“You have to put in dedication and hard work to be successful. There are no short cuts,” says Mandy Wan. “Stay true to your core principles and advancement will follow. Be open-minded to embracing new opportunities and giving them your best effort.” Wan shares how she values learning from diverse experiences, her insights on setting the right culture in a team, and what it means to be a leader who “walks the talk.” Finding the Right Fit on the Trading Floor Wan learned from an early age the value of hard work and determination in pursuing her dreams. Growing up in Hong Kong as the eldest child ..read more

Coaching can change your leadership abilities; it can literally make you a better version of yourself as an executive and a person- it can yield tangible results as well as provide support and a thought partnership. Getting a coach is also the fastest way to help you to advance because coaching offers a personalized and tailored approach to your leadership development. Unlike training programs, coaching focuses on each individual leaders’ unique strengths, challenges, and goals. Through one-on-one sessions, coaches help leaders identify areas for improvement and create actionable plans for gro ..read more

“It might seem tough at first, but I’ve come to learn that you have to relax and enjoy the ride. No journey is linear where you must pass A and B, to reach C, or else you’re lost. That’s just not how it works,” says Rachel Lockett. Lockett shares her thoughts on embracing a career pivot, building leadership skills through diverse experiences, prioritizing team development, and the importance of finding meaning in her work. Pivoting from the Public to the Private Sector Lockett’s path into marketing in the beauty industry took an unconventional route, beginning with a career in international re ..read more

While Earth Day serves as an annual reminder to appreciate our planet, the escalating effects of climate change highlight the importance of prioritizing environmental stewardship year-round. Corporations and businesses are increasingly focusing on integrating more innovative Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in their decision-making and investment strategies. While each component plays a vital role in sustainable business practices, the “E” in ESG is significant in driving a positive environmental impact while also creating long-term value for businesses. Recent News in Busi ..read more

I recently attended a breakfast for 150+ women board directors hosted by Julie Daum, leader of Spencer Stuart’s North American board practice, to listen to the findings from their 2023 S&P 500 New Director and Diversity Snapshot. The findings and discussion that followed were energizing and sobering. Some specific findings that struck me were the progress of women directors in the S&P 500 over the past decade. Almost half–45% percent–of the class of 2023 were women, a 92% increase over the past decade. Women now account for 33% of S&P 500 directors, an 83% increase from a decade ag ..read more

“I found my way to my career, but it wasn’t a career that I even knew existed, or even had visions of wanting to become,” says Shekhinah Bass, Managing Director, Head of Talent Strategy, at Goldman Sachs. “No one in my family had gone to college. No one had worked on Wall Street; all of these things were completely new to me. Oftentimes people say that you can’t become what you can’t see, but you can.” In turn, Bass champions diversity herself formally via her role and also through her authenticity. As a mother with a successful career, she grounds herself with the mantra, “run your own race ..read more

Emotional labor, although not intended to be a gendered term, has significant implications for female managers. In the workplace, women often find themselves disproportionately burdened with unrecognized tasks, like planning office events, or ensuring Bob from marketing isn’t upset with procedural changes. It might be even more jarring to feel expected to mask your real personality traits to fit in with the men by being the right kind of female manager, according to the false generalized stereotype of all women being compassionate, as this also is emotional labor to mask. These efforts are exp ..read more

“The equity capital markets are unique in that they’re looking towards the future. The companies we’re raising capital for are disrupting the world, and giving us a glimpse of what’s next. I really enjoy that aspect of going into work every day,” says Jill Ford, Co-head of Equity Capital Markets at Wells Fargo. “No company’s the same, no day is the same, no transaction’s the same. In addition, you get to be around incredibly smart, strategic, visionary thinkers who are potentially going to change the world.” Embracing Change No Matter How Established You Are in Your Career With more than three ..read more

Christine Fritz, Portfolio Manager, PGIM, Germany, highlights how inclusive leadership helps women overcome hurdles in their careers. Though she’s lived in Europe for more than 25 years—15 of those in Munich, Germany—and speaks three languages, Christine Fritz credits her upbringing in the New York City suburbs with shaping the attitude she’s brought to her 20-year career in real estate. “American education puts a lot of emphasis on creativity and taking a broad view of things,” she says. “Being outspoken and authentically you is encouraged. I bring that approach to my team by encouraging ever ..read more

A study was just released by McKinsey & Co, in collaboration with Lean In, the nonprofit founded by former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, and it turns the idea that women only need to shatter the glass ceiling in order to find equity at the top on its head. It found that women face their most formidable challenge not at the top, but when attempting to transition into managerial roles. For every hundred men who are promoted from entry-level to managerial positions, only ninety-one white women make the first step. This powerful disparity is even more pronounced for women of color, with only eight ..read more