When it comes to writing something inspirational, have you ever hit a dry period?  Well, that is me today.

What better time to allow other voices to share the lessons they learned, not from a classroom, but straight from the Board Room.

Following is the advice from three smart, personable, savvy women I interviewed for my book, The Unstoppables, ©2016. Though they may be talking about women, I have selected excerpts that apply to anyone.

• Lillian Bauder, PhD, University of Michigan, former VP of Corporate Affairs at Masco Corporation and Chairman and President of Masco Foundation

“Do not see life through a simple prism of one’s sex, race, age, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Life is far more complex. I have had this conversation repeatedly with women who might be inclined to think that things happen because they are female or of a particular ethnicity. The truth is that life is more complex. If I had thought that every difficulty I encountered was because I am a woman, I never would have continued to succeed. This is a life lesson I’ve often shared and, as a result, I’ve been able to help younger career-minded women get beyond this mindset.

• Patricia Caruso, MA, University of Michigan, Michigan’s first Director of the Michigan Department of Corrections

“It is very important to broaden your horizons. You cannot just stick with what you know from what history has told you. Transitioning from country government to corrections was a huge stretch for me, and I’m grateful to have had that opportunity.

I always encourage people to reach out and be involved in other organizations, even if, as in my case, your employer offers no financial support for your memberships. If you are not willing to do anything for yourself, outside of what your employer pays you for, you will never grow and flourish. You have to be willing to invest in yourself.

As a proponent of maintaining a positive attitude, I will submit that it’s tempting to take offense and make yourself a victim or martyr. If you look to be offended, you will be offended every day, and so you have to take control of yourself, your career, and your life and make that your decision. Own it. Sometimes we get all caught up in the transgressions, thinking, ‘Everyone is picking on me,’ or ‘I don’t have this opportunity.’ If you look for these things, you’ll find them. But don’t make that who you are or you will be defined by that, and that is all you will ever be.

Decide that you will look at things positively and work from your strengths. Sometimes women get caught up in thinking, ‘They won’t let me do that because I am female.’ But that is seldom the reason why someone won’t let you do something. Don’t hold yourself back with this kind of thinking.”

Ruth Shaw, Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin, former President of Central Piedmont Community College, former CEO of Duke Power, Group Executive for Public Policy and President of Duke Nuclear

“You really have to take responsibility for yourself. The personal competence, confidence, skills and connections that you develop are yours; they belong to you, all of them. When you leave that job and go to another one, … you will take those skill sets, those relationships, that history of what you did with you.

But it’s also not about you, and you will never realize that until you are in a position like president or CEO or some other senior position, and one day you leave that job and the light don’t even flicker. A lot goes with the position itself, and it is NOT about you. It is about the authority, the power, and the connections that that position holds. So, try to stay clear in your own mind about the difference. Nurture those things that are all about you and respect those things that go with the position itself.”

I hope you have enjoyed reading the lessons of three top women leaders who still sit in some important board rooms in the country.

© 2021  Mary Jane Mapes  All right reserved.

ATTENTION:  If you’d like to learn more from these woman and 17 other top level leaders, you can find The Unstoppables, Success Strategies from 12 Top Women Leaders to Supercharge Your Career on Amazon – http://amazon.com

Psst…it’s not for women only!  Men can learn from this book, too!