My Advice to the Class of 2023: Broaden Your Horizons, Set Boundaries, and Be Brave

A few weeks ago, my colleagues were at the Indy500, watching Josef Newgarden make history when he became the first driver to win using Shell renewable racing fuel. While they cheered in Indianapolis, I was in Houston cheering my daughter as she walked across the stage at her high school graduation. It was a moment I would never dream of missing.

As I watched my daughter graduate, I was reminded of all the emotions you experience when you walk the stage to get your diploma.?My trip down memory lane didn’t stop there and I started to reflect on?my time at 美国宾夕法尼亚州立大学 , as well as the early days of my career. Everyone has a different path, but as I thought about that time in my life, I realized that the lessons I’ve learned could be helpful to those who are starting their professional journey today.

Closing one chapter and opening another is a mix of emotions. You’re sad to see many of the friends you’ve made moving to new places. You’re nervous about what a career and adulthood may bring. You’re excited about new challenges and opportunities.

As you venture through your professional journey, the route will change. When you hit a roadblock, take a detour. If you get tired of the scenery, try a new path. But some things should remain constant. My advice to the Class of 2023 is to broaden your horizons and advocate for yourself, define your boundaries and the values most important to you (like time with family), and be brave when facing challenges head-on.?

Broaden Your Horizons and Advocate for Yourself: Seek new experiences to find your passion

Many people find their passions by accident. When you think about your first job, I would encourage you to look for opportunities beyond the immediate tasks you've been handed. Finding ways to make a difference in your day job and in adjacent opportunities – such as employee resource groups – can be socially engaging, and it also introduces you to new and different colleagues. As you start this new journey, seek new experiences and see what sticks.

Before getting married and having kids, I tried to find jobs that allowed me new and exciting experiences. My first job after graduating was in New Orleans. I didn't know a single person there, but I made friends fast, even met my husband there, and ended up living there for five years. New Orleans still has a special place in my heart, and I wouldn't have wanted to do anything differently.

That job also took me offshore frequently, which was a completely new experience at the time. I also wanted to work internationally and later looked for opportunities to work in countries like Vietnam, The UK, Denmark, Canada and The Netherlands. I broadened my perspectives and developed a passion for geopolitics.

Be open to opportunities, no matter where they take you. Moving to a new place can be scary but also rewarding. When you have the flexibility to do so, take a job with lots of travel, and maybe even work rotations with different shifts. Those experiences – challenging yourself and broadening your horizons – are incredibly valuable and will shape your career trajectory, worldview, and relationships.

Once you get a job, challenge yourself to learn new things, talk to different people about what they do day-to-day and share your interests with colleagues. Particularly in a large company like Shell, where there are many opportunities, asking to shadow other departments helps you learn about the industry. This experience is invaluable for those wanting to take leadership roles later in their careers.

Once you get exposure to different skills, speak up about what interests you. Sharing your goals and interests with colleagues – especially your manager – enables them to support you and help you find new opportunities. Seeing the same industry or company from several different vantage points has been a massive advantage for me from a leadership perspective. I don't have the answers to everything, but I know where to look and who to ask.

Set Boundaries: As your life changes, so can your boundaries

We all need to think about priorities and boundaries. Ask yourself, where do I want to spend my time? How do I want to spend my time? Am I willing to work outside of regular hours? How do I prefer people to communicate with me? Questions like these will help you define your priorities and shape your boundaries. ?

Boundaries can and should change over time. What works for you in your early 20s probably won’t work in your 40s. If you’re stressed or feeling burnt out, revisit and reset your personal boundaries. Doing so regularly will help you succeed long-term or be more intentional in the moments when your boundaries need to be flexible.

Establishing a work-life balance for myself as a mother, wife, and business leader was essential to my career and wellbeing. As I got older, I had more confidence in setting and being very public about my boundaries. I have been clear with my colleagues that family comes first, and I advocate for them to put their families first as well. Because of this, it was easy to decide to attend my daughter’s graduation instead of the Indy500. In fact, it wasn’t really a decision at all.?

While I didn’t even consider not attending my daughter’s graduation, I know that it can take a lot of courage to make this type of decision, especially if you’re new or more junior in your career. ?It’s easy to convince yourself that establishing a work-life balance could jeopardize how people perceive you and your work ethic. But that couldn’t be further from the truth, it helps you prioritize so that you are more effective at work and home. I wish I would have been more outspoken earlier in my career and I would encourage you to do it sooner rather than later. I know that’s easier said than done but it’s likely others around you want to set similar boundaries.?From my experience, nine times out of 10, people will say, “I get you want to have your weekends, I get you want to be at your daughter’s graduation, or I get you want to be home for family dinner.” I suspect everyone is just waiting for someone to speak up first.

Be Brave: Face the challenges of tomorrow head on

Graduation is a time to celebrate achievements and look ahead toward the possibilities. I know the Class of 2023 will do great things in this world. You’ve already overcome so many challenges to graduate. Your college years were marked by a global pandemic that upended classroom learning, ever increasing urgency in the fight against climate change, and a reckoning on race and inequality in the US.

Despite all of this, I believe this generation is well-equipped to overcome the obstacles of today and tomorrow. So, to my daughter, her classmates and all of the graduates of 2023: Follow your passions. Try new things. Understand that nobody has all the answers, and that collaboration is the key to fundamental change. And most importantly, you are your best advocate. ?Speak up. Set boundaries. Make mistakes, then course correct. Broaden your horizons. Be brave. ?