I’m often approached by people for guidance at varying stages of their careers. My advice to them is based on my personal experience, as well as the wisdom I have been fortunate to get from my advisors and mentors along the way. I would sum it up as the following:
Be a true team player. Be conscientious and collaborative. These two qualities will be essential throughout your career.
Be an active listener. One of the keys to being a good communicator is to be a good listener.
Have patience and tenacity. Always keep your vision and goal in mind, but understand it may take time and creativity for them to come to fruition.
Remain true to yourself. Understand when to evolve and when to stand your ground. Your principles and values define who you are and are important to your success.
Be flexible. In an ever-changing world, adapting to circumstances is essential – you can do this and still remain true to yourself.
Be passionate about your work. Pursue what makes you happy and then you can truly love what you do. Invest in the people around you and help them develop. You are only as good as your team and if you invest in their growth, it will help everyone be successful.
Lead a balanced life. Never lose sight of what makes you unique. Make time to nurture and develop personal interests. These additional dimensions can help you bring different perspectives to your job, while also providing great and necessary outlets.
Perfect your craft. Always seek knowledge and hone your skills. Learn as much as you can about your profession and look for stretch assignments that will challenge you and help you develop professionally.
Don’t mistake humility for weakness. Never underestimate the skill set or hidden abilities each person possesses. Everyone has something to offer.
These points can serve as great guides to just about anyone, at any career stage. However, since women in the workforce still confront unique challenges, it is particularly important that we share advice with each other and support each other’s growth. At Hilton Worldwide, we are launching an initiative, which I will lead, to provide a forum to share experiences, advice and strategies to ensure our women meet their full professional potential in an environment that enables them to do so.
