I have never thought of myself as the only female in the room, I let results and dialogue speak for themselves. I see it as an opportunity to thrive and showcase my abilities to communicate, affect change and utilize my background to make an impact.


Rhonda Vetere

When I connect with women in every stage of their career and act as a mentor, which is something that I am VERY passionate about, I am often asked for advice on how to stand out and advance your career. I have put together a list of Do’s and Don’ts that is applicable regardless of what industry or career you are in. These are rules that I personally live by and have been important in getting me where I am today.

These lessons to live by apply to not only work, but also advancing in life. I am sharing these to hopefully inspire and impact individuals to always be their best in all that they do.

5 Do’s

1. Don’t think of yourself as a female executive vs a male executive. That is the wrong motto. Be yourself, and let your results speak for themselves.

2. Speak up and show your point of view. Make sure that you are adding value to every conversation and every meeting. Being engaged is a great way to showcase your abilities.

3. Dress at work as if you are meeting with your CEO daily. Always dress for the job that you want. Exuding confidence is very important as well. You may have reached your peak leadership position, or maybe you still have your eye on it. Either way, play the part to achieve your goals. Carefully curate yourself to act in a distinguished and respectable manner.

4. Keep track of your personal goals and your team's goals. Make sure to measure them and track your progress. Remember that you can't manage what you don't measure. This will help to create a baseline, and then you’ll be able to see growth. It will also help you to see areas where you are lacking and maybe need to increase your efforts. Business is not a one-woman or one-man game. It takes a team of people with quality contributions to make a working collaborative product.

5. Always be on time, prepared and educated on the topic being discussed. Don’t scan documents before meetings or skim important memos. You must know your material, backwards and forwards. Preparation is the bottom line, and it's a pivotal quality in successful individuals. While personality is excellent, it won't get the job done. Proper preparatory measures are taken by the most responsible and aware individuals. These are the people you want running an event or project, because they can think on their feet and execute tasks the most effectively.

5 Things To Never Do

1. Do not be late. It is very important to make a good impression and be on time. Everyone is busy and being timely is a must. People often ask me how I fit everything I do into a day (work, training, time with family and friends) and the answer is by having a rigid schedule and sticking to it.

2. Don’t hide behind email - confront situations in person. If you can't meet with someone in person, call them. Or even better, FaceTime. There's no excuse to hide behind email, and transparency is an important quality for business leaders. Open communication allows colleagues and clients alike to build trust with the leadership and the company. Keeping the door open allows for transparent conversations. Openness can be a paramount quality to your personal leadership skill set. Make your values known in a respectful way and others will appreciate your directness. If you are true to your word, sincerity will shine through your interactions. Everyone in your workplace and personal sphere will appreciate sincere and genuine interactions based in transparency.

3. In today’s texting and mobile environment, don’t flip off in a text message in the heat of battle. If you have a gut reaction that is negative, take a moment to gather your thoughts and remember, a message sent in email or text is never a message received. You need to be clear and also collect your thoughts before responding in haste.

4. Never use inappropriate humor or language. Make sure to be professional at all times.

5. Don’t let your health go by the wayside because you think you have to work 24/7. If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t manage a team. So remember to take time for yourself, especially if you're feeling under the weather. I make a huge effort to plan my schedule around my training. This helps me to manage stress and I find that I have more clarity in decision making when I incorporate fitness into my days. For me, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all-encompassing. I have a cadence at work like I do with my running and training style and I pride myself on being disciplined with time - professionally and personally.


WRITTEN BY

Rhonda