Yesterday the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce honored several prominent women leaders with the Pinnacle Award for their contributions to the region.  The list of honorees over the nearly twenty years that this award has been bestowed, is a virtual who’s who of the women who have helped to shape our city.  This year’s recipients – Diane Hessan, Alison Quirk, Susan Windham-Bannister, Sharon Reilly, Myechia Minter-Jordan, Anne Hawley, Zenobia Moochhala, and Susan Hockfield – are strong additions to the list.

 

Attendees of the Award Luncheon were fortunate to receive the shared wisdom of these leaders. Below I’ve taken the liberty of sharing four of their insights.

“Dream big and ignore the outdated rules”  Diane Hessan learned this while launching Communispace.  She firmly believed in her concept, and knew that if it was to be successful, she had to do it her way.  Diane’s message is about creating a bold vision for yourself.  “Reach for the moon.  Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”  As importantly, don’t constrain yourself by what you perceive to be the current reality.  If the rules of engagement don’t work for you, create new ones.  The rules that exist today were created because they worked at a certain point in time, and under certain conditions.  This does not mean that they were meant to exist indefinitely.

“You are Alison Quirk Inc.  Do what is best for your business”  This sage advice from her father helped Alison Quirk put things in perspective as she contemplated a significant career transition.  It is easy to get caught up in others expectations of us, particularly those of our family and our workplace.  Far harder, but infinitely more rewarding, is to listen to your heart and follow the path that is uniquely yours.

“No matter how tall the tree, if it forgets its roots it will fall”  This African parable has informed Sharon Reilly at many points along her leadership journey.  There are two simple but profound lessons here.  The first is that a person is truly able to impact the future when they honor the learnings of their past.  The second is to remain true to yourself; know your values and remain steadfast in them.

“Show up. Speak up. And know when to shut up” As Zenobia Moochhala sees her vision becoming a significant international organization; she uses her “Three Up’s” to guide her.   This emerging executive is rapidly building her ability to show up and speak up as a confident leader.  She also understands that, as a leader, it is important to “shut up” which she defines as taking a step back and watching your team succeed.

 

These leadership lessons are important reminders; whether we are leading ourselves, a small team, or a large, international organization.