Tatum Buse
Now a VP at Rockwell Collins Tatum has come to terms with achieving work-life balance and leaving the guilt behind. Growing up, I believed it when I was told I could achieve anything I put my mind to. Yet, early in my career, I struggled to meet my personal standards for success as a businesswoman and a mother. I wanted to be fully dedicated to both roles but, instead, I was consumed with guilt that I wasn’t living up to my expectations for either role. One day, I decided to leave work early to attend a function at my child’s preschool. As a new director, I was afraid my absence would be perceived by others as a lack of commitment. To my surprise, my leader encouraged me to go. He helped me realize that fear shouldn’t keep me from communicating what I need to be successful—as a businesswoman or a parent.
Today, as a leader of 200 employees in Finance, and as a mother of three, I still believe it’s possible to do anything I put my mind to, but only with a strong team at work and a great support system at home. For me, work-life balance isn’t achieved every day or once and for all; it’s a daily game of prioritizing and evaluating what will be important minutes, months, and years from now. When I leave on a business trip nowadays, I don’t feel guilt. While my children may be upset for a few minutes, I know the tears won’t last long with my husband managing things at home. Likewise, if a last-minute meeting comes up during the mothers’ sing-a-long at school, I’m no longer hesitant to delegate the
meeting. Because years from now I want my children to remember I was there with the rest of the moms for that special moment. PDJ
“When I leave on a business trip nowadays, I don’t feel guilt.” Denise O’Neil Green
This Assistant VP at Ryerson University made an unexpected and exciting career move to Toronto.
In September 2012, I took on the inaugural post of Assistant VicePresident/Vice-Provost at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, in Canada. With more than 20 years of experience, my professional career in higher education had been largely in the United States. So deciding to accept a position in another country was akin to jumping off a cliff, taking a leap of faith, and starting over. I knew no one at Ryerson or in the diversity field in Toronto, let alone, Canada. My American colleagues had two
general reactions. They wanted to know if I was sure about this or they wanted to come with me. While some of my colleagues viewed this as a lateral move, I saw it as a way to advance my career. Ryerson afforded me the opportunity to live in another country, work in higher education, and develop a professional network in one of the most diverse cities in the world. Being a new fish in a Canadian pond, I had to quickly make a splash. For me, making a splash doesn’t mean being in front of others; it means connecting with others in meaningful ways. So I accepted all invitations to meet with Ryerson colleagues and diversity professionals in the city. When I received someone’s business card, I always followed up and scheduled a coffee with them. I also started leveraging social media, primarily Twitter and LinkedIn, to connect with people at Ryerson and in the Greater Toronto Area. In less than two years, I’ve been
profiled in AMOI magazine (a Canadian diversity publication), invited to give talks about differences between Canadian and American diversity, and able to achieve greater visibility in Toronto. I’ve learned that career advancement doesn’t always move in a straight line. If you see something you want to do, take the risk and go for it. Above all, understand that relationships provide the foundation for career advancement. You may have the best credentials and expertise, but if people don’t know who you are, it’s difficult to move forward. So do what you can to create genuine connections, either online or face-to-face. PDJ
“… deciding to accept a position in another country was akin to jumping off a cliff …”
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