This weekend, my older daughter and I went on our first college tours as part of her search for college. It made me think a lot about success, hers and my own. My daughter knows that beyond family, my career has always been an important component of my definition of success. As she should.
On September 1, 2001, I returned to Arthur Andersen from my maternity leave. That same day, I became a partner of the firm. I have always been proud of that fact. Not just for myself and my family but also for the firm and my sponsors. That was then.
Now we can and should expect that and more because organizations have grown and can continue to grow to support equality.
One of the things I love about Big Careers Little Kids is that it encourages each of us to make our own definition of success. By making our own definitions, we are embracing leadership and the potential for change.
I tend not to dwell on my own success and I don’t really allow myself to think that way for very long. I suppose that is a shortcoming. I am proud of the work I have done over my career, of the people I have collaborated with and helped.
I have met some fantastic women at Big Careers Little Kids events. There is an immediate sense of camaraderie walking into a room of women that share the rewarding and difficult experience of balancing busy careers and family lives. Because of this common experience I was able to easily make lasting connections with some accomplished and dynamic women. I feel so inspired after attending a BCLK event and I look forward to getting more involved!
When I think about “Big Career, Little Kids,” I reflect on how I’ve gotten to this point in my career. It wasn’t so easy in the early years, when “flexibility” was a dirty word and part-time was a rotten deal for most women. But I got here by building a support network and asking for what I needed, and for what I wanted.
The good news is, times have changed. Today we have a lot of exciting opportunities in front of us, and the workplace is more flexible than ever. There has never been a better time for women to attain a senior-ranking executive position or negotiate a better deal within an existing role.
I've attended a number of events that Big Careers Little Kids has hosted over the past few years and have found this to be a group of thoughtful and welcoming women that are able to have discussions relevant to topics that we face in our careers and as parents. It is really nice to have a local support network of working moms in similar roles to share ideas and network with.
