I just celebrated my 10th anniversary at Pfizer but I have been involved with the JPM Women’s breakfast for a very long time. I never dreamed that I would be the speaker! I really have laboured over what I could share today that would be valuable for an audience of successful women like you all. I have to admit that it is a bit scary being asked to be featured for this event. So here goes – I hope my remarks may impart some wisdom but if not, I hope we will share some laughter together at least!
As some of you may know, a few weeks ago I announced my intent to retire from Pfizer Ventures later this spring. This has put a unique perspective on my preparations for this speech. I have been thinking back on my professional path and talking with a number of women about their careers to get their advice on what I could talk about. I had the fortune to be seated next to a young professor from an Ivy League university some months ago and I put the question to her. What could I say that would be impactful to an audience of accomplished women? She revealed an amazing thing to me! The “Imposter Syndrome is still alive and well! In prepping her students for important moments in their academic lives, she told me that she must be their CCO – that is, their chief confidence officer; their “supreme cheerleader”. In advance of their presentations, she counsels her students that they have to “play” the part of a confident person. They can fall apart afterwards but for the next few moments, they must act like their picture of success. I was astonished! I thought to myself – young women still suffer from the same lack of confidence that I had as a young professional and on occasions (like this morning!) still do? They too have the tiny voice in their head telling that they cannot do this. I am afraid. When will others find out that I am really a fake? So it appears that the imposter syndrome endures, even in the times when examples of successful women leaders are more prevalent than ever. This revelation that the same issue that plagued women in my generation still persists caused to me reflect on the path that led me to today and forms the basis for my remarks this morning. I think I have become less of an imposter and more of an imposer – but I admit I still have some ways to go!
So how do I think I have been able to quiet my fears and gain more confidence about myself? I wasn’t born confident, for sure. This was something I learned over time but what were the key steps that allowed me to become more confident? Of course, I benefited from having mentors but for me, I think that “visualizing success” has had the most influence in my life. I do not consider myself an innovator, but rather someone who executes on a plan. I need a picture of success that I can use to pattern myself after. Consequently, I am a mimic, a conscripter of good ideas that I incorporate into my approach. I have watched successful people in many different situations. I have admired their thought processes, their unique perspectives, the tone they have used to convey their messages. And I take these learnings, test them out, adapt them to my style, and then incorporate those that work for me into the philosophy that I then use in my everyday life. Kind of like making your own jigsaw puzzle, as you try different positions with each piece to see what works best for you. Each day, I see something I can borrow from individuals I interact with and I add another piece to the puzzle of my life.
So this morning, I thought I would share stories about 3 people who have served as my “pictures of success” and describe the patterns that they have given me which have contributed to leading me here today in the hopes that these lessons may also be helpful to you.
1) Let’s begin in my “early days” when I left the lab and began to pursue the business of science. Tamar Howson was my first picture of success. I worked for Tamar when she led business development at SmithKline Beecham but she went on to other senior leadership roles at large pharma and within biotech. At that time I first met her, Tamar was the rare woman at the top of the leadership of a large pharma and she was smart and tough! Tamar still is a guiding light in my life and she has given me many sage words of advice over the 20 years we have grown to know one another, but I share one incident early in my business career that as I think back, was a true catalyst for change. During our time together at SB, there were some rough periods where I felt that Tamar was under attack from other powerful members of the company’s management team. I once asked her how she coped with knowing that people were out to get her. She replied that if she was worried about people liking her, she would never get out of bed in the morning. You have to press forward if you believe in what you are doing. I know that these comments may seem unremarkable but for me, they imparted some important messages. First, being liked is not a true corollary of success. Second, you don’t have to make everyone happy. Or maybe more realistically, you can’t. Third, you cannot be afraid to pursue your path. So get used to the feeling of being alone, disliked or uncertain, if you are being true to yourself. This was the moment I decided to get in the game, sit at the table, speak up, and start acting on decisions I was passionate about – my “fake it until I make it” moment! After time passed, I became more comfortable being uncomfortable.
2) My second “picture of success” was Brenda Gavin, one of the leading women venture capitalists and my first boss when I entered the VC world after joining SR One.
Brenda was bold and outspoken, and never afraid to ask for what she wanted. No doubt her intelligence, great personality and sense of humour allowed her to be beloved by all those that worked with her, even when pushing the envelope. Unfortunately, Brenda died almost 3 years ago, and having her as my friend and mentor ended way too soon. But I have two of her mantras that run through my mind almost every week. First, you can’t make a mistake until you are 50! And of course, as she reached and then passed that age, Brenda kept adjusting the number upwards! And her second mantra – if you make a bad choice, make another one. So Brenda gave me several more critically impactful snapshots of success and puzzle pieces for my life. First, take a chance! Try something new; don’t be stuck in your ways. I really hate being wrong or looking silly, but she helped me understand that mistakes are part of life – you do not have to be perfect! It is in our failures that great lessons are learned and pivots are made that can lead you into new fulfilling paths. To not take a chance is as big a loss as trying and failing, despite how scary this might be. And it is my choice to make! If I have made a decision that does not make me happy, then I can choose to get out of that situation. I do not have to accept intolerable circumstances. I can re-orient and move on.
3) And finally, my 3rd picture of success is my partner, my boss, and my dear friend – Barbara Dalton. Many of you can relate when I say that she has been a huge influence on my career and made such a difference in my life. Perhaps you have noticed, but Barbara always appears supremely confident and seems to have all the answers. It is this picture of success, I have in mind when I head out each day to work with my teammates, companies and co-investors. Because our professional lives are so similar, Barbara is a key source of patterns for mine. She willingly shares her experience as an investor, a board member, a large company executive. By sharing her approaches, I have been able to add many more “solutions” to my toolkit and in so, my repertoire has been significantly expanded. These puzzle pieces have allowed me to look smarter than I have a right to be! Barbara is very thoughtful and deliberative. She is like a chess master who thinks many moves ahead, prepared and ready to discuss perspectives and solutions from different angles to drive towards her recommended outcome. Whether it is your problem or hers, she sweats the details with you, often coming back to offer additional guidance after thinking more about the issue. In addition, Barbara never tires of making those around her better. She is 150% supportive. You always know she has your back! Barbara is very generous with her knowledge and experience. She makes many opportunities available to me, encouraging me to try new things, to step out of my comfort zone and do more. Barbara sees greatness in me that I cannot envision. She has been my biggest champion and cheerleader – my Chief Confidence Officer! Finally, Barbara’s “pay it forward” philosophy has ingrained in me the value of helping others achieve their best.
All together then, here are the key lessons I have learned from these three role models over my career that stick with me today:
- Being liked is a nice to have, not a need to have.
- Press on through your fear.
- Take a chance and don’t be afraid to make a mistake.
- Course correct, when needed.
- Think about issues from different perspectives.
- Continually seek improvement by observing success in others.
- Take advantage of a support system.
- Be generous with your time and talents.
As I look out across the room this morning, I can say with certainty that many of you have also given me “pictures” of success. Hope you don’t mind that I have taken snippets of your behaviour, attitude, approach, tone, thought processes and incorporated them into my style. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Beyond the examples that you and my three role models have provided, all of you have given me another critical component of my success – your faithful support. By having faith in me, I grew more confident in myself. I may not have the answer but I do have the patterns to find a solution. And with these patterns, I have increasing confidence to try new things, to use them to make a new picture of success. Fear of failure still quivers in me with surprising regularity but with the snapshots, I have collected from Tamar, Brenda, Barbara, and all of you along with the knowledge that you are in my corner, I have made great progress on the path from imposter to imposer.
So now what, you may ask? How are these ruminations useful to you? How does this help further women’s leadership? Here’s how I think it can be impactful. Just as I have shared the influence that Tamar, Brenda and Barbara have had on my life, I want you to take 1 minute to think about someone who has helped you along the way. Maybe they are sitting next to you at this event. What “pictures of success” have they shown you? What puzzle pieces have they shared with you along the way? How have you woven these into your success story?
Then I want to ask each of you to become a “picture of success” for another person in your network. Consider giving the same assistance to them, help them see and adapt puzzle pieces in their life story. I realize that we see lots of influential leaders on TV or read books by others that inspire us. However, I think a more personal grassroots approach can be so much more effective in helping others “see” what they could be. When I was growing up, I only saw women as homemakers, teachers, nurses, retail clerks. I realize that this is quite different today for most of you in the audience, but I do not think that this is a universal truth. I think it is very important to show others a more personal picture of what a successful woman looks like. Make it real for them. Let them see you, get to know you, learn about your path. Tell the story of your career, how you collected experience, made mistakes, pivoted to try something new. Share how you used one situation to impact another. Admit that you can be afraid but still pressed on. Show them how you have woven a tapestry of solutions into the unique path you have charted for yourself. The impact of this can be huge. Whether at home with your children, volunteering in your neighbourhood, working with your alumni association or even on a grander scale in your companies, in politics, via social media, wherever you have the opportunity to make a role model real. I am an example of the power that pictures of success can have in one person’s life!
A few months ago, I watched the movie, Won’t You Be My Neighbour? The film ended with some remarks that Fred Rogers shared during one of his commencement speeches. As I thought about my career, I found the messages to be inspirational and very appropriate for the occasion this morning as they spoke to the power that people in your lives can have so I wanted to conclude with them and add a few remarks of my own.
Now, quoting Fred Rogers:
“Think about those special people who have helped you along the way.
No matter where they are, deep down you know that they have always wanted what was best for you.
They’ve always cared about you beyond measure, and have encouraged you to be true to the best within you.
From the time that you were very little, you’ve had people who have smiled you into smiling,
People who have talked you into talking,
Sung you into singing, loved you into loving.”
I am now asking you to be someone else’s “people”. To take time to share your snapshots with others so they too can see what different versions of success look like and adapt solutions for themselves from the patterns you help provide. Be the people who help support them into succeeding, the people that share them into sharing, lead them into leading. Give others a snapshot of success that they can incorporate into their life’s picture. Who knows what beautiful portrait they can compose!
Photo of Elaine Jones courtesy of LinkedIn.