Stephanie Medford President & CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma
Being a woman in a leadership position is important because leaders are role models. My passion is children and how they will impact the future by what we do today. By demonstrating strength, compassion and leadership, we are teaching younger generations that no matter their background, they can feel empowered to achieve whatever they wish to achieve. It's important to me to demonstrate that with hard work and diligence, we can create the life we want and no obstacle is too big to tackle! I think the biggest obstacle I've had to face being a woman in the workplace is finding a way to organize and live my life in a way that allows me to be a high achiever
while also making sure my family gets the best of me. I think all hardworking people experience this. When you're a working mother, you have more than one full-time job and sometimes that is a very hard thing to juggle. As employers, we need to embrace the concept of flexible work environments where we can attract and retain strong employees and keep up with the faster paced, always connected world we live in. We have to allow people to live their lives and their passions whether that be their family, the hobbies that make their heart sing or whatever else brings their life meaning and gratitude. People want to bring value and they appreciate when they feel valued. Empowering women to be high achievers while also allowing them to see their passions through will only strengthen the entire workforce. I would tell younger women to figure out their priorities and stick to them at all costs. I would encourage them to find moments for themselves and self-care. I would tell them to have the courage to go for whatever it is they hope to achieve and learn from their inevitable failures in order to appreciate and create their victories!
Cheryl Yarbrough SVP Sales and Marketing, Shiloh Technologies I believe being a woman, or any good leader in today’s environment, means not being just “one thing,” but being multi-dimensional. Expanding the expected skill set of leaders to include things such as consensus-building, empathy, compassion and collaboration are now table stakes. Women need role models, and I enjoy inspiring and supporting other women to pursue opportunities, achieve their goals and make a difference in the world. This is specifically important in the business space that I am in, the technology space. I am passionate about educating, mentoring and sharing my own personal journey so others can see there is not one “right way” in the technology space for women. I am extremely grateful that I have had some tremendous mentors and leaders, both male and female who really leaned into me throughout the journey and continue to do so today. While I have not faced many specific gender-related obstacles, I have often felt that I was being measured differently than my male counterparts NOT on the actual delivery of my business performance, but on how I got it accomplished. I have been referred to as aggressive, overbearing or demanding when exhibiting the same type of behavior that my male counterparts are applauded for. Have I overcome this obstacle? No. This double standard of penalizing women for not behaving within the standard “norms” while rewarding men for the same behavior still exists some 20 years since my first experiences with it. Have I learned how to be successful in spite of it? Yes. How? Consistency and being unapologetic about being passionate. I am passionate. I am passionate about what I believe in and I am consistent in that. I am ALL in EVERY time — never leaves people guessing if they are getting an “emotional” response from me.
Serena Smith
Mary Heman
Insurance Agent, State Farm
Vice President, CPG Sales, Vericast
It is very rewarding — I love having the ability to make a positive impact on others. Whether it is my amazing team or my customers, they are counting on me, so I owe it to them to do my very best. I’m proud to have businesswomen, businessmen and families all represented in my customer base, and my goal is to provide each of them the most professional care, the best service and the most reliable answers to fit their specific needs. I always say the constant at my office is change, so being adaptable is key. We have all been forced to operate and communicate differently over the past few years. While we have experienced challenges, we have adapted and continue to provide the best solutions and take the best care of each other and our customers. Don’t sit back and wait — go for it! My father always said that I could achieve anything if I was willing to work for it!
It is imperative to provide support for team members including checking in and helping navigate work-life challenges, especially
during this time when work and personal life can be exhausting. There have been a lot of balls thrown up in the air at the same time from a personal and professional standpoint. I think the differentiator is being intentional when people need it the most. I also have learned to mirror the behaviors to my team by setting work-life boundaries and supporting employee well-being, which I am constantly working to be better at! I’ve learned that I have had to stay true to myself. Early in my career, I would work really hard to morph into the person I thought everyone wanted me to be, and I found so much more value when I come to a meeting or a discussion speaking my truth. My perspective is what sets me apart and is unique to the other people in the room.