Tag Archive for: Change Leader

Kendra Lee: Chairman and CEO, Merichem

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Kendra Lee“If you are looking for career growth, whether that’s moving up the chain of command, or whether it’s broadening your skill set, you must trust in yourself and take on things you’ve never done before,” says Kendra Lee.

Lee shares how her willingness to take risks, embrace new opportunities, and have the confidence of her convictions not only shaped her career trajectory, but continues to guide her as a leader.

From Lab Tech to CEO

Upon graduating from Texas A&M with a marine sciences degree, Lee never anticipated a career in the chemicals industry. Typically, her field required pursuing a graduate degree, but she was eager to start working and wanted a break from school. Merichem, a family company founded by her grandfather in 1945, offered her an unexpected opportunity – a lab technician role.

However, she quickly realized that lab work was not her passion, and when an internal sales position opened, she seized the chance to explore a different path that better aligned with her interests. Concurrently, she decided to earn an MBA to build a stronger business foundation. As she was completing her MBA, her grandfather passed away, and Merichem’s leadership transitioned to her cousin. Lee credits her cousin with recognizing her strengths and guiding her from sales to finance, hinting at her potential for future leadership.

“I recognized later that by encouraging me to get experience in corporate finance, he was preparing me with the skills and knowledge needed to one day assume leadership of the company.”

Lee’s readiness to embrace new challenges and build her skill set eventually led to her becoming Chairman and CEO in 2013. In leading Merichem, Lee is thrilled to continue the legacy of sustainability that is at the core of what the company does.

“From as early as 1945 Merichem has been focused on taking products that would otherwise be classified as hazardous waste and cleaning them up or reusing them to make them better for the overall environment, fitting a need for the industry.”

Leading Change for Business Growth

Lee’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through as she fearlessly leads change at the company, knowing it’s essential for business growth and adapting to industry needs.

“It’s about having the right leadership team to drive change, addressing operational issues for greater efficiency, and implementing necessary adjustments despite initial resistance. Ultimately, people realize these changes are beneficial. I see myself as a change agent who enjoys looking for ways to improve and then executing those processes.”

Lee recognizes that change can come with uncertainty, but she is energized by navigating the unknown to get to an outcome that is better for the business. For example, Lee recently led the divestiture of a part of the business that removed sulfur compounds from liquids to help provide cleaner fuel sources in the petrochemical industry.

She explains, “part of the reason we divested was because we recognized the business’ growth potential and importance, but Merichem was not the right owner. It needed new ownership to be able to grow and take advantage of its place as one of the leaders in removing sulfur within the oil and gas space.”

Taking Risks and Trusting in Yourself

Lee’s willingness to take risks and embrace new opportunities served her well in progressing from lab tech to CEO and clearly continues to drive her as a leader.

She advocates, “you have to take that risk. Be willing to trust in yourself and know that you can figure it out. Because otherwise you become paralyzed, and you won’t take that next step.”

Taking the leap to try something new also creates momentum in building the skills to get to the next level.

“You’re never going to get more experience or broaden your skill set if you don’t say, ‘I’ve got to do this. I’ve proven to myself I can learn things, so let’s try it.’ It’s trusting in yourself.”

Lee notes that trusting in herself also builds confidence, an important element of leadership development.

“I have a strong self-confidence that comes across, even though I’m not inclined to self-promotion. My confidence helps in addressing difficult subjects head-on with clarity, admitting when I don’t know something, which adds value and credibility.”

As a woman leader in the male-dominated industry of oil and gas, Lee shares that it took time and experience for her to build that confidence when walking into spaces where she was one of the only women. She adds, “as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to acknowledge my strengths and talents, and can say, ‘it doesn’t matter that I’m a woman, I have just as much to contribute to the conversation as a man does’.”

Being a Leader who Listens

Lee is a collaborative leader who listens to her team and makes a point of cultivating an environment where they feel safe to give honest feedback. She finds that it is essential to have that space for dialogue to get the best ideas out there to make an informed decision.

“One thing I learned very early on is that I’m not the smartest person in the room. And while the decision may be mine to take, there is a lot of other valuable input that I need to hear and consider before I decide. In the end it will help me make a better decision.”

Creating a culture that allows for constructive feedback and even disagreement is important to Lee. Beyond being an active listener, Lee takes the perspective that “opinions are never wrong as it’s all shaped by how we see the world and where we were raised…it’s acknowledging that there is validity to what people are saying, even if it may not be the right answer at the right time.”

Lee also looks for a diversity of opinion and is intentional in creating a team that reflects many viewpoints.

“The more diversity you can get in that thought group, whether it’s gender, race, or ethnicity. the better your decisions because everybody comes at it a little bit differently.”

Passionate about Community and Family

Outside of work, Lee is deeply committed to her community. She serves on the board of Kids Meals, a non-profit organization that provides daily free lunches to children under five who experience food insecurity, as they are not yet part of the school system.

“Currently, they’re serving about 8,000 children a day. It’s remarkable the impact they can have on the community, helping to set these kids up for success when they do get to school,” she notes.

In addition to her community involvement, Lee manages a busy schedule with her active teenagers. She is grateful for the support of nearby family members who assist in getting her children to their activities when she or her husband are in meetings or traveling. Despite her demanding role as a company executive, she reflects, “It’s the same amount of stress as any working parent faces. Having a C-suite title does not make it any more difficult.”

To unwind, Lee enjoys vacationing with her family, cooking, and gardening.

By Jessica Robaire

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Jennifer Doyle: Managing Director, Co-head of Structured Products Group, Wells Fargo

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Jennifer Doyle“Life is about picking yourself up when you get knocked down. Those who do that the best are the ones who tend to be the most successful, however you might define success,” says Jennifer Doyle.

Tenacious in the face of challenge, Doyle is a leader who does not quit. She shares how this mentality of perseverance and optimism has helped build her career and shaped her life.

Moving Forward for Success

Starting as a temp more than twenty years ago, Doyle describes the opportunity of getting in the door working on the trading floor as “winning a lottery ticket” and paving the way to the career she has today. Being surrounded by intelligent people in a fast-moving, competitive environment that is also relationship-focused felt perfectly aligned with her personality and strengths.

“As a former college athlete, I like to compete, I like to win, and I like to be part of a team. I also enjoy making decisions and operating in a fast-paced environment. It was a fit from the beginning.”

Fast forward to today and Doyle is a Managing Director and co-head of the Structured Products Group at Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank. However, she will be the first to tell you that success does not happen overnight.

“There is a certain tenacity and grit that is required to be successful in this business. If you can cherish the highs and reinvent yourself and pick yourself up when things get hard, that resiliency in time will keep you moving in the right direction.”

Doyle approaches her life outside of work with the same mentality of persevering when the going gets tough and recognizing that she has agency in the process. It served her well in dealing with the shocking experience of being one of the passengers whose plane crash-landed in the Hudson River 15 years ago while on a business trip.

She reflects, “If you went into that experience an optimist, I think you came out even more of an optimist. If you went into that experience as a pessimist, I think you came out even more of a pessimist. We all experienced the same thing, but everyone had a different interpretation of what happened and how it affected them.”

For Doyle, her optimistic outlook and belief that she needed to keep moving forward meant that she got on a plane the next day because she “did not want fear to rule my life.” She adds, “I tell my children happiness is a choice. I choose to be happy, and if I was unable to make that choice today, then I’m going to try to make that choice tomorrow.”

Sponsorship and Speaking with Authenticity

Beyond resilience and determination, Doyle points to having the support of others as integral to her career. She shares how the kind of support she needed shifted over time as she continued to build confidence, finding there is strength in speaking with authenticity.

“As I developed in my career, the sponsors that I acquired would later tell me that the reason they took an interest was because I brought a different perspective and opinion to the table.” She continues, “People wanted to hear what I had to say because they recognized that I didn’t have an ulterior motive, I was genuine.”

As a leader, Doyle mentors and sponsors others in both formal and informal capacities, often finding her calendar full of people interested in connecting to get her advice or opinion. Being sought after for her point of view is a direct reflection of others seeing she genuinely cares and takes an interest in their growth.

“My mission is to lead in a way that balances the needs of the business and our employees – and ultimately drives positive outcomes for both. I’m always thinking about what’s best for our team and what’s best for our clients. That approach has cultivated a desire for people to want to talk to me and get advice.”

Doyle has twice been the head of Wells Fargo’s WomenGoFar network, as well as its executive sponsor. She also is a sponsor for BOLD, a program designed to provide mentorship and sponsorship to high-potential talent at the firm.

Challenging the Norm

As determined as she is to persevere in the face of obstacles, Doyle is also unafraid to challenge the norm stating, “I do think I am a change agent. It probably took me 20 years to have the courage to say that.” She speaks to the recent experience of being a woman in a leadership role playing in the Wells Fargo Pro-Am Golf Tournament and what it meant for her to participate.

“I was blown away by the response that I got from women, so many of whom pulled me aside afterwards to tell me how inspirational it was seeing me play in what was publicly a field of men.”

One comment that was particularly touching to Doyle was a woman who said, “you’re breaking the mold.” Intentionally participating in the tournament to prove that a woman could do it, Doyle is thrilled by the response of her colleagues – both men and women.

“As a leader, I now have the opportunity to challenge and change what people consider to be the norm, and I actively do so.”

Using a Passion for Golf to Connect to Community and Family

Taking her passion for golf beyond breaking molds at work, Doyle is on the board of First Tee of Charlotte, an organization that provides opportunities for youth who would not otherwise typically have the opportunity to play golf.

“It integrates the game of golf with character-building learning experiences and emphasizes values such as honesty, integrity, confidence and perseverance. And of course, they have fun.”

Doyle is also passionate about bringing the game of golf to more women, not only because it is typically a more male-dominated sport, but because she herself has gained so much from the sport.

“It provides an opportunity from a business connectivity standpoint to play with clients or colleagues. I love being outside and in nature, getting exercise by walking the course, and it’s a chance for me to spend time with our children.”

Doyle admits that one of the reasons she got into golf was because her spouse and children enjoyed the game, and she didn’t want to be left out. Now that her children are teenagers, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to be active with them outdoors for an extended period without distractions like smartphones. It also ties into her approach of managing a successful career and time with her family.

“I am really present. It’s not about quantity, but about the quality in everything you do, whether it’s at work or being with your family.”

By Jessica Robaire

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Marion Regnier: Partner, Technology Strategy, PwC

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Marion RegnierTwelve years ago, we spotlighted Marion Regnier in our “35 under 35” segment, where she shone as a Senior Associate at PwC. Fast forward, Regnier ascended to partner and has also embraced motherhood, marking a dynamic journey of professional and personal growth. Regnier shares what she has learned in this phase of her career and her insights on leadership, client relationships and the importance of great colleagues.

Making Partner

Becoming a partner in 2020 amid the pandemic was a unique experience for Regnier, as she celebrated virtually with a morning glass of champagne in front of her laptop. Despite the solitary setting, it marked a significant moment of recognition for her hard work, instilling a deep sense of pride and responsibility as the firm entrusted her with this title. Since becoming partner, Regnier finds joy in the realization that the role affords her greater control over how she allocates her time, enabling her to direct her efforts towards activities that resonate more closely with her passions.

“Becoming partner has allowed me to create a balance of where I spend my time between driving impact at our clients, collaborating with my team, working on innovative projects, and nurturing and developing relationships with clients. I enjoy my work a lot more because I have more control over where I can make an impact and focus my efforts.”

Making an impact is important to Regnier, particularly as it relates to finding creative solutions for her clients. In her role as partner in technology strategy, she is energized by the challenge of exploring ways to rethink and reframe her clients’ complex problems to come up with innovative solutions.

“Innovation is significant to me as it involves applying creativity to how we work and problem solve as a team as well as addressing our clients’ challenges. We need to strike a balance between leveraging our experience and taking calculated risks to think differently. Merely repeating past strategies may not yield the desired results for every client; we need to creatively rethink our approach to maximize impact and factor in each companies’ culture, values, goals and ability to absorb change.”

Thinking Ahead and Being Proactive

In contemplating the factors contributing to her advancement as a leader, Regnier underscores the significance of proactively taking initiative and anticipating both clients’ future needs and the needs of the organization.

“Instead of thinking transactionally when working on a project, it is important to be proactive in anticipating clients’ future needs. Our clients are busy and often time-slice constantly. We are of most help when we can think 10 steps ahead and advise on what they need to do now to prepare. It’s about constantly thinking ahead as opposed to only reacting.”

Not only does Regnier take this proactive approach externally when working with clients, but she also uses it internally to reflect on where there might be a value-add for the firm.

“For me, it is interesting to notice where in the organization there is a void or a white space for a particular type of service that we should provide to our clients based on demand, questions we are getting, and general market evolution. Then putting together a strategy to fill the gap that understands and meets clients’ needs effectively.”

Regnier sites a recent example of how she used this approach to address the environmental needs of a client’s CIO (Chief Information Officer).

“A CIO is a huge player in trying to help their company achieve climate goals, and we needed to comprehensively respond to their questions on what is an effective IT sustainability strategy. As technology creates a material carbon footprint, in particular for industries that are more digital than physical, a CIO has very specific needs, requiring a thoughtful strategy to embed environmental principles, measurements, ways of working to deliver IT services differently. Consequently, I proactively raised my hand to address this specific need.”

What started as taking initiative in addressing an organizational need has turned into a passion project for Regnier, as she notes that she enjoys working on something that she really cares about. She also sees it as a strategic move in her career, as she is inclined towards exploring emerging areas with both personal interest and potential business value.

You Don’t Succeed in Your Career Alone

Beyond thinking innovatively and being proactive, Regnier emphasizes the importance of collaboration as central to career success.

“You don’t succeed in your career alone. It’s not enough to just work hard or effectively. It’s about doing the work not alone, but in collaboration, and finding a group of people with whom you get problems solved and outcomes accomplished.”

Regnier distinguishes collaboration from building a network as she sees a network as more of a web of acquaintances who might help with information, referrals, or advancement. In her view, true collaboration is interconnectedness, an ecosystem of people where there is give and take and you are challenged and coached, and it’s reciprocated.

She reflects, “Earlier in my career, I thought what mattered to be successful was being excellent at my job and prioritized “doing the work” above all else. Then I came to recognize overtime and with seniority that the relationships formed and the collaborative work with others were more impactful. You have to be open to that collaboration and not solely focused on your own success because the success of the collective also matters. Meaning the success of the project, the success of the client, and the success of the firm. That is why the interconnectedness of collaborators in driving value and outcomes is so important.”

At PwC, Regnier finds that true collaboration can happen because of the emphasis on teamwork. She shares, “Our profession is suited for collaboration because we work in teams that aren’t static. We have an organizational team, and then we have project teams, therefore the composition is always changing. This dynamic structure allows us to engage in different projects and topics with various groups and be exposed to a variety of thinkers who constantly allow you to grow and step outside of your comfort zone.”

Sponsorship as a Change Agent

Sponsorship is another key facet of Regnier’s perspective that “you don’t succeed in your career alone”. Regnier cites one of her own sponsors as integral to her professional growth.

“He’s always believed in me and inspired me to be better. He also gave me a different perspective and opened up the aperture to look at things in new ways, to not only focus on “doing” but rather to rethink how to best focus on value. I appreciate that he continues to challenge me.”

Regnier also sees sponsorship as a vehicle for creating change not just for an individual, but for the organization as a whole. She values talent development and understands the skills, experience, and responsibility to create more diversity in leadership. Regnier points to the value of finding opportunities for women and other talent such as LGBTQ and BIPOC individuals to develop skills that will help take them forward and upward.

“When you give any person the right opportunity needed to help them grow or acquire new skills, you are taking the time to invest in them. To me that is core to leading. It’s not only about putting someone knowledgeable on a project, but rather thinking about who you can give that opportunity to so that they can develop new skills, and this includes thinking about who doesn’t get asked, typically.”

Development of people also extends to organizational commitment when it comes to supporting people through different chapters of their life.

“PwC understands and supports new parents very well. I was able to take parental leave when my wife gave birth to our first child and then again when I gave birth to our second child. It is this type of commitment to all parents that allows people to perform at their highest levels. I even can use an emergency childcare service several times per year to cover any contingencies in childcare.”

Even once people make it to partner, Regnier believes that it is important to continue to invest in leaders’ development.

“After you make partner, you’re left with a queasy sense of… what’s next? That is where the focus on impact for our clients and paying it forward via sponsorship can be effective in helping junior partners learn from senior partners. For example, they can bring their “sponsee” to a board meeting not only because they might have something to bring to the table, but also as an opportunity for experiential learning and succession planning.”

Outside of work, Regnier is exploring the balance and embracing the joy of having two kids under three years old. Immersing them in her native French language is important to her, and taking the time to teach them to solve problems and care for others is core to what she defines as parenthood.

By Jessica Robaire

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Susan Nickey: Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of HASI

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Susan NickeySusan Nickey, Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of leading climate investor HASI, is an agent for change. In her career, she’s learned that engaging directly but respectfully with detractors and designing fair, innovative solutions can lead to positive outcomes for both naysayers and pioneers.

“When you’re trying to come up with a solution or break down a wall, it isn’t simply saying, ‘it needs to happen.’ You have to spend a lot of time thinking about creative solutions to make it work for an incumbent who might say ‘no, I don’t want that’, or ‘I’m not going to do that.’ It’s how you listen to both sides of an argument and come up with a creative solution. Thoughtfully parsed risk allocation, for example, can enable both parties to move forward in a way that they both deem is balanced and fair for them.”

Nickey cites the clean energy industry itself as a perfect example of how creating innovative change can bring significant, positive impacts. “I have spent my whole career in the clean energy industry, becoming passionate about the cause of making the environment cleaner. Working with people who share my passion only makes what I do more fulfilling. Every day, I wake up with the thought that I have an opportunity to make a difference.”

Finding Her Way to Making a Difference

From an early age, Nickey knew she wanted to make a difference. She recalls in elementary school her mother lecturing her that it was her obligation to “make the world a better place,” observing she was naturally talented. Although Nickey initially considered a career in medicine, her focus and interests migrated to pursue a career in global finance as a path to tackling “big international problems.” But it wasn’t until she met a business client of her father’s, a Swiss banker, who advised her to set a path forward and commit to it, that she started to set herself on a dedicated path to achieve her goals.

With a strong, early focus on languages and math, Nickey entered the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Finance and studying abroad for a year in France. She completed her formal education with a master’s degree from the Foreign Service School at Georgetown in International Business Diplomacy. After taking a position at ABN AMRO Bank and being accepted to join their first non-Dutch expat program, she was on the road to fulfilling her early dreams of a career in international finance. But an unexpected opportunity within ABN AMRO arose that changed her trajectory when she was offered the chance to join the Bank’s first energy-focused project finance group. Nickey remembers her boss at the time telling her that she should grab the opportunity to work in the U.S. power industry, foreseeing it would become a “game-changer.”

“I was assigned to lead alternative energy. I ended up being at the brink of the industry before ‘renewable’ was a common industry term and before wind or solar were even on the landscape – but we were on the cusp of what we now call the ‘renewable energy industry.’ Looking back at my early discussion with that Swiss banker, I frequently give that same advice to other people making career decisions. Namely, it’s important to set a course, to be on a path, and to show that you’re driven and that you know how to get places. But adding from my own experience, I also emphasize being open to pivoting along the way – to consider new opportunities that arise – and if it’s the right one, grab it. You never know where it will take you! And if you’re like me, the framing you developed in your early days will stay relevant in your new career chapter and can still bring you to where you set out to go originally on a different route.”

Since that pivotal decision to move to the alternative energy sector in 1988, Nickey has continued to build her career, earning several accolades and recognitions along the way. Among these awards are Tamarindo’s Wind Power List (2023), A Word About Wind’s (AWAW) North American Power List (2018-2022), AWAW’s Women’s Power List (2021), Environment+Energy Top 100 (2021), and The Cleanie Awards Woman of the Year (2020). Nickey also currently serves as chair of the board of the American Clean Power Association.

Becoming a Leader in the Clean Energy Industry

Being at the forefront of a new industry allowed Nickey to flex her creativity to develop solutions to the challenge of getting people on board with investing in new energy sources, which in the early days seemed cost prohibitive.

“I remember the early days when the consensus was that wind and solar would never be more than ‘alternative’ – and would only amount to 1% or 2% of our total energy mix because they were unaffordable. It was important to stand back and say, ‘how do we make it more affordable?’ And the solution was not just improving technology, but also driving innovation in financing structures and lowering the cost of capital for an energy industry with high upfront capital costs but harnesses an energy source which is free. If you believe like I do that we need renewable energy, that we need cleaner energy, we have to keep finding innovative solutions. Saying ‘No, this can’t work’ was not then and still is not an option for me.”

Learning to Work with Opposition

Nickey notes that she has been surprised by how you can change people’s approach or their entrenchment in an old model. Breakthroughs arrive by not only being persistent, but also by listening closely and mindfully, maintaining a rational mindset, and “meeting people where they are.”

“When you keep pushing forward and creating allies along the way and are not afraid to engage with detractors or people putting up walls, you can get great things done. I’ve been pleasantly surprised when the person I thought was an immovable opponent to something all of a sudden comes back and says, ‘Hey, it wasn’t about you. I’m really glad we got this done.’” She continues, “Everyone’s human and worthy of respect. If you can understand and acknowledge where they’re coming from – and find those points of common ground – great things can get done.”

Nickey credits her approach in part to her early master’s training at Georgetown. At the time, the program was led by Madeleine Albright and diplomats including Henry Kissinger would come to lecture. Learning from two great Secretaries of State, and other people during this time, the skills of the “art” of negotiation and diplomacy shaped her approach toward constructively dealing with opposition.

“You may not agree with everything but try to find a common ground and create some trust – establish a personal bond. With that, from my experience, I’ve solved and negotiated through my most intractable, unwieldy, and thorny situations.”

The Value of Mentors and Growing a Network

In her own life, Nickey prizes continued openness to learning and getting feedback from others. In talking about the value of mentorship, she notes that the gift of a true mentor is not only someone who gives good advice but also is willing to observe you closely, to see and to identify where there may be gaps. Nickey believes it is important to find people in one’s life who are willing to give candid feedback about strengths and weaknesses and are comfortable talking about personal opportunities for development.

“By yourself, it’s very difficult to see the whole picture of your life – how you come across to others in your business life, in your personal life. And looking back, the best mentors in my life were the ones that pushed me the hardest – the ones who prompted me to understand myself, then take my game to the next level. For me, that was the best career help I ever received.”

Going beyond individual mentorship, Nickey emphasizes the importance of leveraging a network of mentors, particularly as a woman, in energy or finance. “People get ahead or get in the door because they have mentors, sponsors, and networks. You still have to walk through that door each day and deliver yourself – being devoted to building a real network will prove invaluable to opening doors and creating opportunities. And now, where I am in my career, I’m surrounded by successful women at all levels. I have the opportunity to leverage that network and develop it to be even stronger than it has ever been.”

Collaboration is Key

Collaboration has been a key component of Nickey’s leadership approach, and it features strongly in her advice for women who are mid-career in their leadership journey.

“Respect everyone who is in the room with you. You have been asked to work on a multi-level team, be mindful not just of ‘the boss’, everyone in the room has ideas to bring and value to contribute. By listening to everyone, and respectfully communicating to everyone horizontally, not in silos, you will bring people together to drive forward whatever project or whatever collaboration you’re working on. Work to ensure everyone is engaged in a successful outcome.”

Nickey loves competitive sailing. She grew up sailing and racing and enjoys the opportunity to get back into competitive sailing now that she lives in an area on the water in Maryland.

“It’s very much a collaboration: learning how to speak to each other clearly and efficiently, being close enough to know what the other person is going to do, having a basis of trust that everyone’s going to do their part, and that if something starts going wrong, being confident to know how to pitch in and that the team will all come together. I realize I not only like sailing and racing because it is beautiful to be out on the water, but it is also very much a tactical intellectual sport to navigate the wind, the weather, and the waves. Best of all, it also reminds of the beauty of teamwork.”

By: Jessica Robaire

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Change Yourself to Change the World

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Managing ChangeChange is pretty top of mind this week at theglasshammer.com as we prepare for our panel discussion tomorrow as part of our 5th Annual Navigating Your Career event ( no seats left, sorry!). The topic is “So, you want to be a change leader?” and we will chat with our panelists on how they have affected change when it comes to succeeding personally and improving things for people around them.

This is very close to my heart as I undertook a Change Leadership masters at Columbia University in the City of New York (I highly recommend this course to all executives, it is life changing. ) and a big part of the work we did there was using ourselves as tools of change by first understanding who we were, where are biases lie and looking at our appetite for challenging the status quo. That is what change work is! And you would be amazed at the levels of denial most people have around what constructs we all collude to keep in place.

So, start with you. Don’t say you want to have more diverse people in your team and then hire a man, don’t constantly look to men as the authorized experts on every topic and don’t discount yourself as the expert either. If you have got it, flaunt it as so many women I know are less aware than they should be off how equally or possibly more skilled they are than other counterparts yet are happy to defer to them.

Ultimately, it is about owning your influence to effect change!

By Nicki Gilmour, Executive Coach and Organizational Psychologist

Contact nicki@theglasshammer.com if you would like to hire an executive coach to help you navigate the path to optimal personal success at work

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Change Leader: A Q&A with Christine Hurtsellers, CIO Fixed Income, Voya

Christine HurtsellersWe caught up with Christine Hurtsellers, Chief Investment Officer of Fixed Income for Voya Investment Management (IM), to talk about the future of the financial services industry.

Nicki: What has changed since we last interviewed you back in 2010?

Christine: I still have the same role, however, following our IPO in May 2013 and separation from ING Group, we rebranded as Voya. It’s been an exciting process to define Voya’s values and recalibrate our investment policies. In 2015, Pensions & Investments Magazine named Voya IM one of its “2015 Best Places to Work in Money Management” list for the first time. The firm also recently received distinction as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute for the third year in a row.

Nicki: Why do you think it is so important to help advance good talent, including more women in the industry?

Christine: I am passionate about making the investment industry better. I want to help rising stars in the industry that are women and provide them with a toolkit. I believe that women can be phenomenal investors, and I want to challenge and speak with them to help them grow as thoughtful investors. People entering this industry are looking for more than a paycheck. They value experience and want to work for places that are more values-based. I think it is great that millennials are thinking way more about linking their values to their workplace experience than previous generations.

Nicki: What is your advice to someone entering the industry or who is in the early stages of her career?

Christine: The cost of doing business is increasing and as a result we will see some consolidation. Some products are becoming more commoditized with ETFs showing up more for retail investors on that side of the business. It is an interesting time to be in the industry as institutional clients look for unique, customized approaches for their portfolio. The road is becoming more and more bifurcated. For people entering the industry, there is a temptation to become specialized early at a boutique firm. I believe it is critical to stay flexible to learn a variety of skills for the first 8-9 years of your career. My advice is to look for companies with multi-dimensional businesses to give yourself that opportunity.

Nicki: You recounted to me how one time a woman said you were an unrealistic role model. How did that make you feel?

Christine: I don’t want to be the poster child for women at work because I have five kids and I run marathons, that isn’t everyone’s version of life. How do we lift as we climb? That is the bigger question, and I think the answer is to share with people my failures and some of the decisions I have made. I try to be real and make sure my advice is very content oriented about the markets and investing. By challenging and teaching people, I can be a better role model. Lastly, if I can use my network to help women and make appropriate introductions, then I know I am walking the talk.

I try to hire women and I use my network because a long time ago a woman did the same for me and she was instrumental in helping me get my next job. She was in fixed income sales and she introduced me to many clients and people in the industry. This was crucial in me securing my next role at what is now Alliance Bernstein

Looking out for each other in times of trials is so important. To have someone put her credibility on the line and say “hey, talk to this person” is incredible, and this woman did that for me, so I want to pay it forward.

Nicki: How do we ensure other leaders are as accountable as they think they are for real change?

Christine: I think the best way to engage leaders in the discussion of having diversity in their teams is to challenge them to think about what they do to shape the culture.
Sometimes it isn’t obvious to other leaders that they need to create pathways and a culture for success for women that goes beyond mentioning their women’s network and other HR policies.

I want to see accountability for diversity, and if I start with the numbers – literally asking how many women are in senior roles – then it usually opens up an honest conversation with most male leaders to think more about how they can approach hiring and developing more women.

Nicki: How have you successfully built relationships in the industry – both within your firm and with people in other firms?

Christine: Networking can be such an implicit action; it’s just something we do. You meet interesting people along the way and share relevant insights with them – add value to the other person and they will reciprocate – like in a marriage you have to love and you have to love first.

I joined the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee in 2014 and I am enjoying working with really talented and intelligent people on a very interesting subject that has real consequences. I work at leaning in with them. Sending an article to a small group who share common interests, dropping them a note from time to time. It is about contributing as best as you can to further the task and mission. Building relationships is ongoing, and it is an honor to work with such great people providing recommendations to Treasury on a variety of debt management issues.

Nicki: Do women help other women at work?

Christine: I would go as far as saying that I believe that women help women in tough situations, more than men help other men. It is also important to look for your advocates in male and female leaders as I have great examples of how men have believed in me. Rob Leary, now CEO at TIAA Asset Management, was the person who gave me the job at Voya. I wasn’t the most obvious candidate, and he took a risk on me. He knew I was great with people and an exceptional investor, and I delivered for him.

Nicki: What is the one thing you know now that you wish you had known when you were first starting your career?

Christine: I went it alone for a long time. The power of networking peers and mentoring is something I wish I had considered when I started my career. I wish I had focused more on the quality of management, their values and ethics, and the culture they create at the company.

In life, you take every opportunity and you learn – in careers, as long as you maximize learning, you are on the right path. I ended up fine tuning my experience in mortgage derivatives when I made a move to Freddie Mac. Many advised me against it, but I knew it was important for me to spend more time with my family as previously I wasn’t seeing them from Sunday night to Friday afternoon. I learned so much. It meant I could come to Voya due to my deep knowledge, and for my life at that time it meant my family and I could be happy, which is of course really important.

It’s about making the best out of any experience.

Christine is also a panelist at our upcoming event – theglasshammer.com’s 5th Annual Navigating your career event on May 4th 2016.

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