What does it take to be successful in today’s workplace? It’s a question that I routinely ask myself in my ongoing quest to raise my game and add value to both Women & Co. and our parent, Citibank. So, perhaps not surprisingly, whenever I’m presented with an opportunity, I pose this very question to the executives and entrepreneurs we feature in our Get Started series at womenandco.com. So far, I have asked 23 women what it takes to be successful in today’s workplace. All in all, the women I’ve interviewed have identified 32 different traits (don’t you just love the symmetry!), of which eight have risen to the top:

Confidence and courage. Judy Saryan, CFA®, of Eaton Vance, put it this way, "First and foremost, have confidence in your own strengths – know what you are good at and build on that. Leverage it in your day-to-day work." Vatana Watters, CEO of Dallas-based Watters Design, agrees that confidence is critical as a leader, but you don’t want to be overconfident and ignore other people’s points of view. She added, “You need to be willing to admit what you don’t know and surround yourself with people whose experiences and skills complement your own.”  Building on this, Judy Homer of JB Homer Associates, an executive search firm, added, “You must be willing to seize the moment and take measured risk. You can’t let fear stop you; don’t be afraid."

Integrity. Unequivocally important to all, Judy Homer summed it up like this, “Don't lose your 'soul' just to get business. Have the courage to walk away if need be. Don't let anyone or anything erode your ethics and integrity." Linda Hitt Thatcher of Thatcher Law LLC, added, “Reputation is key because you can lose it in the blink of an eye.”

Work ethic. “There are a lot of smart people out there," said Kathy Buck, CFA®, of Fidelity Investments, "so you can't just compete on your 'smarts'; you also have to work hard." 

Determination and perseverance. Cheryl Cox of Epic Real Estate Solutions adds: “What I mean by ‘thoughtful urgency,’ is that you should be pushing yourself each day to move the ball forward, but with reflection. Don’t just react, stop and think first.” 

Perspective. On this, Kathy Buck emphasized, "If you work 24/7, you will never know what is going on in the world, let alone in your industry. You'll be making decisions with an 'information deficit.'  I really believe that balancing work and life makes you more productive and better able to bring a fresh, more valuable perspective to your work." Diane Sherwood, founder of elder care planning service Sherwood Associates, echoed Kathy’s comments: “Keep your eyes open and finger on the pulse of things, from the economy to your community to your customers and vendors. Maintain a 'big picture' view."  

Pamela Mitchell, Founder & CEO of The Reinvention Institute, added her own perspective on “perspective,” noting, “You need to understand how to navigate the politics and effectively influence those who don’t work for you, but can help or hinder your own or your team's success.” She continued, “At the end of the day, moving a product or project forward hinges on getting buy-in from others. It comes down to relationships — and they can be challenging, even frustrating. To be successful, you can’t take pushback or challenges as a personal indictment. Eighty percent of the time, it will not have anything to do with you. In the remaining 20% of cases, dispassionately analyze the situation to own your part and view it as an opportunity to learn, shift and grow.”

Flexibility and adaptability. Judy Homer believes that success hinges on one's willingness to change. She elaborated, "If you don't transform yourself and your business, you won't survive because everything around you is constantly in flux. You need to keep adapting not just to survive, but to thrive." Stephanie Berenbaum, co-founder of e-zine Fabulous & Frugal, added, “Don't let your ego get in the way of your long-term goals. When I first entered the financial industry, I was getting coffee for people my age or even younger. But, they had been working in the industry longer. I watched what they were doing, learned the business and looked for opportunities to add value, to demonstrate my skills and put my knowledge into practice. In the end, it paid off for me.”

Active listening and communications.  To Vatana Watters, careful listening is “key to cultivating real, authentic conversations, not just with employees but with all important stakeholders.” Judy Saryan built on what Vatana said, "Be clear to people that you are paying attention and really thinking about what they are saying. Make them know that they are being heard and have role to play." With regard to communications, Jennifer Ware of YW Dallas stressed, "When you don't tell people what is going on, they tend to make stuff up -- and usually what they think of is 'worse' than the truth. So, keep the lines of communication open internally and externally. Saying it over and over helps the message sink in and keep people focused." Jackie Robinson, CFO of energy investment firm, E+Co, added, “Take time to listen and observe. Reflect on what you learn."  To Arlene Fortunato, President of Fortunato Consulting, “You need to be able to write clearly, build relationships that work and think strategically.” 

Strategic vision and tactical execution. Laurie Bertner, CFA®, of Fidelity Investments, believes that success in today's marketplace requires a combination of long-term vision and an understanding of how to execute on that vision in the medium term. Phylis Eagle-Oldson, President and CEO of The Emma Bowen Foundation, echoed this, “Take ownership for your tasks and assignments, and be able to balance strategic thinking with attention to executional details. Also important is being able to manage up.”

Regardless of whether you agree these are the “right” eight on which to focus, these are important skills to develop — and Women & Co. is committed to bringing you more insights for taking your career, or your business, forward. As Judy Homer said so eloquently above, “you need to keep adapting not just to survive, but to thrive.” In the meantime, for more insights and inspiration from these and other inspiring women (and to pick up a few tips for being successful in today’s workplace), check out Women & Co.’s content on Your Career.

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