Gillian Tett on Women's Career Paths: Don't Succumb to Groupthink

The world is changing fast; don't be afraid to reinvent yourself at any stage of your career, said Gillian Tett at Inspiring to Lead: AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Conference. She explained that women today tend to not follow a traditional career ladder, but instead juggle different paths in their professional life to get to leadership positions later. Tett said: "We don't all have to realize at the age of 15 that we were born to lead." 

The U.S. managing editor of the Financial Times presented her personal background, from studying anthropology to reporting overseas to financial analysis to leading the Financial Times, as an example of women's unorthodox professional paths. She said her own path enabled her to "pull pieces together in quite surprising ways." For Tett, women leaders have the capacity to use unconventional experiences in their careers, as "getting out of groupthink can be very helpful."

Tett explained that most women who are "out there, juggling furiously" have parts of their life that "don't necessarily fit together seamlessly and, yet, somehow give you a wider perspective that enables you to bring a joined-up vision not just at home but also in the workplace."  

She also answered questions from women in the audience about different business cultures, networking, and quotas for women in boards and government. 

Learn about the AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Network.