Author: Trish Wellenbach, President and CEO Please Touch Museum, Chair of the Board Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Health

What inspiration do you draw from women that came before and after you in the workforce?

Early in my career, I was not fully aware of an important aspect of leadership that has become a NorthStar for me.  The aspect of leadership that has inspired me to evolve in my leadership is being comfortable asking for counsel or perspective. It seems counter intuitive as you are working to establish your “leadership cred” that expressing doubt or uncertainty would be a value in your leadership development.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Demonstrating vulnerability when you are in the midst of the “tough stuff” becomes a teachable moment not just for yourself but for those you are mentoring and those you are reporting up to. I witnessed this trait in leaders I admired early on and in those I continue to admire today.

When you embrace the credo of being a lifelong learner, and by that I mean embracing a willingness to learn from others, you open portals of information that you can’t glean from a book, article or the classroom.  When I engage with others to help inform my decision making process, I always have a higher level of confidence in my decision.

As a woman do you think it is important to have a female mentor? Or do you see value in collaborating with male counterparts?  

For me, it is not either/or, it is both/and.  My mentors have always been both/and.  The traits I look for in mentors are individuals who lead with authenticity, who make decisions appreciating the delicate balance of using data to inform a decision-making process and cognizant of the importance of EQ as decisions are implemented. Mentors who will give it to me straight, who if needed will provide a bit of tough feedback, are the individuals who have influenced me the most.

A remarkable accomplished leader who I often look to for counsel has a philosophy that the most engaged individuals are those whose circle of advisors are 10 years older and 10 years younger.  She saw the age as bringing the most value to her life personally and professionally and not necessarily gender.  I have often benefited from the wisdom of someone 10 years younger than me. As a mentor myself, if I am learning as much from a mentee as they may learn from me, that is when I know it is a perfect fit for them and for me.

What is your rule/philosophy about work on vacation or days off?

I wish there actually was a rule!  I am a fierce advocate for taking time away from work. Everyone needs to refresh and restore. I have done some of my best strategic thinking while on vacation.  Being in a different location seems to have an influence on thinking more expansively about opportunities and challenges.  When I am away I make it clear what time during the day I have allotted for responding to emails etc.  Managing expectations is key.  I do not put an away message on my email. I periodically look at emails during the day, if there was a critical issue I would address it immediately. But I try to have good discipline and wait to respond until the time I have allocated to do work.  When my direct reports are away, I am diligent in not emailing them as I do not want them to feel any pressure to respond. What is key is each person’s comfort level about engaging in work while on vacation.  If you figure that out for yourself and manage the expectations of your teams and clients, it all falls into place.

How do you know you are making a difference?

I imagine none of us really knows if we are making a difference, and sometimes it hits when you least expect it.  When I was appointed as the chair of Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Health the first woman to be appointed in 197 years, it was a moment of great pride for me.  What happened after the announcement was made was surprising to me.  I received congratulatory notes from dozens of people, many, but not all were from women, and many were from people I had not connected with for years.  It was humbling to read the notes.  People thanked me for being a leader they looked up to, many said they had followed my work for years and were so proud to tell people they knew me, several told me that years ago, I had given them perspective and advice that changed the trajectory of their professional lives, and they were deeply grateful. I try to do my best work every day, to be generous with my time and candid about my experience. If in doing that, I can make a difference in the life of one person, that may be all I can hope for as a leader.

Lightning round:

What’s something we can learn about you that’s not in your LinkedIn profile?

• People would never guess that I am a very good cook and baker.

What gets you up in the morning?

• Making pancakes for my grandchildren is the best way to start the day.

What’s the best thing that happened to you this year?

• The best thing that happened to me this year was being cancer free for one year.

What’s one song, artist, movie, TV show you’re embarrassed to admit you like?

• I love Emily in Paris, it’s fun and frivolous and I love every kitschy thing about it.

What are you most passionate about?

• I am most passionate about creating experiences for our family that will become the memories they share for generations to come.

Favorite quote?

• My favorite quote, well I have a few:  Leadership is doing the right thing when no one is watching. I never want to be the only person in the room or the smartest person in the room. There is a solution to every problem.  And my everyday credo: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. I look at life this way, always shoot for the moon for undoubtedly you will land among the stars.

Author: Dani Aditi, Team Lead (Consulting Solutions Proposal Manager), PwC  

What would make you feel like you belong at the company where you work?

After 17 years with the same firm, I feel that I belong now more than ever. What originally attracted me 17 years ago might have been the history, the spit-and-polish professionalism and being in a room with so many smart people … but what kept me here was its deeply entrepreneurial culture and its focus on people. (Especially that focus on people.) Put those two things together and you’ve got people doing creative things with permission to fail… fail fast, learn the lesson and move on. The pace can be breathtaking, but the energy is very engaging.

Over the years, my needs as an employee have naturally changed, from young motherhood to mature professional, and the firm culture has evolved as well. Because every employee is encouraged to continually challenge themselves — to grow personally, professionally, and diversify — I suspect that I’ve grown into belonging.

Why did you aspire to be a leader? When did you realize you had leadership capabilities?

Leadership was more of a retroactive realization than a conscious aspiration for me. There was a period of frustration for me a few years ago in which I was missing the usual back and forth with my colleagues, and I couldn’t understand why they weren’t speaking up, addressing issues, offering up alternative ideas. At first, I tried to carefully cultivate silence, worried I was drowning out the collaborative discourse I enjoyed so much. But a while later I realized they were listening to me, accepting and following my ideas, and I’d fallen into a de facto leadership role that would eventually turn into a formal leadership position.

Now that I’ve moved officially into a leadership role, I realize I do aspire to be a certain kind of leader. Professionals spend a greater part of their day working, and with the same focus on people that I’ve seen portrayed by firm leadership, I want to do what I can to make that time as inspiring, enjoyable, affirming and satisfying as I can.

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader? How does/has POWER helped?

I’m sure this list will grow conspicuously over time, but these habits have served me well so far:

• Be empathetic: What did I want from my leaders? Do that.
• Create opportunity: What were the conditions under which I felt like I experienced periods of professional growth, and how can I create those for others?
• Ask for feedback: Since we’re all different and what worked for me won’t necessarily work for all, ask for real-time feedback. Then ask again, in a different way.
• Seek opportunity: Continue to ask for opportunities that push me outside my comfort zone, so I can continue to grow personally and professionally.

The POWER Mentoring Circle is an opportunity my leadership provided to push me outside my comfort zone, to grow professionally, and the discussions we’re having are helping me explore ideas in a safe space, and hear feedback, perspectives and coaching from the mentors. Those discussions help connect me with women who are willing to be real and share their own challenges and uncertainties and help ground me in the fact that I’m in good company.

What advice would you give your 25-year-old self?

“Speak up, you don’t have to be the expert on a topic to contribute value or help a team reach consensus.” While it is thrilling to be in the room with a bunch of smart people, it can also be its own challenge, especially when you’re a young professional trying to establish yourself.  Remember:  If you’re in that room, there’s a reason for it. If you don’t have the answers, a smart question can often be just as effective in getting a team moving in the right direction. If you find yourself struggling to interject your perspective with a team you’re not fully established with, prepare a couple smart but general questions you might inject into the conversation. Not only will you learn something from the response, but you might inspire the team to think about the issue at hand in a different light.

What’s the best thing that happened to you this year?

Without a doubt, it is taking the plunge and finally purchasing my first house… my own little piece of 1912 history in one of the largest intact, historic neighborhoods in Washington state. As a pair of Gen-X latch-key kids, my husband and I weren’t sure what all the fuss was about, owning a home. But the appeal of an old house close to the ocean proved to be greater than our apathy and the Fed’s interest rates combined. Leaving Seattle for a time capsule with “woods” for a backyard is quite the change of pace!

Author: Angelica Roiz, Partner, Grant Thornton

How can women support other women in the workplace/in their organizations?

One of the ways that I’ve found women can support other women in the workplace/in their organizations is by sharing their personal stories and experiences. What shaped their career paths, how did they overcome challenges/obstacles and celebrate their successes, who is their mentor and how are they available to mentor others, etc.! By telling their stories, women leaders can make a huge impact on the next generation of leaders as well as on their peers, many of whom will be able to relate/aspire and see themselves in the women at the organization. Being vulnerable and sharing (good and bad!) can make a huge difference that should not be underestimated.

Have you ever experienced gender-related roadblocks in your career and, if so, how did you overcome them?

Yes, but they were all ones that I believe were from people close to me and with positive intentions. There were a handful of times as a new working mother that I found co-workers purposely excluded me from meeting invites or presentations/etc., because they didn’t want to overwhelm me or knew that the meetings were falling during early morning or evening times when I was with my newborn daughter. Overtime, I realized what was happening and took it upon myself to tell my teammates and my clients that I’d rather decide on my own whether I should attend, and then plan accordingly! As a new mother, I was still very keenly focused on building my career and it was important to me to let others know that so that they didn’t make any assumptions about me, even though they were doing so with the best of intentions. I realized that to progress and overcome obstacles and foster inclusion, it was up to me to be vocal about what I wanted to do and how I was prepared to work out my schedule to do so! Because of this, I was able to capitalize on some great opportunities in my career and never feel like I was taking a step back, unless it was on my own terms.

How important is it to have a mentor to grow as a leader?

It is critically important to have a mentor (or mentors!) to grow as a leader. In addition to having a mentor who you can trust for advice and to serve as a sounding board, it’s also critically important, I’ve found, to have a sponsor. Someone who pushes you out of your comfort zone, nominates you for important projects, and challenges you to take the opportunities that you might not feel like you’re ready to take on. Having a mentor and a sponsor in your circle allows you to learn from others and see what you’d like to emulate, do differently, and/or pass on to your own mentees overtime.

How do you balance career, personal life and passions? Is there such a thing as balance or is it more about integration? What are the pros and cons?

There is no such thing as “balance” in the perfect sense, but there is a balance in knowing that and doing your best each day to achieve everything you can (whether at work or at home). My advice and what I’ve learned over many years of trial and error is that being present is the key. As a working mom of two girls under two, I found myself at the time rushing home from work to pick them up from daycare and make sure I spent time with them. Only to spend the evening anxiously checking my work emails and thinking about what I didn’t finish that day…and counting down till bedtime so I could hop back on the computer! What I learned is that it’s better to spend that extra time at work and get to a good spot before switching gears and turning to home/personal life matters so that those can get your full attention as well. Although I pride myself on being an expert multi-tasker, I’ve learned that it’s not always the best thing and that sometimes focusing keenly on work and then on personal life is a more effective way to excel at both and be able to compartmentalize in a healthy way!  

Where will we find you on a Saturday / Sunday morning?

On a Saturday morning you’ll find me at one of my kids’ activities/classes! The latest is basketball with my 3 ½ year old son who loves to “dunk!” When I’m not with my kids (which is rarely on Saturday’s and Sunday’s), I love to make time for a yoga or meditation class, catch-up on some reading, or take a walk with my husband (even if just around the neighborhood). My career keeps me very busy with work, and has for years, so I’ve found that the best way for me to unwind is extra time with loved ones on the weekends (without checking work emails!) or some quiet time for myself (which I’m slowly getting better at scheduling). 

Author: Erika Rothenberger, Performance Systems Director

You were the victim of a random and horrific attack in the parking lot of your place of work. How has this experience affected you?

Although the blood, bruises, scratches, cuts and marks are no longer visible, the pain inside my body and soul is real. The fear still exists. I no longer feel safe the way I did just five months ago. My mind still races, and I play the “what if game.” I sometimes blame myself. I still get mad. Sad. Defeated and confused because the long-term trauma is REAL. It is the toughest battle because no one can see inside your head—your heart—your soul. This is by FAR the hardest wound for any victim to heal. He took my sense of security and safety away temporarily. And there is no prescription. No bandage. No magic potion to take these inner demons and emotions away, but thanks to our community, humanity (because I still believe everyone wants to do good), and a lot of therapy, I have come so far to work through these struggles. And quite frankly, sharing my story has helped me a lot.    

What is important for people to know?

To be aware. To know this can happen to anyone. To know that women are more susceptible to random attacks. To be more alert. To share this story to make yourself and other people you love and care about more aware. I don’t want this story to scare you, but to make you take action and have better situational awareness. 

I also remind you that there is HOPE. LIGHT. LOVE. GOOD HUMANS. I have been enveloped and surrounded in a blanket of KINDESS. The faith that there is so much love out there. There is so much good out there. And although the world is challenging, it is also filled with so many humans who care. 

How has this changed your views on leadership, community and life in general?

But this event won’t define me. It won’t take me down. It won’t stop me from being Erika. It has and will continue to make me stronger. I am committed to doing local events to create awareness, working with our community groups, volunteering, working on legislation and being fearless about sharing my story. I promise you I am committed to creating awareness—and I ask you to be part of my mission. To go out there and share. To tell someone my story—or perhaps finally share your own. We are so much stronger together as one. Alone we can do so little, together we can truly move mountains and light the flame for others. There are so many people that need to stay quiet out of fear about assault, and I want to be hope for them. I will this darkness along with you all to create light. I will not just be a victim of a crime. I am a warrior. I will make a difference because behind every strong individual is a story that gives us no choice but to win. I am not a victim, I am a SURVIOR and thank you all from the depths of my heart for supporting me—for being that light—and for making it a mission to be THE LIGHT in a world of darkness.  

How can women support other women in the workplace/in their organizations?

Lift as we RISE.  As you climb the ladder, get the promotion, win the race, write the book—take other women with you.  Encourage them.  Cheer even louder for them.  I always think back to times in my life (and believe me I still have them) of self-doubt and am confident that I would not be who I am today without the support of other women who were cheering me on so loudly! We need to be both mentors and sponsors (especially when they are not in the room) to these other women—I always ask myself, what would I want a boss, a coach or a mentor to my daughter to be like, and I try to be that person to every woman in my circle. 

How do you balance career, personal life and passions? Is there such a thing as balance or is it more about integration? What are the pros and cons?

I don’t believe there is a “perfect” balance in anything we do, but I am a firm believer that you wear multiple hats and defend the time for the things that really fuel your passion and purpose in life. If we want anything bad enough, we will make time for it—so when I show up as a corporate professional, I give it 100%. When I am on the football field or at gymnastics, I give 100%. When I am working on my wellness business, I dive in 100%. As humans, we are not great multi-taskers, so I look at it like swim lanes—decide the most important strokes you want to swim, jump in the pool, and give it your all out. As a mom, I am very open with my kids about my other swim lanes, and they always know they are #1, but because of our open dialogues, they understand that sometimes mom may need to give and take. I make them my WHY, and not my excuse always. 

We’ve heard about a very traumatic incident you endured this year, but can you tell us about the best thing that happened to you this year? 

Yes, the incident was traumatic, no doubt. But it also was a blessing in so many ways.  It made me more aware and allowed me to shine my light to make others aware. It made me realize I had two choices:  crawl up in a cocoon and live in fear or be bold, brave & badass and share my story in hopes that it will change at least one other women’s life. Life can certainly be filled with ups and downs, but it is how we choose to deal with the curve balls thrown our way. I made the choice to use it to help me grow, enlighten and show others that no matter what happens in life, we have the inner strength to overcome it. I encourage every woman out there—because we all have dealt with trauma in some shape or form—to ask yourself: how can I start to see the cup half full and how would I want the younger generation to see me as a role model to them? Sometimes it is the harder path to take initially, but I promise the finish line is so much more rewarding when you do. Overall, the best part is I was able to take the fuel thrown at me and turn it into fire.

What excited you about participating in Power’s Career Conversation and what’s the most useful piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

I’m inspired by POWER’s mission and this community of current and future female leaders. It’s important for us all to remember we are not alone and POWER provides a great space for us to learn, connect and support each other as we navigate our personal and professional lives.

I’m really looking forward to sharing my story and hopefully inspiring the next generation of leaders to fulfill their potential and make a difference – whatever that means to them.

A mentor of mine once told me, “If you want to succeed, you can’t be shy about asking for help.” It’s such simple advice, but it has carried me through some big challenges over the years. Even recently, as my role changed and my responsibilities expanded significantly, I reminded myself that I can, and should, ask for help and lean on my colleagues, family and community for support.

What advice do you have for the next generation of female leaders?

First, take advantage of the doors that have been opened by prior generations of female leaders. These doors will reveal themselves in different ways and at different times throughout your career – you’ll know them when you see them, so keep an eye out and be prepared to step in and explore what’s inside.

Second, remember it is okay, even encouraged, to be vulnerable and ask for help along the way. We could all benefit from more honest and transparent dialogue about what it really means to be a female leader – the challenges and sacrifices, the juggling of work and life, and debunking the myth that we can do it all.  

Third, and perhaps my most important piece of advice, is to stay resilient! Being a leader is tough – no matter the gender. Being able to stay resilient and weather challenges is the key to ensuring future success for yourself and for those you lead.

As a leader, how do you stay mindful of who’s at the table and who’s missing? And how do you work to correct gaps in representation?

Early in my career, it was not uncommon for me to be the only woman at the table. Thankfully, times have changed. The shift in representation is refreshing, but there is still work to do.

Now, I use my position to ensure we have diverse representation at the table – I’m deliberate and intentional when making hiring decisions, staffing projects, and deciding how to work with external partners. These things matter. Holding ourselves accountable when it comes to representation is the only way to drive change.

Why did you make the career choice you did? Why this industry? Why this role?

From a young age, I knew I wanted to practice law – although, I certainly never anticipated the path my career would take, or that I would ultimately end up in my current role.

I loved learning about history. Many of my role models had law degrees and used them to change the course of history. As it happens, my law degree is what led me to Cigna and my passion of working to improve the healthcare system. It has been tremendously rewarding. 

I recently assumed responsibility for Cigna’s Environmental, Social and Governance program, where we work to expand the reach of our mission and support better health for all. This role is personal to me, having witnessed members of my own family struggle with their health and try to navigate a complex system. I have found renewed meaning and purpose in my work and I’m honored that I can use my role and my platform to help those who need it most.

What gets you up in the morning?

In the spirit of transparency, most days I’m woken up by my three-year-old daughter, my five-year-old son, or one of my two dogs – and usually early than I would like. We have a busy and lively household, but I would not have at any other way.

Figuratively, I draw a lot of my energy and motivation by simply wondering what I might learn from the day – from my kids, from new challenges at work, or just random things that may eventually help me in one of the various facets of my life. Staying curious and adapting a growth mindset drives the way I approach my day-to-day and has helped me continue to evolve personally and professionally.