By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)
Laila Worrell, Managing Director of Accenture’s New York Metro Office, says some of the most important advice she’s received is, “when given a choice, choose on the side of generosity.”
She explained, “We all have demands on our time and resources that we must prioritize. The advice I share often is to remember to err on the side of generosity. If given the opportunity to support or mentor someone, view it as a privilege.”
Worrell also emphasizes the importance of building strong networks internally and externally. She noted, “Many of us feel too busy with other responsibilities, but it’s important to prioritize building and maintaining your network. It can be an incredible resource to you throughout your life and career.”
Career Path
Currently Worrell is the leader of the company’s New York Metro Office, where she is responsible for 4,000 people in New York and New Jersey. She serves on the company’s North America leadership team and CEO Advisory Council, and she also leads the company’s work in the private equity sector. Initially, though, Worrell didn’t anticipate a career in business. She recalled, “I joined Accenture immediately after completing my undergraduate degree. I had majored in liberal arts and was passionate about the academic world. I thought I would eventually return to academics.”
“However, I had an incredible experience with Accenture, and I found I was very passionate about business and helping clients solve some of their most complex business problems,” she continued. She enrolled in Harvard Business School, graduating with her MBA in 1998. After several years leading strategy and corporate development for a major media company, she had the opportunity to rejoin Accenture, shaping the company’s growth initiatives in the North American market.
Today Worrell works with clients in the financial services industry and is also involved in the company’s initiative around skills and competitiveness. “Accenture is undertaking work to support an initiative to increase the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy, including by leveraging skills as a driver of economic growth.”
This ties into Accenture’s Skills to Succeed global corporate citizenship initiative, she continued. “One of our economy’s key growth levers is our base of skilled resources. Accenture is committed to helping even more individuals in our communities gain the skills they need to get a job or start a business.”
The topic of competitiveness is relevant to her work with financial services clients as well. “I spend a lot of time with our clients in the financial services sector. We’re going through an unprecedented period of change in financial services. There is an enormous amount of competitive pressure. The question is how can institutions continue to innovate, transform, and compete in a rapidly evolving environment. It’s fascinating working with our clients on these issues.”
Worrell says the part of her career that has been the most rewarding is helping others advance in their own careers. “When I’ve helped people build confidence to fulfill their potential, to see what’s possible, these are the types of achievements I’ve found rewarding, absolutely.”
A Conversation with Young Women in Business
Expert AnswersI had the privilege two weeks ago of conversing with Georgetown Women in Business, a club formed by women in the MBA programs at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. They all had worked at least four years in the corporate world before coming back to complete their graduate studies. They are a highly global group, which is true of the university itself, as students are from countries around the world.
Among the topics we discussed was leadership without authority.
As one works her way up, she will frequently be in a position to lead without authority. It is important to recognize that leadership is helping others do the right things well. We may influence 1,000 people, or 100, or even one other person, that team member or colleague who needs inspiration or direction. Be helpful. Be encouraging, Be a friend and a coach. Help others. It’s good for everyone, and for your career!
A woman can do this so effectively by using her natural leadership skills, as the best leadership comes from the heart. These skills include:
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Flexible Work Arrangements: Why Workplace Flexibility is Good for Business
Work-LifeThe desire for more flexible work arrangements is not limited to just one group of employees. Although workplace dynamics are changing as companies are experience more diversity within their halls than ever before, a common denominator among all employees, not just female employees, continues to be the interest in flexible work arrangements. As more in-depth research is conducted on the benefit of flexible schedules for both employees and companies, there is strong evidence that catering to employees’ needs through more flexible schedules can improve productivity, employee satisfaction, and have a positive impact on the talent pipeline.
A paper on flexible work arrangements published by PwC suggests that newer generations of workers –Gen X and Gen Y –are driving the trend of increasingly flexible work arrangements, but older generations, including Traditionals and Baby Boomers, support flexible schedules as well. This is well supported by the paper, When Work Works [PDF], which indicates that “80% of workers say they would like to have more flexible work options and would use them if there were no negative consequences at work.”
With more employees seeking flexible work arrangements and technology innovations allowing for increased mobile connectivity among employees, firm leaders should take note of the potential opportunities and positive impact flexible schedules can have on a workplace environment.
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Voice of Experience: Laila Worrell, New York Metro Office Managing Director, Accenture
Voices of ExperienceLaila Worrell, Managing Director of Accenture’s New York Metro Office, says some of the most important advice she’s received is, “when given a choice, choose on the side of generosity.”
She explained, “We all have demands on our time and resources that we must prioritize. The advice I share often is to remember to err on the side of generosity. If given the opportunity to support or mentor someone, view it as a privilege.”
Worrell also emphasizes the importance of building strong networks internally and externally. She noted, “Many of us feel too busy with other responsibilities, but it’s important to prioritize building and maintaining your network. It can be an incredible resource to you throughout your life and career.”
Career Path
Currently Worrell is the leader of the company’s New York Metro Office, where she is responsible for 4,000 people in New York and New Jersey. She serves on the company’s North America leadership team and CEO Advisory Council, and she also leads the company’s work in the private equity sector. Initially, though, Worrell didn’t anticipate a career in business. She recalled, “I joined Accenture immediately after completing my undergraduate degree. I had majored in liberal arts and was passionate about the academic world. I thought I would eventually return to academics.”
“However, I had an incredible experience with Accenture, and I found I was very passionate about business and helping clients solve some of their most complex business problems,” she continued. She enrolled in Harvard Business School, graduating with her MBA in 1998. After several years leading strategy and corporate development for a major media company, she had the opportunity to rejoin Accenture, shaping the company’s growth initiatives in the North American market.
Today Worrell works with clients in the financial services industry and is also involved in the company’s initiative around skills and competitiveness. “Accenture is undertaking work to support an initiative to increase the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy, including by leveraging skills as a driver of economic growth.”
This ties into Accenture’s Skills to Succeed global corporate citizenship initiative, she continued. “One of our economy’s key growth levers is our base of skilled resources. Accenture is committed to helping even more individuals in our communities gain the skills they need to get a job or start a business.”
The topic of competitiveness is relevant to her work with financial services clients as well. “I spend a lot of time with our clients in the financial services sector. We’re going through an unprecedented period of change in financial services. There is an enormous amount of competitive pressure. The question is how can institutions continue to innovate, transform, and compete in a rapidly evolving environment. It’s fascinating working with our clients on these issues.”
Worrell says the part of her career that has been the most rewarding is helping others advance in their own careers. “When I’ve helped people build confidence to fulfill their potential, to see what’s possible, these are the types of achievements I’ve found rewarding, absolutely.”
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Top 5 Summer Reads for Your Career by the People Who Matter
Work-LifeOne of the best ways to gain tips and advice for advancing your career is to pick up a few tried and true career strategy books. While it is helpful to keep your bookshelf stocked with business related reading material year-round, the summer months are a great time of year to catch up on those books you keep meaning to pick up, but simply haven’t had the time to.
Choosing the right books that will actually provide you with solid and actionable takeaways can be tough. Your time is precious, and if you are using valuable hours out of your day to read a career book, it better be worth it. This is why we have compiled a list of the top five career coaching books by the people who matter to fully immerse yourself in this summer. These books have all been recognized by thought leaders and influential business people as top notch advice books from which anyone can benefit.
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Are You Risk Averse at Work? Learn Why Challenging Yourself Will Help You Get Ahead
Office PoliticsWhat does it mean to be a risk taker at work? For many people, the idea of asking for a raise, going for a big promotion, or taking on a challenging project is daunting, but these are exactly the types of actions that risk-taking employees, especially women, should be doing in order to drive their career advancement in the right direction. Previous studies on risk appetite have indicated that women generally do not take as many risks as men, but is this hypothesis true, and does it apply to business women in a corporate setting?
In a recent working paper, researchers at Tufts University suggest that the idea that women are more risk averse than men needs to be revisited. The paper’s author, Julie A. Nelson, states, “Taken as a bald statement, the statement might be taken as indicating something that is universally true for every individual member of the classes ‘women’ and ‘men.’ In this case, it would have to be true that every individual woman is more risk averse than every individual man. This exceedingly strong implication is not likely intended by those who write such statements, since just one example of a cautious man and a bold woman disproves it.”
According to the research, not all women are more risk averse than men. It suggests why we shouldn’t base our assumptions of women in business on stereotypes – which exactly why we must move beyond tokenism in diversity hiring.
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Opportunities Abound for Shareholder Activism on Gender Diversity
Managing ChangeBy now, the connection between women and business success is well-known. But as many times as studies have linked diverse boardrooms with better performance, companies seem to be making few moves toward gender balanced boards.
This spring, Deloitte released the third edition of its report, “Women in the boardroom: A global perspective,” which detailed the excruciatingly slow pace of progress in boardroom gender balance. Despite rapid elevation of discussion on the topic of boardroom diversity, action has been slow. Even in places like the UK, which initially put a concerted effort behind hiring more women to FTSE 100 boards, hiring of women to director seats is plateauing.
Deloitte believes that it may be possible to speed this process up. Up to now, relatively few shareholders have gotten involved in efforts to change the gender balance on the boards of the world’s largest companies. Dan Konigsburg, managing director of the Deloitte Global Center for Corporate Governance, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, comments, “Given that shareholders are the owners of the company, one might expect they should have the strongest interest in the benefits of more diverse boards, an interest that should benefit the value of their portfolios.”
So far, Deloitte says, there have been very few shareholder proposals addressing diversity in the boardroom. This is a mistake, Konigsburg says. “We see diversity as a business issue. …We also believe that greater diversity – not just in gender but in background, in experience and in diversity of thought – makes for more effective teams of people.”
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The Cycle of Sponsorship in the Workplace: You Get What You Give
Mentors and SponsorsIf you feel like you are stuck in a plateau in your personal career development, it is probably time to take a step back and assess what you should be doing to remain relevant in your company and in the eyes of upper management. The key to your success may not be found in the typical areas of corporate training and development. Instead, you may benefit by becoming a sponsor to someone within your organization who you feel can turn into a rising star with the right guidance and representation.
How does sponsoring someone else help you advance? While the idea of sponsoring someone may feel one-sided to you, this is actually not the case. Anna Beninger, Senior Research Associate for Catalyst, states, “One of our major research findings around the idea of sponsorship is that paying it forward pays back. Developing others really increases your own visibility.” She adds, “Essentially what you are doing is showing the company that you are not only about your own advancement, but that you are invested in the future of the organization.”
By taking on a sponsor role, you automatically align yourself with other influential players in your company. People will notice. You will inevitably get the attention of the decision makers as they start to recognize the impact of your institutional knowledge and experience. What this means is that by helping a young executive navigate their own career path, you reinforce and display your real value to the company, not just your perceived value.
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Leadership and Forgiveness: Five Steps for Letting Go
Office PoliticsForgiveness is a core competency of true leadership. After all, holding onto transgressions that happened in the past means wasting valuable energy that could be put into moving people forward. What’s more, insofar as workplace culture is built first and foremost by the example set by leadership, it is critical that leaders set the tone for an inclusive environment based on forgiveness and progress – rather than one of grudges, backbiting, and gossip that can kill innovation and productivity.
In a recent INSEAD working paper, Distinguished Professor of Leadership Development Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, discusses why transformational leaders must learn to forgive, and how to do so with grace and power.
He writes, “Forgiveness is one of the factors that differentiates exceptional from mediocre or ineffective leadership. When leaders forgive, they dissipate built-up anger, bitterness and the animosity that can color individual team and organizational functioning.”
“Forgiveness offers people the chance to take risks, to be creative, to learn, and to grow in their own leadership. Individuals, organizations, institutions, and societies can progress when people are not preoccupied by past hurts,” adds Kets de Vries. “Forgiving means accepting the fallibility of the human condition. It demonstrates courage, vulnerability, integrity, and trust, all constructive ways to build collaboration and connections.”
By letting go, leaders can help move their people forward.
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Voice of Experience: Natalie Trunow, Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Equities, Calvert Investments
Voices of ExperienceAccording to Natalie Trunow, Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Equities, at Calvert Investments, women and other minorities in the financial services industry can turn their diverse background into a competitive advantage. She encouraged women to consider the industry as a place where their personal viewpoints can make the difference in their firm’s success.
She advised, “I would try to not be so apprehensive about entering an industry with pockets of male dominated environments. If anything, this industry seeks out differentiated viewpoints. If you look at the industry today, compared to a few decades ago, there is a conscious reach for that differentiated viewpoint. Women, minorities, and people with international backgrounds do add to the mosaic of viewpoints and perspectives. In this globally competitive environment, firms are trying to add to that.”
She also encouraged women not to shy away from a big career in the financial services because of perceived work life challenges. “It can be done – you can have a family, be successful, and be competitive. If anything, perhaps you have an advantage because you’re part of a group that can add a differentiated viewpoint to the decision making process and help your organization succeed.”
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4 Tips for Reducing Your Stress Level at Work
Work-LifeMoving your way up the corporate ladder undoubtedly comes with a lot of reward, but increased responsibilities and a heavier workload can also result in elevated stress levels as you learn how to manage your new role. In order to continue to be an effective team member and leader within your company, you need to figure out how to reduce the amount of stress you experience at work.
Whether it is your own or your colleagues’, workplace stress can act as a huge barrier to productivity. Although some stress at work is expected as deadlines loom and clients constantly keep you on your toes, it is essential for you stay organized, focused, and motivated. If you feel overwhelmed every time you open up your email or your meeting calendar, you need to figure out how you can bring your stress level down a few notches without affecting your output.
Don’t let stress get the best of you at work by following a few of these helpful tips:
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