Obstacle Obliterators

Almost every successful woman (if not all of them) has had to overcome obstacles – despite her position, industry or background.

Here’s how two powerful women bulldozed through theirs:

Early in her career as the only woman in the office, Sara Arnell was always asked to grab coffee, tend to the copier or get someone on the phone.

She felt frustrated and undervalued. Her solution?

“I learned requests that bother me need correcting on the spot,” says Arnell, now CEO of advertising and broadcast agency Arnell Group. “If I felt something being asked of me wasn’t right, I excused myself from the task.”

She says dealing with her feelings rather than ignoring them resulted in less stress

and more confidence.

Annika Sorenstam’s obstacles were more personal. The record-breaking professional golfer-turned-entrepreneur was so shy growing up, she’d intentionally throw tournament games to avoid giving the required winner’s speech.

Rather than continuing to settle for second place, she decided to make a change. “I realized it was up to me to do something about this,” she tells Little PINK Book.

In 2008, she was asked to give the commencement speech at her alma mater, University of Arizona. Though terrified at first, she accepted the challenge.

The result? “I realized it wasn’t so bad.”

Experts recommend tackling obstacles by clearly identifying what (or who) is in your way. How exactly does your coworker hinder your performance? Why does a new policy upset you?

When you know exactly why you’re struggling, you can face it with confidence.

Bonus PINK Link: Learn how to conquer fears in this online exclusive.

Minute Mentor: Penny McIntyre, Group President of Newell Consumer Products, discusses how women can overcome barriers to advancement.

How did you overcome your biggest obstacle at work? and tell us your story!

By Christy Rogers

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” Bernice Johnson Reagon