P2P

17 I L T A N E T . O R G nurses to go to "war college." She was the first nurse to work in the Office of the Inspector General overseas. Every step she took in her career was focused on being more effective at her job. That's my model. My mom also instilled in me the idea that there are no limits to what a woman can do. When I first started working, she gave me books to read, and she gave me what we call a mission-vision orientation, which is essential for enabling the people working around you to function independently. With this orientation, you set bars that everyone can see and work toward. You maintain fairness and transparency in everything you do. This allows you to have objective conversations, and it allows the people who work for you to make decisions on their own and grow into their own leadership roles. Also, implicit in the example my mom set for me is the idea that you need to get rid of your ego. Nothing is personal in the professional sphere. Ditching your ego allows you to start from the ground up and learn. When, at the beginning of my career, I was making pretty good money reviewing contracts, my manager approached me and asked me to take a job as an analyst, he said, "I can't pay you what you're worth." That was fine. I was willing to learn and go from there, and I have no regrets. Advice to the young: Evolve One of the most challenging and fantastic characteristics of the technolo in any industry is the frequency and speed of change. What was possible and expected in the past versus now and in the future is, and will always be, different. My strategies for navigating professional challenges as a woman of color have evolved as the industry and my career have evolved. Although we are still under-represented, there are now women and people of color in technolo and in leadership positions who are re-defining what's possible in this environment. There are still hurdles, but I want to be careful not to dampen the enthusiasm, optimism and professional aspirations of a new generation of women interested in legal technolo and legal operations. That said, it's not all rainbows, butterflies, and unicorns. Navigating and guiding your professional growth with deliberate intent is hard. Women and people of color will be challenged in the academic and professional worlds in ways that they can't even imagine when they start out. Some of those challenges will be overt, some covert and some completely passive. I believe personal evolution is the key to achieving and navigating a successful career. Here are some areas of focus that help me continue to evolve: • Core values. Know what you are willing to do and not do in order to accomplish what you need to accomplish in your career. Define your line of integrity. In an ever-changing environment, these values operate as firm guidelines for your decision making and provide a level of consistency as you interact with others during the tenure of your career. "Personal evolution is the key to achieving and navigating a successful career."

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