"Profiles in Diversity Journal” is celebrating women executives that are using their influence to shape their workplace and their world. Cindy Patman, Halliburton’s senior director of Corporate Affairs & Diversity Initiatives, is one of them. Read Cindy’s interview with the publication and what career advice she has.
On how to stand out at work
There is no trick to standing out. All it takes is genuine enthusiasm for your work and the confidence that comes with believing in yourself. Here are a few things I’ve learned about enthusiasm and confidence:
- Cultivate a sense of adventure about your work. Imagine what you’ll accomplish beyond today, this week, or even this year. What will you be known for in your company, your industry, your life? Pay attention to the small picture, but never lose sight of the big one.
- Always be open to learning. Seek out mentors and remember that they may appear in unexpected places, not just further up the corporate ladder.
- Be willing to make sacrifices. Some sacrifices will be worth it—some will not. Develop the ability to assess which are which.
- Take chances. Mistakes are opportunities in disguise. Unwrap them to see what they have to teach you.
- Be persistent. Hard work and dedication will pay off if you are patient and positive.
- Ask for what you want. Otherwise, the answer will always be no. Don’t wait for the job to come to you—go after it. Lean on your mentors—they’ll want to help you grow and succeed.
- Remember that the next step on your career path may be diagonal—not vertical, as you might prefer. Moving at an angle can reveal new talents, interests, or even career paths.
- The oldest advice is also the truest: Treat people the way you want to be treated.
- The flip side of that coin is: Give back. At some point, someone will come to you for career advice. It feels great to be asked. It will feel even better to realize how much what you’ve learned can help others.
- Above all, trust yourself. Think, listen, learn, be brave. Be outstanding.
On Finding Success and Staying Competitive
To succeed and stay competitive in my role, I must understand and be responsive to the needs of the business. I must be a strong communicator, inside and outside the company. My team and I are be led by the priorities of the business, and focused on our customers’ needs.
On the Importance of Role Models and Mentors
I have had a role model, a mentor, and a sponsor—each with a different impact on my career and on my life. My role model demonstrates ethical behavior at all times, my mentor advises me on working through challenges and road blocks as I build my career, and my sponsor guides me in overcoming obstacles, stands up for me, and promotes me within the organization. I look up to each of them. They motivate me to be the best employee and person I can be. Through their examples, I’ve developed a strong work ethic, and, most important, I’ve learned to treat people the way I want to be treated.
On Facing Challenges
The hardest challenge I’ve faced in my varied assignments has been managing and leading people from hundreds of different cultures. I’ve learned patience and mutual respect, and an appreciation for the diversity that makes Halliburton the great company it is.
