It was one of the most inspiring and interesting sessions at the 2016 NAA Education Conference & Exposition: Three female executives from the apartment industry shared from their years of corporate experience, offering candid advice about what it takes for women to rise to upper-level management and succeed.
Through storytelling, off-the-cuff remarks and the divulging of a few workplace secrets, panelists Alexandra Jackiw, CAPS, CPM, Milhaus Management; Jennifer Staciokas, Pinnacle; Heather Jones, GROW Learning Management System; and moderator Kelly Quattlebaum, CallMaX, left a powerful impression on those in the room.
"Much of upper-level management today is 'mayonnaise on white bread,'" said Jackiw. "There is a very apparent lack of diversity at the top levels of organizations. I'm committed to doing whatever I can to change that. And diversity doesn't just mean gender or ethnicity. Our organization also needs to be more inclusive and accepting of individuals with different sexual orientation, religion, cultural norms. The more interesting the 'human tapestry,' in an organization, the more successful I believe it will be."
Following is other poignant commentary and sage advice from the panel.
Nimble Networking
Building a professional network is like building a friendship network, and you're the one responsible for taking charge. Whenever I find a woman I'd like to be friends with, I 'date' her. I reach out to get together, and if she doesn't respond right away I continue to reach out until she's free. Once we've had our first date I continue to foster the relationship so it grows. -- HJ
Becoming involved in a non-profit-such as being named to its Board-is invaluable. It will give you a whole other outlook on life and also present you with interesting networking opportunities. -- AJ
Being Heard
Women need sponsors in the boardroom to speak up for them on behalf of their accomplishments if they are not able or invited to attend the meeting. Many decisions in your career are made without you being present and a sponsor can ensure you get taken care of in terms of compensation, promotions and additional projects or responsibilities.
-- JS
It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. --JS
I don't wait for people to ask me for my opinion or to be given a responsibility, I offer. -- AJ
If you don't ask, you don't get. Be prepared to hear 'No,' but be prepared to adjust your ask so that maybe you do hear 'Yes.' -- JS
Mentors
Mentors have to be willing to say what must be said. They need to be comfortable having the tough conversations in order to help someone grow. -- HJ
You have to find executive-level mentors you can trust. Unfortunately, I gravitate toward men to fill this role. Finding women at that level who are confident and forthcoming with advice can be challenging. -- HJ
Find someone who sees potential in you even before you even see it in yourself. For me, [an executive] did so and he was really tough on me early on. He put me in challenging situations to see how I could handle them, learn from them and overcome future obstacles and succeed. I now try to do that for others. -- AJ
Taking Risks
Sometimes ask yourself: If I didn't have fear, what would I do? -- JS
Dealing with risk is personal. Sometimes we stop to think, 'Are our lives exciting?' Either way, not all of us want to jump out of an airplane one day. You don't have to show that you are 'cooler' than the other person by taking on risk. You just have to feel comfortable with what you are doing. -- AJ
Workplace Communication
When you are younger, you tend to get agitated more easily. As you get older, you learn to roll with the punches better. With experience, you learn to pick your battles. -- JS
The older you get, and if you've been at a company a long time, the more you realize that 'you're in the way.' But you can make that work for you, as long as you can effectively communicate with people in the two generations below you. -- AJ
Career Ladder
When you're on top, and you see a younger female who clearly wants to advance, be strong enough to reach out and mentor her. On the other hand, if I'm face to face with a top-level executive who I think might be threatened by me, I will ask them to be my mentor, to help me. This usually disarms them, it helps create a bond and it shows them I am not trying to go after their position. -- HJ
Since I joined the workforce, I have applied for jobs that I simply was not qualified for. I learned a lot, and those experiences were invaluable later in my career. -- HJ
A problem that women have is that they doubt themselves. For example, if there is a position that a woman is considering applying for and it has 12 skills required, the woman will only apply if they know for certain that they possess all 12. For a man, if they can check at least six of them, they still apply, thinking 'I can just fake it 'til I make it.' -- AJ
Soaring to Greater Heights
It's not always the most intelligent person who gets the job-but it is the smartest person who does. In senior leadership positions, studies show that 90 percent of the difference between star and average performers is due to higher EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), not higher IQ. -- AJ
I don't like to speak in public, but I force myself to do it. You'll find that when you do, you have to become an expert on your topic and that helps give you the confidence to stand in front of a room full of people. It's one of the reasons I have developed a love for teaching. When I'm comfortable with the material, it gives me joy to transmit my knowledge to others. -- AJ
Only about 10 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. These coveted positions are not quickly achieved so don't expect any of them to step aside easily. -- HJ
It takes 10 years to become an overnight success. -- HJ