5 Key Career Growth Lessons

Are you ready to break through career barriers, challenge the status quo and take control of your leadership journey? Learn from the inspiring career of Gigi Parco, a trailblazer in the corporate world, who turned challenges into opportunities and made her mark as a female leader in male-dominated industries. Her insights, as shared on the Rewrite The Rules podcast.

Picture this: you're the only woman in a room full of men, tasked with leading a team twice your age, all while trying to break through stereotypes that have held women back for decades.?

This is where Gigi Parco found herself early in her career as the first female sales trainee at Unilever. Instead of shrinking in the face of doubt and exclusion, Gigi pushed forward, using mental toughness and strategic leadership to carve out her place in an industry dominated by men.

Her journey didn’t stop there. From pioneering sales roles to holding senior leadership positions at Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson, Gigi's career is a testament to resilience, adaptability and the power of collaboration.?

For aspiring women leaders, Gigi’s experiences, as shared on the Rewrite The Rules podcast, shows that success isn’t about fitting into traditional moulds but redefining them. It offers powerful lessons on how to excel in competitive corporate environments.?

Whether you’re at the start of your career or striving to break into leadership roles, these five career growth lessons from Gigi’s journey will give you the insights and strategies to take control of your charted path and thrive.

1. Toughen Up: Thriving as a Female Leader in a Biased World

In today’s workplace, where gender bias and inequality persist, mental toughness is essential.?

Gigi’s early career as the first female sales trainee in a male-dominated field shows just how crucial this quality is. She wasn’t just walking into a sales role; she was walking into a test of endurance, sent to remote locations and tasked with leading teams of men twice her age, many of whom doubted her abilities from the outset. Gigi faced constant exclusion, scepticism, and scrutiny.

“You have to create mental toughness. They are not doing this to you because you, as a person, are not worthy. It’s because they have certain stereotypes."?

Instead of letting these challenges wear her down, she reframed the situation and built resilience. She focused on delivering results, proving her capabilities and staying true to her value, even when others doubted her.

Her mental toughness didn’t just fuel her success; it broke down barriers for the women who came after her. Gigi’s ability to thrive despite the bias around her showed that resilience is the key to long-term leadership success.

Takeaway: Mental toughness is about standing firm in your worth, even when faced with doubt. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow stronger, prove your value and pave the way for others.

2. Lead by Lifting Others: Mastering Leadership Through Collaboration

What truly sets great leaders apart??

Among other things, it’s not about how much authority they wield or how many decisions they make—it’s about how effectively they empower others to succeed. Gigi understood this early on in her career. For her, leadership wasn’t about being the one in charge; it was about creating an environment where everyone could thrive.

“Leadership is not about teaching your team everything. It’s about learning from each other.”

This belief became the cornerstone of her leadership style. Instead of trying to dominate or compete, Gigi focused on building strong relationships with her team, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect. Even in male-dominated environments where she was often the only woman, Gigi’s approach allowed her to bridge gaps and earn the trust of her colleagues.

By encouraging open dialogue and valuing every team member’s input, she turned leadership into a shared journey. This approach elevated her leadership presence, as her team’s success became a testament to her effectiveness as a leader.

Takeaway: Effective leadership isn’t about having all the answers or asserting authority. It’s about collaboration, mutual growth and learning from those around you. By creating an environment where your team can flourish, you solidify your role as a leader while fostering collective success.

3. Balance, Balance, Balance: Achieving Long-Term Success Without Burnout

“You love your job, but you also love your kids.”

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly juggling work and home, unsure if you’re doing either well, you're not alone.

For many women in leadership, this struggle is all too real. Gigi knows the pressure of managing both. As a mother and a senior executive, she reached a point where her career demands began to take a toll on her health and family life.

Instead of pushing through burnout, Gigi made a decisive move—she renegotiated her role to create space for a healthier balance. This wasn't about choosing between the two but realising that setting boundaries was essential for sustaining both.

For Gigi, work-life balance, thus, isn’t optional—it’s vital for long-term success. It’s about setting boundaries, not as a sign of weakness or compromise, but as a strategy for sustained growth. By protecting her personal time, she ensured she had the energy to excel at work while still being present for her family.

Takeaway: Prioritising work-life balance is critical to long-term success. Set clear boundaries and protect your personal time. It’s not about limiting your career—it’s about ensuring you have the stamina to thrive in both your professional and personal life.

4. Be the Change: Championing Gender Equality in the Workplace

Did you know that women still hold only about 25% of senior management roles globally??

Despite progress, gender inequality remains a persistent challenge in corporate environments. Gigi experienced this firsthand, often finding herself as the only woman in leadership meetings, excluded from informal networks and facing the subtle and overt biases that come with being a woman in a male-dominated space.

Rather than letting these barriers discourage her, Gigi saw them as an opportunity to make a lasting impact. She actively integrated inclusion and opportunity in her leadership, showing that actual progress comes from lifting others as you rise.

“Trailblazing for other women was always at the top of my mind.”?

Recognising that her success could pave the way for others, Gigi became an advocate for gender equality. She became a dedicated mentor to women entering the industry, offering guidance and support to help them navigate the very challenges she had faced.?

For Gigi, advocating for gender equality was about creating systemic change. She didn’t just break through glass ceilings for herself; she actively worked to ensure other women had the tools and support they needed to succeed.?

Takeaway: Gender equality is more than a personal ambition; it’s about collective advancement. Advocate for equal opportunities, mentor those following in your footsteps and work to build inclusive environments. By doing so, you’ll not only shape your career but also the future for generations of women leaders.

5. Keep Evolving: Continuously Invest in Your Career Growth

Career growth isn’t a box you tick once—it’s a continuous process of learning, adapting, and seeking new challenges.?

Gigi epitomises this mindset, always looking for opportunities to improve, both professionally and personally. From leading corporate giants to pursuing her passion for cooking as an executive chef post-retirement, Gigi’s journey shows that investing in your growth is a lifelong commitment.

“At an early stage in my life, I decided that nobody will define what growth is for me. I will take responsibility and define it myself.”

Gigi sees growth as not just climbing the corporate ladder—to her, it’s about personal fulfilment and evolving with purpose. Her willingness to step into entirely new fields later in life demonstrates that career progression doesn’t always follow a straight line, and that redefining your goals can lead to richer, more meaningful experiences.

Takeaway: Career growth is an ongoing journey, not a final destination. Stay curious, keep learning and don’t be afraid to redefine your goals as your career evolves. The key to long-term success is consistently investing in yourself, both professionally and personally.

So, there you have it—Gigi’s career shows that leadership isn’t a fixed point. It’s an ongoing journey of growth, learning and breaking barriers. Her story provides a clear roadmap for women aspiring to lead, proving that success is defined by resilience, adaptability and a determination to lift others along the way.

Here are the key takeaways from Gigi’s leadership journey:

• Build Mental Toughness: Use challenges as fuel to strengthen your resolve and prove your worth.
• Lead Through Collaboration: Empower your team by fostering a collaborative environment where everyone can thrive.
• Prioritise Work-Life Balance: Set boundaries that allow you to succeed both at work and in your personal life without burning out.
• Champion Gender Equality: Advocate for inclusion and support other women—real progress happens when you lift others as you rise.
• Invest in Lifelong Growth: Always seek new opportunities to learn, adapt and redefine your goals. Growth is a continuous process.

So, how will you take control of your leadership journey today? Whether you’re just starting or aiming higher, remember: you have the power to shape your path. Keep learning, keep evolving and pave the way for yourself and those who follow!

We enable women executives across levels to find their voice, share their stories and enable others along the way with vital lessons in the corporate and life.?

To get more insights from Gigi's journey, watch the full episode linked here . If you want to hear and share inspiring stories of women across Asia, reach out to me by email or on LinkedIn .