As acting general counsel for North America, Meghan says staying focused on how she can help people is a crucial component of her leadership approach. She’s a believer in not taking oneself too seriously and remembering the importance of levity in stressful situations.

“You have to be responsible for the energy you bring to a room,” she says. “And it’s important to create an environment that values the individuality of people and appreciates the fact that we all come from varying backgrounds. Two people can look at the same thing but see something in a completely different way—the value of equity and hearing from a diverse group of voices can’t be overstated.” 

Meghan also attributes her success to a focus on resiliency and the drive to keep plugging away in the face of setbacks. 

“We work with so many of incredible women at ISS, so it may not be as apparent to us here. But in the legal field generally, it’s rare for women attorneys to make it to the 20-year mark,” she says. “I’m at 17 years, and I’ve had some amazing mentors throughout my career who have helped me get here, and I want to advocate for my team in the same way.”

Alice assumes positive intent from others and tries to focus on leaving things better than she found them. She says that throughout her career, maintaining an eagerness to take on the next problem and push back against the path of least resistance has helped her advance her career and achieve major goals.

“Growth is not a linear thing,” she says. “It’s important to remember that having a horizontal stretch in your trajectory can be worthwhile. My biggest learning is that, by default, I’m not terribly patient, but I’ve come to recognize the value of patience. Especially if you’re more action driven, sometimes you need to pause and remember that creating meaningful change takes time.”

Alice appreciates authenticity and argues professionals can build successful careers in part by being unabashedly themselves. As a leader, she champions self-confidence and argues that tackling new challenges is a vital catalyst for professional development.

“Don’t doubt your skills and always follow your strengths,” Alice says. “I started my career as a receptionist. After working with executives for a while, I thought, ‘If they can do this, there’s no reason I can’t.’ As leaders, we have to help our teams recognize their talents and provide them with opportunities to build on them, to take on stretch assignments that will continuously support their growth.”

Susanne doesn’t believe in giving up. Although the immediate path forward may be blocked, she says another way can always be discovered with the right insight and reflection.

“It’s important that you always move forward,” she says. “Don’t worry too much about the small things; you learn from mistakes but then move on from them. Keep exploring what you’re interested in—make it known what you want to do and what you’re capable of doing.” 

Susanne says leaders should not only talk about diversity and equity, but also set and achieve consequential targets to provide a better work environment for everyone. She takes pride in mentoring others, encouraging them to show up authentically and pursue their ambitions. 

“Dare to be yourself,” she says. “There’s nobody else you can be. Set a high bar and compete with yourself—have big goals and always be willing to learn something from another person’s perspective.”

Grit is a word that’s always top of mind for Courtney. She maintains high expectations for herself and places perseverance and passion at the heart of progress.

“I think it’s important to listen more than you speak,” Courtney says. “You’re likely not the smartest person in the room and you can always learn something from a collaborative approach. If you come to the table without being attached to an outcome, you can build amazing things with your colleagues and learn a lot from their constructive criticism.”

Courtney believes in the importance of investing in employees. By recognizing unique skill sets and helping people find exciting growth opportunities, she considers her proudest accomplishment to be developing capable and close-knit teams.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without someone showing me the path forward and then allowing me to explore it on my own terms,” she says. “People need opportunities to grow, and we need to hear from a variety of voices. Human diversity brings a diversity of thought, which creates better outcomes for everyone.”