International Women's Day: Diversity in the Workplace

What advice would you give women aspiring to be future business leaders?
Be your own kind of leader. You don't have to try and fit into a perceived ideal of what a leader is. I think part of being a leader is knowing who you are, leading with your strengths, surrounding yourself with people who complement your weaknesses, and helping those around you succeed. One of the directors I looked up to in my career once told me that I didn't need to force myself to lead like the people and men around me. It wouldn't be authentic and it wouldn't be real and that resonated with me.

On International Women’s Day, what does the phrase “Choose to Challenge” mean to you?
For me it means to actively choose growth. You can choose to stay stagnant and keep the status quo or you can choose to be different and be better. That doesn't mean you're going to go from couch potato to marathon runner in a week because real change takes time. And you should celebrate those incremental improvements when you can because you're still moving in the right direction. But I do think it's important to always be learning, growing, and curious about how to be better and to make the world around you better.

How would you describe the key to your success?
I am a problem solver. I am honest, reliable, hardworking, and always looking for the most efficient way to empower customers.  

What advice would you give women aspiring to be future business leaders? 
Know what you’re capable of, keep your communication clear and concise, provide fact-based solutions with data and examples to back it up.

What advice would you give women aspiring to be future business leaders? 
Surround yourself with positive people that challenge, encourage and support you. Raise your hand and take on new opportunities, learn constantly, and apply what you learn to help your team and the business succeed. Be okay with being uncomfortable and see your differences as an opportunity to create a better way.

What achievement are you most proud of to date? 
I’m most proud of earning this VP role and collaborating to build LodgeLink from its conception. Being part of a strong team that rallies around one audacious goal that results in innovation and success is so rewarding. On a personal note, overcoming my fears to become a solid whitewater kayaker and surfer makes me proud.
 

LodgeLink has grown rapidly over the past two years to a team of more than 50 people. 46% of the team is female, representing all aspects of our business. LodgeLinkers have joined us from around the world (Romania, Nigeria, India), across Canada (Lethbridge, Regina, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax) and the United States (Texas, New York, Pennsylvania) – and we’re just getting started. We value and celebrate our individual differences that span age, gender, race, ethnicity, geography, technical backgrounds, personalities, and so on. 

Our diversity makes us stronger and more innovative.