2020: Note 24 - The Supportive Boss

The more I work on diversity and inclusion, the more I am reminded of a great boss who gave me a chance. This man is a charismatic and inspirational leader, with high standards and a career track record of success.

When he became CEO at the company where I worked, I didn't know what to expect beyond the obvious -- deliver financial results and you're in good shape; miss the mark and...well...who knows?

What I found upon meeting him is that he was a strong champion of women in business. He listened, really listened, to what I had to say, what my challenges were, and what I thought we needed to be successful. Not only did he listen, he took action. He provided me with resources and tools to increase the likelihood my team would succeed -- and we did.

I found working for this man to be such a good experience that I followed him to another company, one that had a male-dominated culture. It was a bit scary to make that leap, but I knew the CEO wouldn't let sexist views get in the way of me being successful. Once again, he supported (as well as challenged and pushed me), and my team delivered.

So many people, particularly women and minorities, talk about the lack of a champion as a barrier to success in their careers. I am so grateful that I had a real champion - one who helped me thrive even in a tough environment where most of my peers were hoping to see me fail.