What’s your career advice for women first starting out?
I’ll focus on just two here. 1.) Work with the absolute best people that you can! 2.) Take the assignments or roles that no one else wants - too big, too complex, etc. This is advice that I have consistently used throughout my career to fuel my success.
What quotation inspires you and motivates you to be yourself and do what you love?
Since 2009, the quote "Who are we not to be brilliant?" by Marianne Williams has remained my favorite. This quote resonates with me deeply and serves as a constant reminder to shine my light and be exceptional not only for myself but also to inspire others to do the same. It has guided my work in human resources, leadership, and coaching, transcending all boundaries of business and personal life.
In my professional journey, I strive to recognize individuals who demonstrate remarkable skills and achievements while empowering and enabling others to reach their full potential. Positive psychology plays a significant role in my approach, as I believe in offering constructive feedback and guidance to foster learning and growth while catching people “doing great work.” Positive psychology looks at the importance of acknowledging and applauding excellence in real time – whether it be from colleagues, employees, or leaders – by celebrating their achievements. “Who are we not to be brilliant?”
Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when you were first starting out?
When I first started my professional career, I wished I had known of and been more aware of current labor laws and standards in the workplace, and how those related to me as an employee. I was working in a consulting role at a big 4 company, and there was a situation where I was discriminated against for wanting to become a mother while working. During one of the consulting assignments, a senior partner who was my boss explicitly stated that I would not be assigned to any projects if I were to have children. This conversation was held in private and followed my recovery from a miscarriage. My husband and I were devastated at the loss, and I needed some time away from work to recover. In confidence I shared with my immediate supervisor that I had suffered a miscarriage and needed to be away from work for a few days, which he quickly approved. As word of my status was shared with the senior person on the project, I was shocked to find the response of this leader. At the time, I was unaware of the labor laws and rights that protect all employees in the workplace.
After some contemplation, I decided that I would not work for that Leader again, but I did want to stay with the company. I was determined to remove myself from that client project and pursued another role with a leader I respected, someone who fostered an open and supportive work environment based on results and not on how we chose to live our personal lives. Additionally, I made the proactive choice to educate myself on my workplace rights and the employee benefits available to me. Over the following year, I found a role that ignited both my passion and intellect while remaining employed at the company.
Looking back, I now realize that I had more options than I initially believed, which was to move out of consulting and into an office role. Had I felt that I could reach out to senior women for guidance and learned about their experiences balancing their careers with motherhood, I may have continued coding and stayed with technology consulting. Today, one of my roles as Coach Caroline is helping clients and employees understand workplace rights and policies, and to empower them to be authentic, ask questions, and follow their hearts and dreams as they build their careers and deliver business results.
Has a mistake ever taught you a lesson?
Early on in my career, I had a crucial realization about the importance of vocalizing mistakes and quickly fixing them when they do occur. None of us are perfect, but I have always valued striving for excellence and hated making mistakes or errors! It was during a significant technology project, where I was responsible for coding and uploading production data for a new inventory management system in the consumer goods industry that I made a huge mistake and had to decide what to do. I found myself working through the night with my team to make the deadline, just before the client's system was scheduled to go live. Around 2:30 am, I suddenly discovered that I had made a monumental mistake by unintentionally deleting a substantial amount of client data. As soon as I became aware of the error, I immediately informed a senior colleague so that we could address the situation promptly. I was incredibly embarrassed, believing that I had ruined the entire data load. However, because I acted quickly and thoughtfully, the senior person and I were able to revert to the data from fifteen minutes prior. What a relief! I was grateful that I made the right choice to immediately communicate my mistake, enabling us to remedy the error and proceed to a successful go-live for the client. This experience taught me that everyone makes mistakes, but it is how we handle them that truly matters.
What rituals could you not live without in your workday?
To start my day off right, I treasure a delicious cup of coffee or hot chocolate, something warm to have in my hands while I plan my calendar and my day. It's not just about the beverage itself, but this routine plays a crucial role in helping me organize my thoughts and know what needs to be accomplished. This quiet moment grants me the clarity and focus I need to plan for any challenges that lie ahead for the day. Additionally, I find great value in creating and managing my to-do list for the day and week – I love completing my list. By combining this activity with my coffee ritual, I can visualize my day, determine my destinations, and identify the people I need to work with for a successful and productive day.
What’s your favorite thing to come home to after a long day at work?
At the end of a long day, I find joy in the presence of my beloved two-year-old Labrador, Samantha. She acts as a deliberate catalyst for me to shift from work to my personal life, helping me transition from the pressures of work to the tranquility of my home and an outdoor walk. We walk for an hour each day in the park and play together.
Caroline K Schuster, MBA is the founder of Coach Caroline, a career concierge and leadership development firm serving rising professionals across the nation.
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