Three women leaders shared their personal stories and tips for success during a panel discussion last week at the Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference.
If you weren’t in Phoenix or were but missed moderator Myra Norton, president and CEO of Arena Analytics; Danielle Morgan, president and chief operating officer of Clearwater Living; and Esmerelda Lee, COO and executive vice president of Century Park Associates, here are nine pieces of wisdom they relayed:
On career development
Morgan:
“Relationships are very important, and who you meet along the way and who inspires you and you aspire to be — stay close to that, because it’s very helpful in the future as you develop your career.”
Lee:
“To be better, I had to surround myself with people that were going to really help, have faith in me and stretch me. And I realized that when I’m most uncomfortable is when I’m growing the most.”
Norton:
“Any time that you say to yourself, ‘I’m not qualified to do this thing,’ just stop that voice in your head.”
Lee:
“As much as we all want promotions and we all want to grow, you’ve got to be willing to put in the work and be open to feedback and be willing to look at what areas you have gaps in, what areas that you need to grow. Humility is definitely key.”
Norton:
“I feel like I don’t have regrets. …I’ve made mistakes, but I don’t regret any of them because I learned. Every step along the way has made me the person I am today, so I wouldn’t trade any of that. I would say, if I could say something to my younger self, it would be to find your voice and use it and to not worry so much about what other people’s perceptions are or how to live up to the expectations that others have of you. To figure out what matters to you and what my expectations are.”
On personal/professional life balance
Lee:
“Workplaces should provide … time to say, ‘Hey, I need a break.’ And it doesn’t have to be within a PTO. Just being able to give mental health breaks where people can rest and rejuvenate. I think you get a much better employee, a much more agile employee, if workplaces are courageous enough to make those decisions for their associates.”
Morgan:
“I don’t think there is balance; I think there is work-life integration. …I think it’s a give-and-take, granting ourselves permission, when it is the standard, typical work hours, to step away.”
Lee:
“Sometimes, you’ve got to figure out what’s important to you, and then do those things. …I can’t be all things to all people. …Sometimes we think we have to work long hours for someone to say we are very dedicated, but …giving quality of who you are is so important at home and in your professional life.”
Norton:
“For those of us in leadership positions, showing up as your whole self. …If we can be that vulnerable to say, ‘Yeah, this is part of my life; I’m running to yoga class,’ maybe that encourages someone else who needs that mental break, needs that support to take care of themselves. That comes with us being confident in the choices we are making and being vulnerable enough to share that integration.”
Recordings of the sessions may be ordered via Argentum’s website.
