ICEDRSpecialReport-TakingCharge_000

Taking Charge
REPAY
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a mom who had premature triplets
saying that she didn’t know what to do
and nothing was working with them
and they took one of our formulas and
now they’re thriving and growing, I
cannot tell you how good I feel.”
Some careers, such as healthcare, are
natural fits to feeling like you have
made a difference. But, it is also the
case that you can find a deep sense
of purpose in other fields. Marcia
To repay should not be dismissed
as altruism.
For our executives, it is a key way they measure their
success. Quite simply,
it matters to them to make
a difference:
to help others succeed is a valued part of
their legacy.
McIntyre, a Managing Director at RBC
says: “I define success by being able to
feel like I am making a difference in
some way. It’s very hard in finance to
go home and say ‘I’ve saved a life’, as a
doctor can. But, at the end of the day,
if I can say that I made someone’s life
a little bit better or I have been able to
create or to provide value to a client
then that is success.”
Furthermore, if you are in a clientfacing
role, or aspire to be in one,
these women advise you to strengthen
your client relationship building
skills. For example, if your company
offers networking events with clients,
attending such events are good
opportunities to enhance your abilities
in this area. When appropriate,
establishing strong relationships
with clients is a tremendous way to
strengthen your credibility and value.
REPAY: Next-Generation
Women Leaders
Exceptional women leaders consider
themselves to be stewards of the next
generation. This is not just a nice thing
to do. In fact, they view their role as
steward as a key way to raise the value
of their companies in the market. For
them, as they rose through the ranks,
women’s programs or senior female
role models were scarce. Now, as
senior-level women, they are committed
to helping the rising female stars to
navigate their way. Here’s how Mirjam
de Blecourt, a Partner at Baker &
McKenzie, is doing just that.
Mirjam is not one to be sidelined
by a challenge. “I like a positive
environment: one where we not
only talk about a problem but also
propose a solution. That is why I try to
teach all my associates to be problem
solvers.” Mirjam is taking her own
advice. Passionate about diversity and
disappointed about the lack of women
at the top, Mirjam took action. She
drafted a law for the Netherlands
requiring that at least one third of
board members must be women
(applicable to all companies with 250
or more employees) – the law was
passed in January 2012. To keep the