with a young family needs to tell her boss if she’s willing to travel. If she has a partner who will follow and therefore is mobile, say so. People will make assumptions based on stereotypes so you have tell them what you are thinking.

And that includes being specific about career aspirations. He finds that women tend to be more modest and talk about growth and development, whereas men are more likely to be specific and state that they want to be CTO in three years.

A key component to success will be establishing a strong network which is how you create connections that may lead to opportunities, whether it’s volunteering to be engaged in high-priority projects or finding an empathetic sponsor.

“With men still holding many of the senior corporate roles, we must make sure that they in turn become sponsors for women, and help move them into senior roles, “says Mitchell.He views his role in mobilizing other men behind this cause as crucial to the success of any firm’s diversity and inclusion effort.

By Cathie Ericson

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OP ED: Men should be Gender Champions, so I started with myself.

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John KeyserHow can it be 2015, and yet brilliant and talented women are still stuck in the pipeline? The “glass ceiling,” coined way back in 1979, is still impenetrable for many women. To a senior businessman like me, this is misguided and unacceptable.

So I recently published a book to do something about it. Make Way For Women: Men and Women Leading Together Improve Culture and Profits documents the overwhelming evidence that companies led by women and men together are more profitable and sustainable. Also in the book are clear strategies for making this culture change happen across industries.

A little background.I have held high-level executive positions in the corporate and not-for-profit worlds for 40 years. During this time I have worked with many highly effective leaders, many of whom are women.These women inspired others with their business smarts and their people skills, and that is leadership.

Yet, while a few of these highly skilled women made it senior leadership positions, way too many were limited by that damned glass ceiling. And yet men at the top would never admit that. Why? In my mind, it’s because men tend to make assumptions about women. “Yes, she’s very capable, but her family responsibilities will prevent her from traveling as necessary, or as a woman, she can’t handle our largest and most difficult clients.”

I hear these assumptions by men over and over again, unfounded assumptions, and I know that often these decisions are made without discussion with the women in question. These women are not even asked if they are in a position to take on stretch opportunities!

All too often, a man who is less qualified and has not earned the promotion or assignment will be given the job.

In my opinion, capable women and men leading together strengthen a company’s leadership at a time when highly effective leadership is needed.

(subtitle) Creating equal leadership opportunities for both genders?

In my experience, women need advocates in the C-Suites to create pathways to leadership. For example, a very accomplished woman I work with in my coaching practice wanted to continue to advance within her company. The next step would be a seat on the management committee, all male.

She was given the opportunity to join the committee, and she was certainly nervous. Her strategy was to listen intently, be ready to handle negativity and criticism toward her with grace and then to thoughtfully offer her ideas. To come out from behind herself, to believe in herself and her voice.

So she spoke up and sure enough, there were men who shot down her ideas, yet she learned to roll with it, to keep speaking up until she got comfortable with how it worked. And that persistence is how she broke through the glass ceiling to become one of the very top executives in the company, a true leader.

With the help of my friend and a writer, Adrienne Hand, we undertook the mission of the book Make Way for Women.

The first part of the book identifies research studies that validates that companies with gender diverse leadership outperform companies that do not have as many women in key senior positions.

I also share my own views and experience, and those of 45 successful men and women we interviewed including Nicki Gilmour, the Founder and CEO of theglasshammer.com. We selected these men and women as they are highly respected in their fields. The men we spoke with understand the value women bring, and the women are highly accomplished and skilled leaders who are succeeding in male-dominated environments.

I hope the book is good as the messages are, I believe, very important!

Now is the time to be forward thinking leaders, be out in front of the change that is coming, and help it happen! I started with myself.

By John Keyser

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Gender Champion: William “Bill” Johnson, CEO, Citi Retail Services

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Bill JohnsonLeaders must always be conscious of the shadow they cast for their teams, says Bill Johnson, CEO of Citi Retail Services. “You can ‘talk the talk, but people watch you and your behavior, and what you do day in and day out is far more important than what you say. You should never ask anyone to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself, and you certainly should not behave in ways you wouldn’t want your team to emulate. The impression you leave behind is your shadow.”

For Johnson, that shadow extends to a deep passion for diversity. He credits this focus to two strong female role models that he had in his mother and grandmother, who both overcame adversity in their lives to become successful beyond what their education and opportunities would have normally allowed. He was always very aware of the decisions they made and the activities they pursued to advance themselves, and how those decisions helped them overcome some of the bias they faced in life. “Seeing what those two strong women accomplished helped give me better perspective on how to guide talent, irrespective of gender, to achieve their potential,” he says.

Carving Out His Path

Bill Johnson joined Citi in 1999 and has held a number of roles in the North America cards business over the years. Currently he serves as CEO of Citi Retail Services, a leading provider of private label credit cards to a virtual “who’s who” of retailers: major chains like The Home Depot, Best Buy, Macy’s and Sears; prominent specialty retailers like Staples, Brooks Brothers and The Children’s Place; large gas companies like Shell and ExxonMobil; and leaders in the automotive space, including Goodyear, Ford, Lincoln and Volkswagen U.S. In addition to private label and co-brand cards, Citi Retail Services specializes in research, data and analytics to help retailers grow sales through enhanced customer marketing, loyalty and compelling value propositions.

Prior to joining Citi, he spent 10 years at GE Capital, where he learned the retail card industry along with skills that have served him well in business development, relationship management and operational discipline.

A Diverse Team Starts at the Top

Johnson says his goal is to make sure thatevery person on the team has the right opportunities to succeed and that those who are smart, hardworking and committed to the business get exposure to the company’s leaders and retail partners. “I see this as doing the right thing for our business and our people. I look at our team and see diversity, which I’m proud of, but I’m more proud of the performance of the team,” he said.

To continue to build the team’s diversity, it’s important to him to ensure that a diverse slate of candidates is available. He believes it’s important that those in the organization who are doing the hiring expand where they look and source a diverse slate to encourage a range of perspectives and experiences that provide fresh ideas and expertise.
Twice a year, the business conducts rigorous talent reviews, and Johnson requires the entire leadership team to participate so that each member is familiar with the broader talent base as well as emerging talent deeper in the organization.

And that commitment to diversity manifests itself in his core leadership team:four of his six direct reports are women as well as two of his matrix reports. He has either hired or promoted each of these women, who lead major roles in partner management, marketing, risk, strategic initiatives, human resources and compliance.The next level of management is approximately one-third women, and they are always working to continue to grow that number.

Presenting Choices to Promote Sound Decisions

Over the last 30 years Johnson has mentored and sponsored a number of women, sharing his perspective on how to be successful in an environment that isn’t typically gender-diverse.

He finds it most valuable to help emerging talent – women in particular – think about the future and understand how the choices they make might be different from the choices others make. “It is important for anyone to understand that their career choices may be impacted by their personal choices. People – women and men – have to do what is right for them, personally and for their family. Making a choice isn’t a bad thing; it’s just part of life.”

He believes that his role as a sponsor isn’t about helping someone make those choices, but rather to help the individual give full consideration to all the aspects that go into making the decision and considering all the possible outcomes. By ensuring they consider all the consequences of their decisions, they not only can make the best choice for themselves, but they are also owning the choice themselves. “If you make a decision for someone, it gives them the liberty of not taking ownership for the outcome which is where regret and blame originate.”

Balancing the Team

Johnson recounts a story of a young woman who worked for him as a sales representative many years ago, when the industry was dominated by male clients. One particular client team was very traditional and was uncomfortable having a woman in the room. While it would have been easier to remove her from the account, Johnson believed she was a fantastic salesperson with potential to advance and was aware of the impact a reassignment could have on her career. Instead, they worked together to improve her executive presence. In future meetings, she was better able to contribute and ended up being very successful.

Johnson has carried that ethos during his work in Retail Services, where they believe in making the best decisions in the interest of the business while balancing the needs of the teams and their partners. They look for people who are curious and agile and who act with integrity but also realize that ensuring someone is a cultural fit is just as important as having the right skill set. “Given two candidates with similar skills, we gravitate every time toward the candidate who embodies our principles and values,” he said. “Over time, we’re more concerned with people who will do the right thing personally and make sure that others do the right thing. You have to hire the right people for the right reasons.

Johnson has a sign in his office with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that reads, “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”
He believes that can be extended to apply to people as well – that it’s easier to succeed with a positive attitude, and that it’s critical to always try to find the best in people by assuming their thoughts and actions are intended positively. “With that comes the understanding that men and women may be different, yet both are equal.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Monica Boll, Managing Director, Accenture

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Monica Boll“Be bold about asking for what you want, particularly when you know you deserve it. If you don’t make others around you aware of your career aspirations, they can’t know how to help you get there,” says Monica Boll. “The right time to make your goals known might not be today – it’s different for everyone – but a conversation won’t happen unless you start it. It’s important to find your voice.”

This advice has helped Boll throughout her career, which began working in and around the outsourcing business in a variety of roles involving process improvement, transition, change management and global sourcing. For the past nine years, she has held a variety of functions in Accenture Operations, including leading an HR transformation program, delivering finance and accounting, procurement and marketing services and cost management initiatives. Currently a managing director in Accenture Operations, Boll leads accounts in the Financial Services and Communications, Media and Technology industry groups and manages a team of 250 Accenture associates in India, Costa Rica and the United States.

As such, she is on the forefront of seeing how technology is disrupting industries in a positive way in her various roles. In Accenture Operations, it’s the use of automation – for example, robotics to improve quality, turnaround times and overall customer experience or leveraging a cloud-based solution to deliver a new capability or system to a client. And in Financial Services, it’s disruption through the advancement of digital services like Apple Pay – what will life will be like without cash? How will purchases and sales be funneled through a smart phone versus a computer or other system? “It’s fascinating to me how quickly technology is advancing and then, on the flipside, how we always need to be trend spotters in order to remain relevant and stay ahead.”

Women in Finance

Boll has recognized that across all of the industries in which she’s worked, there is a severe shortage of women in senior leadership positions. She notes that in the financial industry, for example, the barons in centers like New York, London and Hong Kong have been men, with rarely if ever a woman to be seen at any leadership level. “True or not, most women believe that they have to exert more effort to prove themselves; history shows it takes much longer to achieve parity. Women have to work a lot harder and be a lot smarter to be recognized,” she says.

In addition, she notes the increased obligations outside of the office that traditionally fall to women, from bearing children to raising a family and caring for aging parents, and how striving to achieve balance among the demands of work and life make it harder for a woman to succeed.

However, it is a career where the rewards are vast for those who push past these barriers. She advocates that young women be bold by being innovative, vocal and open to learning as much as they can all the time, as well as by actively volunteering for work opportunities to improve their skills. “They should treat themselves as an equal to their male counterparts,” Boll says.

In addition, Boll hopes that senior women will be more supportive of one another. “Only we have the direct experience and have lived or recognize the limitations that women might face in their professional careers,” she said. Because of that, they need to advocate for young professional women and dedicate the time to coach and mentor them so they can advance faster, and more effectively, than they would on their own — to help young women navigate a professional world that can be, or appear to be, incredibly complex.

Paying it Forward

Boll walks the talk in all those areas. Looking back on her career, she is most proud of how she’s been able to leverage her industry experiences – those at Accenture and previous roles – to be the executive sponsor of the Accenture Operations North America Inclusion & Diversity mentoring program.

“It is a rich and gratifying experience, and I am particularly passionate about this because it focuses specifically on both men and women from diverse and LGBT backgrounds, a reflection of what I offer as a woman who is LGBT and Hispanic.” The program focuses on mentoring in various ways: professional development, work-life balance, career management and even reverse mentoring.

Boll also acts as a sponsor in the mentoring program which is gratifying because of her positive experiences as a mentee. “I have had a variety of excellent mentors and role models throughout my career who have helped me become the person I am today – both professionally and personally. I am very passionate about paying it forward to the next generation.”

Accenture has a number of programs in place to further that mission. The company has a global women’s theme, “Defining success. Your way.,” which is designed to encourage the more than 115,000 women at Accenture to find their own paths to professional and personal success by supporting their goals and aspirations and striving to provide an environment and culture that empowers women and enables them to thrive.

Speaking Out For LGBT Rights

Boll is actively involved in the firm’s LGBT initiatives, including the New York and Atlanta LGBT Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) which help bring the LGBT community and allies together for leadership development training, networking, mentoring, information sharing and recruiting activities.

Earlier this year Accenture joined more than 300 companies in signing an Amicus Curiae brief urging the Supreme Court to affirm that all couples share in the right to marry. “I am extremely proud to work for Accenture, a company that offers its people and their partners, regardless of sexual orientation, access to the same benefits.”

On a personal note, she and her wife Ellen were associate producers of a feature film “Love is Strange,” a story about love and a network of friends and family that come together to support a married gay couple during a time of need.It premiered last year at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to achieve global acclaim. “For me, that was a great opportunity to take a risk on something topical – gay rights – and something that I’m passionate about. We wanted to be, and indeed it felt like we were, part of the movement that will lead to the Supreme Court case on gay marriage to be decided this summer.”

She and her wife have been together for 23 years and married since 2012. They are involved with the Human Rights Campaign, the Trevor Project and the True Colors Fund which works to end homelessness among LGBT youth.

When they are not splitting time between Atlanta and New York for work, they make the commitment to take an annual vacation to somewhere exotic. She also describes herself as a huge tennis fan: “a formal recreational player, an avid spectator, and one who one day will pick up a racquet again.”

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