Mentorship and the importance of putting yourself out there
Women still lag behind in leadership roles in the C-suite despite studies showing that women are as effective in leadership characteristics as men(1). ?In fact, as of 2022, only 8.8% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women.?For those doing math at home, that’s a mere 44 out of 500 individuals(2).?So how do we begin to close that leadership gap? ?
I wish I knew – but I do think there are two important dimensions where women can be deliberate and intentional in their actions to help build their careers and to elevate themselves within their organizations.?First, women should not underestimate their abilities or assume they can only apply to jobs for which they are 100% qualified in every dimension.?Second, women should spend time fostering and building relationships across their organizations with a diversity of people. ?
I joined the Tokio Marine Group (“TM” or “Tokio Marine”) in 2001 as a Manager in the HR department.?Prior to Tokio Marine, I had been practicing law at big law firms for a few years and was not enchanted with my professional life or career.?During my law firm tenure, I was trained as a litigator with a specialty in employment and Human Resource (“HR”) matters.?Having the opportunity to oversee and run an HR Department was a new and exciting opportunity; at the law firm, HR Departments had often been my clients. ?
Upon joining TM, I surrounded myself with people who were much more knowledgeable than me.?And I read everything I could on Human Resources, including strategy books, articles on organizational design and development, and anything else I could get my hands on.?Along the way, I struck up numerous relationships with people in the organization, both locally based employees as well as myriad expatriates who rotated through the TM companies on assignment from Japan.?If someone had something to teach me, I was all ears – no matter how junior or how senior.
Fast forward to ten years later in 2011, Tokio Marine had grown by leaps and bounds.?Over the course of the prior decade, it made many acquisitions and was contemplating putting together a shared services company for several of its newly acquired companies in the United States.?At this point, I was not particularly surprised to be asked to lead the HR function for this new entity.?I had been around a while, I was now also overseeing administration and facilities, and I had established relationships with many colleagues in Japan and in the United States.?I believe I had demonstrated some level of competence in my endeavors.?What did surprise me, however, was the request that I also lead the legal department as the Chief Legal Officer.?Yes, I was a Harvard-trained lawyer.?Yes, I often pitched in on certain general litigation matters and handled all employment-related legal issues – but I had never run a legal department.?Honestly, panic set in.?My husband was puzzled when I conveyed my angst.?He basically told me that no man would be questioning whether he was qualified/capable for an opportunity that was handed to them by their current employer.?So, with some significant self-doubt but a willingness to make mistakes, I took the position.?It is now more than a decade later and with hindsight being “20/20” – I cannot believe I ever doubted that I could handle the role.
Unfortunately, women consistently underestimate their abilities.?An oft-cited study from Hewlett-Packard made the revelation - nearly a decade ago- that “women working at HP applied for a promotion only when they believed they met 100 percent of the qualifications listed for the job.?Men were happy to apply when they thought they could meet 60 percent of the job requirements”(3).?Had I not been approached about taking the Chief Legal Officer position, I never would have applied for it.?I would have viewed myself as not “100%” qualified and not capable. ?
Second, I often think about why I was given the opportunity to lead the Legal Department.?Yes, I had a strong track record of deliverables and results – but probably equally important, I also had cultivated many mentor relationships along my tenure.?It is not in my nature to limit where I seek advice or to count someone out as a mentor because they do not look like me or think like me.?Some of my greatest mentors at work have been men, including expatriates, with whom I probably have very little in common outside of work.?But, I admired how they handled a key issue, saw the world, or had expertise on a particular topic.?Do I know for a fact that, in some part, fostering those mentorships brought me that opportunity in 2011??I do not.?But I do know that my successes at the organization prior to 2011 were absolutely due to various mentors’ advice and coaching.
I hope that all women (actually, all people) find the courage to put themselves out there – even when they may not be 100% qualified for a role.?I also encourage all individuals to build meaningful mentor relationships at work.?To this day, one of my most significant mentor relationships at work was with a Japanese expatriate, many years my senior.?Despite being from completely different backgrounds, he taught me a great deal about culture, process, and working through a complex organization.?Selfishly, I would like to think that I broadened his horizons as well.
Workforce reduction 2/2021
1 年I don’t believe anyone is ever 100% qualified
Versatile professional with diverse industry experience, enriched skill set, and a drive to create positive impact through innovation and problem-solving.
1 年Excellent article, Caryn. This endemic specific to women is a call to broadly inform women, men, and hiring professionals, and let the knowledge of our innate pattern elicit boldness, encouragement, and thoughtfulness, respectively. Thank you for approaching and courageously personalizing this. Your point comes through powerfully, given your background.
A highly skilled and experienced insurance professional with a diverse background encompassing various facets . Expertise lies in medical stop-loss adjusting, all-lines claims handling, and workers' compensation.
2 年Very inspiring