I believe in empire building. Especially when it comes to women in business. If you want power, I say go for it. But what happens once you get to that mountaintop that once seemed so unattainable? What happens when the hurdles that seemed so high are now considered nothing more than temporary speed bumps? When you have every reason to rest on a nice cushy bed of laurels?
Wake up. You are now at a make or break moment.
The care and feeding of a successful business is every bit as challenging and critical as the long climb it took to achieve that success. Thankfully, you are now in a position to delegate, draw on the support of longtime contacts, and get advice from those who once had no time for you.
Interestingly, Advancing the State of Your Empire was the theme and focus I chose as the chair of this year's annual Committee of 200 (C200) Conference in New York City. C200 is an invitation-only membership organization composed of some of the world's most successful female business leaders and entrepreneurs. I feel privileged to be a board member of such a prestigious group and to share ideas, experiences and visions for the future of our careers -- and for all women in business.
Though women are quite savvy about the tools needed to start their careers, they are woefully deficient in understanding what's needed to progress as leaders. Here are a few tips I consider indispensable, whether you're in the corporate world or an enterprising entrepreneur:
- Continue building your list of contacts. It is important to know people with a variety of skill sets you are able to draw upon at any point in time. You never know when someone in another industry might become the perfect partner for your next business goal.
These tips are valuable at any stage of a career, including the CEO level! In fact, at the C200 Conference, our members, all corporate leaders and entrepreneurs, participated in panels where we leaned on one another for advice on all kinds of topics, including how to make tough choices -- in life and in business, how to apply the growing field of big data to improve businesses in any industry, and how to get the most out of each stage of a career. The point is that you've never climbed the ladder far enough to stop climbing, or to look around at the scaffolding for support.