What It Takes to Make It to the Top—9 Key Takeaways!
Success Then & Now | 20 Years of PINK & Women’s Advancement
Powerhouse female C-Suite leaders inspired hundreds of ambitious women at PINK’s recent 20th Anniversary Women’s Empowerment Event at Atlanta’s Woodruff Arts Center tackling hot topics including Authenticity Over Assimilation, Resilience and Determination, Reframing Setbacks, Stepping out of Your Comfort Zone, and more to deliver walk-way tactics women can use now.
The crowd heard wisdom from top women leaders including The Home Depot’s CMO Molly Battin; The Coca-Cola Company’s EVP and Global General Counsel Monica Howard Douglas; IBM’s SVP of Transformation and Operations Joanne Wright; Delta Air Lines Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Social Impact Officer Keyra Lynn Johnson; Cox Enterprises EVP & CPO Karen Bennett; Mercedes-Benz USA CMO Melody Lee; Inspire Brands CPO Natalie Rothman; Southern Company EVP and CHRO Sloane Drake; Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena EVP & CMO Melissa McGhie Proctor; and Cisco’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Gloria Goins. Click here for more about the speakers.
We’ve come a long way in 20 years, from 1.6% of Fortune 500 companies led by women in 2004 when PINK launched as the only career-focused national magazine for women, to 10.6% last year. “However, this means nearly 90% of top jobs are still held by men,” said PINK CEO Cynthia Good. According to McKinsey, it will take another 48 years to reach parity. At the event, Cynthia put the onus on those attending to accelerate change by stepping up to take and offer more top jobs to women.
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1. Authenticity Over Assimilation
Speakers addressed pressure they felt early in their careers to fit in. Melissa Proctor remembered a pivotal moment when she felt she needed to fit in better as an intern. A mentor told her, “‘Don’t ever assimilate. We hired you for background. You would be doing the company and yourself a disservice.’” In fact, she was told her uniqueness and authenticity is not only a strength, “It’s your superpower.” When Melody Lee went from the automotive industry to cosmetics, she said “A lot of people assumed I found my place in beauty, but the truth is I love cars!” Ah, the assumptions others make!
2. Resilience and Determination
Whether it’s imposter syndrome, “I feel an intense sense of imposter syndrome all the time—still to this day,” said Melody, or moving into a new industry, panelists credited resilience and determination for their success. These leaders said challenges shaped and strengthened them. Delta’s Keyra Lynn Johnson advised, “Know you belong, even when you’re uncomfortable.” They agreed resilience means being patient with your career progression. “It’s okay to wait—just keep growing,” said IBM’s Joanne Wright.
3. Reframing Setbacks
Failures and missteps are inevitable. Every top woman featured said she has experience in this department. Karen Bennet from Cox said, “I always looked at success in roles as success in life.” A tough performance review, where she was told she was doing great, but needed to become more well-rounded, prompted her to seek feedback from a trusted colleague, who said, “All you do is work.” She took it to heart and got involved in her community, built her network within and outside of her company and engaged in mentoring. Melody spent 18 months rebuilding trust with colleagues after a very public misstep by being authentic and transparent, demonstrating that leading with integrity fosters growth and resilience. Cisco’s Gloria Goins reminded us that “failure is not a destination, it’s a data point.”
4. Continuous Learning & Curiosity
In today’s fast-changing world, Molly shared how earning an MBA later in life and pivoting to a different industry propelled her forward. Joanne noted that AI presents massive opportunities, yet research shows women are more hesitant to embrace it than men. They encouraged those attending to be curious and proactive about exploring and building capabilities in emerging trends.
5. Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone
“Being comfortable with being uncomfortable,” said Natalie Rothman highlighting this as a critical leadership ability. Leaders shared how stepping into unfamiliar roles—even ones they initially wanted to avoid—helped them grow. Coca-Cola’s Monica Howard Douglas said she initially wanted to say “no” when she was asked to switch from the entertainment business to the juice business at the company, but made a career defining choice by saying “yes.” Most panelists have navigated different industries and company cultures, like Melody moving between the beauty and automotive industries and Molly who went from broadcasting to the airline industry then to retail. Each said leaning into discomfort drove career-defining success. When stepping into a senior role at Delta, where she wasn’t familiar with the business or culture, Molly told herself “I’ve got to take a moment, be comfortable not knowing, and learn from my team.”
6. Never Give Up Your Seat at the Table
Keyra Lynn remembers giving up her seat at the table early in her career because she thought she wasn’t senior enough: She doubted herself after 9/11 when her manager was unavailable for a meeting. “I knew what to do, but I passed.” What did she learn? Don’t underestimate your voice—step into your power and prove doubters wrong. As a new CHRO in a male dominated company Natalie recalls being told by the division head running the weekly business update meeting, “We don’t need HR here.” She kept showing up at meetings anyway and listened, eventually contributing and showing her value. Her takeaway: “If you believe you should have a seat at the table, don’t give up.”
7. The Power of Relationships and Networking
Strong networks are vital for career growth. Leaders stressed the importance of lifting others up, especially junior colleagues. Coca-Cola’s Monica Howard Douglas highlighted how transformational it was when someone said, “I can see you being a general counsel, and here’s what you can do to get there.” Several leaders on both panels stressed that relationships are the key to success. Molly says being paired with two senior women as mentors when she joined The Home Depot, gave her a safe space to talk and learn about the culture as she navigated her new role. She now offers that same support to other women joining the company.
8. Self-Care and Work-Life Balance
“Just because we have superpowers doesn’t mean we’re superhuman,” said Gloria Goins. She and others emphasized prioritizing physical and mental health as foundational to success. “You’ve got to allow yourself and your team to be human, be flawed, be vulnerable and to prioritize your whole self.” She quoted Cisco’s CEO, saying “People don’t want to work for executives; they want to work for humans.” To facilitate life-balance, Natalie recommends taking breaks from technology. She says it’s liberating and a great stress reducer to have a digital detox on the weekends and at night, creating opportunities to have conversations with family and friends. Southern Company’s Sloane Drake said she takes time for personal appointments, “I protect them like I protect the things on my calendar that are work related, even if I log back on in the evening,” adding she communicates this to her team. She summed it up by saying, “You’re no good to anyone if you don’t take care of yourself.”
9. Growing from Mistakes and Feedback
Another common perspective among the leaders, is viewing failure and missteps as opportunities to learn. Sloane shared how she used to replay mistakes over and over in her mind. Her new mantra? “You learn and then you let it go.” Now she takes time to think and learn from a mistake, then she can let it go. Several panelists cited the importance of using feedback as an opportunity for growth. When she first came to the US from Scotland, a colleague told Joanne her feedback style was too direct. She was able to digest and realign her communication to meet people where they are, making her a better leader.
A Call to Action:
The messages shared by these powerhouse women underscored the power of authentic leadership, continuous learning, and supporting one another. “Always stand up for people in the room” said Molly. They said we each have a responsibility to embrace growth, challenge outdated norms, and create inclusive environments that empower the next generation of leaders. Joanne added, “We are all inspirational role models for each other.”
PINK wants to know: How can you lead with authenticity and resilience? Which of these themes could spark change in your organization? Please answer here!
Special thanks to the sponsors that made this content and the event possible: Gold Sponsor Southern Company; Sliver Sponsors The Home Depot, Cox Enterprises; and Bronze Sponsors The Coca-Cola Company, Woodruff Arts Center, Jacksons Lewis, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, and Deloitte.
Thanks too to Friends of PINK: Affairs to Remember, Aflac, Atlanta Braves, Delta Air Lines, Rough Draft, and the coaches who worked with attendees between the two speaker panel sessions. Check out the coaches!
“Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.” – Maya Angelou, Poet
By Sheila Eggert
Sheila Eggert is a certified transformational coach with 35 years as a respected innovator in Leadership Development and Change Management for Fortune 500 companies. She offers corporate clients a deep, personal understanding of how to empower leaders and teams to not just survive but thrive in today's ever-evolving corporate landscape. Her proprietary MOVE Method for Transformation, blends her vast corporate experience with neuroscience-backed personal transformation practices, bringing a human-centered approach to personal and organizational change and innovation. Sheila is the author of The Power of Living Unscripted: Reclaim Creative Control of Your Life. Also, check out her TEDx Talk, Self-Trust and Transformation. Follow Sheila on LinkedIn. Learn more about her coaching and workshops at www.sheilaeggert.com.
To celebrate PINK’s 20th Anniversary Empowerment Event, Sheila is offering PINK members a complimentary coaching consultation. If you’re interested, send an e-mail to sheila@sheilaeggert.com to schedule your session.
