What’s the next play?

By: Cara Jurkowski

A conversation with the women of the VLC about embracing failure and finding courage to lead.

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You may be busy, but don’t cheat yourself out of watching today’s panel with every female leader in the Verizon Leadership Council (VLC) for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Hosted by VBG CRO Aparna Khurjekar, the panel featured real talk from CMO Leslie Berland, CHRO Sam Hammock, CCO Stacy Sharpe and Chief Legal Officer Vandana Venkatesh.

Need a good reason? Here are 11* reasons to click the play button ▶️ now!

11. One leader almost talked herself OUT of a prime leadership role. Find out who and the advice she got when it happened. 💬

10. When it comes to self-care, there are definitely different ways to go: Meditation, podcasts, exercise, you name it. One leader finds her Zen in “badass gaming🎮.” Find out who!

9. Learn why you should “leave loudly.” And no, we don’t mean quitting with a choir. 🎶

8. Realizing her “crown 👑 was tilted,” this leader cared enough to take her colleague out for dinner and find out why. Find out which one and why it was so important.

7. No one does it alone: our leaders mentioned being inspired by the following people?

  • Moms👩‍🦳
  • Nieces 👧
  • Sisters 👩‍🦰
  • All of the above 👩‍🦳👧👩‍🦰

6. There’s an important difference between a sponsor and a mentor. Find out what it is and how they are both critical to your career. 💼

5. When it comes to mental health, moms consistently “put on everyone else’s mask first.” Not a good strategy in the air, and worse for your wellbeing. Learn about some of the resources we have to help care for you first so you can care for your families better.❤️‍🩹

4. Famous Duke basketball coach 🏀Coach K always said, “Next play …” meaning that you can’t dwell on the last play when you need to move on to the next. Which leader made that advice her own?

3. Vulnerability wins! Which author📕, leadership coach💼, podcaster🎙️, researcher🔬 and vulnerability-enthusiast❣️ was mentioned at least once** by every member of our panel?

2. Find out what the “bubble🫧” is and why it can be a very empowering concept for challenging yourself to break through your own social barriers.

1. “Tell us about a time you failed.” Find out the worst way 👎 to answer this interview question and how you should talk — and think — about your failures.

Post in support of International Women’s Day

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day, be sure to keep the energy up and don’t forget about WAVE’s call to action:

  • Post a message on your social media accounts on Friday, March 8, sharing a time someone championed you professionally (it can be written out or a video or picture, anything goes).
  • Add #LiftAsWeRise and #WomensHistoryMonth at the end. (If you’re comfortable tagging the person, please do, but it’s not required.)

Tag @InsideVerizon on Instagram and LinkedIn for amplification.

* With a bonus reason, because you’re worth it!
** At least…

Click here for a transcript of the webcast.

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About the author:

Cara Jurkowski is a failed standup comedian who made up for her lack of comedic success by spending the past two decades telling stories about the communications industry and the amazing people who work to connect the world. When she is not writing about Verizon, she lives in an unofficial Lego museum, slowly working through a steadily growing backlog of unbuilt sets at a perfectly acceptable pace.

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