Women in Tech: Roundtable with Our Leaders
By: Main Street Hub
Tags: Professional Development, Company Culture, Women In Tech, Leadership, Career Advice

How did you build your leadership skills over the years?

Andrea: “My early years were spent in public relations, which taught me how to interact and communicate with really bright and creative journalists. It was a great lesson in balancing taking charge with having a good time. After that, I went to business school and then spent 12 years in management consulting across several different industries. In consulting, you learn very quickly to not make assumptions about a business or to be paternalistic — it’s so important to respect the individuality of each business and to quickly gain a deep understanding. My next chapter at HomeAway taught me not just to see opportunities to enable but to implement them and prove them out.”

Alicia: “Many ways — watching and learning from others, reading, making initial mistakes and trying to correct them, and above all, listening to the people around me and what they need. Having a flexible leadership style helps ensure that your people get what they need out of you.”

(L to R): Nicole Cornelson, Qingqing Ouyang

Qingqing: “First, I learn from great leaders. I am extremely fortunate to have worked for some great leaders all through my career. They taught me everything I know today. By watching them in action, listening to them describe why they did what they did, and asking them for advice, I benefited from all of their great wisdom and generous help.

“Second, I read. Books are great at broadening my perspective. They also provide the vocabularies that describe intangible skills, such as leadership, that I struggle to articulate sometimes. I am on my 16th book now for the year, closing in on my goal of finishing 20 books by year-end.

“Third, I practice. I believe leadership skills can be learned. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I want to learn next. Once I commit, I look for opportunities to practice those skills. Asking for feedback after every practice is a great way to improve more purposefully.”

Nicole: “I have had various leadership roles in my career. The ability to communicate with people effectively and make decisions on what to do next are key components to any leadership role. To learn more about how to do this, I read leadership books, and my two most recommended are Daniel Pink’s Drive and James A. Autry’s The Servant Leader. As a voracious reader, it’s important to expand my thinking on leadership styles, human motivation, and educate myself on common fears and concerns of people.”

Valerie: “I’m still building my skills! I have learned a lot from other leaders — observing both positive and negative traits that I have chosen either to work hard to emulate or vow to avoid. I consume information both broadly and widely: articles, books, TED talks, local meetups, larger professional networks — you name it. I don’t always agree with everything I take in, but I value a continuous stream of insight with which to challenge myself and my thinking.

“Stretch projects have done a lot for me as well through the years. I know that if I get a bit anxious about a new opportunity — be it a single meeting or a new role — that it means that experience is likely going to be positive for my growth.

“I’m fairly introverted, but my roles have required a fair amount of public speaking. To help manage this innate challenge, I can’t count the number of classes I have taken to gain comfort, if not mastery, in this area.”

Jenn: “I have learned a lot by watching and talking to other leaders. However, the most memorable lessons I have learned came from making mistakes. When that happens, it is essential to take a moment to honestly evaluate what I can do better, and commit to not make the same mistake again. I often say, ‘You’ve only made a mistake if you’ve learned nothing from it.’”