"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.
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:
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.
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.
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.