Thriving As A Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry: Meg Sullivan of The Quorum Initiative On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry

Willing to Take Risks — The more willing you are to try new ideas, learn about something new, and expand the way you think, the more you have to offer. Get out of the rut and meet new people and experience new things. Go for it. Take the leap and ask for forgiveness later. I make a point of meeting someone different once a week.

In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series, we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as strong women in a male-dominated industry. As a part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Meg Sullivan, Founder and CEO, The Quorum Initiative.

Meg Sullivan is the founder of The Quorum Initiative, a dynamic group of high-level executive women devoted to creating more opportunities for women in business with members located in New York, Washington DC and London. An Aspen Institute First Fellow, she serves on the steering committee for The Aspen Institute Socrates Program and the advisory council for Child HELP Partnership.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I was born in Chicago and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, the middle child of five kids, all born and raised in the midwest. My father was in private equity and so we got to do a lot of family traveling both domestic and international; this was both eye opening and educational. My mother was active in our local community, sat on numerous boards and was involved in local philanthropic efforts. As a teenager I was passionate about horses and became an equestrian, competing in show jumping at an advanced level. Although I wanted to pursue an equestrian career, my parents were adamant that I go to college. I attended Sarah Lawrence College in Westchester, New York where I got involved in sports, did my junior year abroad in Paris and discovered my interests in the arts, business and communications.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

A big step in my career was working in the professional services sector as a Director of Marketing for Arthur Andersen based in France, where I oversaw a large team of more than 300. I was in my early 30s and had already earned a serious seat at the management table, as the only woman. After the 2001/2002 Enron crisis, there were massive layoffs, and I was contemplating my next step. An Andersen colleague who had just accepted a position at a global law firm, Paul Hastings, suggested I apply for a position leading the firm’s business development and marketing areas. He warned that it would be challenging working in a male dominated firm as a non-attorney, but the challenge sparked my interest. After several interviews with senior leadership, I eventually accepted the position with one caveat — that I have direct access to senior leadership and secure a seat (and a voice) at the executive management table. In the Paul Hastings executive suite, I was the only female non-lawyer — a lonely spot. In addition, the other female law partners — battling to establish themselves in a male dominated field — were not as supportive as I would have hoped, and it took time to build trust. As someone who thrives on being challenged, I persevered. Time passed and after a handful of years, I earned my peers’ respect. Colleagues regularly commented on my confidence and direct communications style. Eventually, the firm’s partners began introducing me in an elevated way, such as “Meg, who runs the firm.” This brought a smile and affirmation that I had achieved parity with others in the executive circle.

Even with the hard-won status I had fought for, there was no real seriousness or commitment around continuing to support women or diversity. Wanting to connect with other female peers beyond law, I searched for an existing cross industry organization to join but came up short. Some existing groups were more exclusive for C-suite titles or by invitation only; this was a barrier because my goal was to help all women ascend, especially those who didn’t yet hold an executive leadership title. I also wanted to be part of an organization that was working on creating change. Since it was hard to find all these qualities in one place, it pushed me to create something new. And that’s how the concept of The Quorum Initiative was born — a dynamic group of women working together in honest and authentic ways to share information and help each other to clear the path to leadership positions, increase female representation on corporate boards, and raise awareness and investment in women-owned and led businesses.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I was fortunate that throughout my career, I was granted a lot of responsibility starting at a relatively young age. The fact is that I thrive in managing big teams. I love the challenge of it and the human interaction. In the early part of my tenure at Andersen, I held global positions and was based in Europe. I was responsible for approximately 33% of the business, overseeing the firm’s EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India and Africa) region. We were rolling out a mammoth global advertising campaign created by a top advertising agency out of the US, the first of its size and scope for the firm. My international role led me to serve as an advisory board member for the Andersen team leading this campaign and the advertising agency, providing insights on the campaign. I told them that although the campaign was great, the language used would not translate across countries and cultures. Inevitably there was pushback, but I remained adamant, suggesting we do focus groups to get additional feedback from actual customers outside the U.S. The focus group feedback affirmed my concerns and so the agency made significant modifications. Through this exercise, we learned that you can’t mandate a strategy or communications campaign from the top and expect it to resonate the same way everywhere. Understanding the nuances of culture and language of your audiences was a critical first step.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

The three character traits that have served me especially well and helped me to thrive in a male dominated industry are resilience, courageous confidence, and vision. Resilience was a trait I tapped into often as I faced backlash trying to effectuate change and push forward new ideas. It was commonplace for my counterparts — both male and female (before I proved myself) — to be skeptical, uninterested in evolving, and to lack trust around making change. But I persevered. No matter how many times others would try to knock me down or negate what I said, I remained steadfast, upbeat, and resilient like one of those springy kids’ punching bags. I continued to believe in myself and follow my north star which helped me to stay grounded and focused on my work.

Early on, I realized that I possessed a sense of courageous confidence — the ability to share my thoughts and opinions more readily, even if they were in opposition to what others thought. I developed an ability to make good judgment calls and sound decisions so that I could move big initiatives forward. Doing this positioned me as a “can do” leader and demonstrated what I am capable of. I believed in myself and used my strong communication skills to persuade others.

In terms of vision, each morning, I would have an internal conversation with myself, thinking about how that day could be better from the previous one. What new value could I add? I’d review my meeting schedule and “to do” lists to see how I would advance my work while navigating multiple demands. As a strategist, I am unafraid of taking risks. This was particularly important in a highly traditional, male dominated industry. I was able to introduce significant changes which had positive bottom-line results. I chose to act and plead for forgiveness later if it was necessary. It was rarely necessary.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you help articulate a few of the biggest obstacles or challenges you’ve had to overcome while working in a male-dominated industry?

One of the biggest obstacles for women in a male dominated industry are microaggressions from men. These are often subtle, below the surface behaviors which are undermining, emotionally disturbing, and often cause roadblocks in both communication and productivity. For female leaders, it can be exhausting to constantly have to tune it out and be in a perpetual state of alert. Although there’s some public discourse about the existence of microaggressions, even the most astute men don’t realize how regular and ongoing it is. Having to contend with this behavior is a complete distraction to actually doing one’s job.

Most work cultures are traditionally built around white male leaders, so the language, structures, and approaches are all built for this type of individual to succeed; anyone who doesn’t fit that description is asked to flex their style to this environment. It’s exhausting to have to temper who you are in order to fit in and be taken seriously. Your ideas are only accepted after they are proven and often credit is taken by others. You have to watch out for unwanted attention and make sure you never find yourself in a compromising situation. You have to perform way better than your colleagues to even be considered a contender. Being underestimated and not seen for who you are is a constant overwhelming hurdle.

Can you share a few of the things you have done to gain acceptance among your male peers and the general work community? What did your female co-workers do? Can you share some stories or examples?

I’ve always felt that the best way for someone to be taken seriously, male or female, is to develop a solid understanding of the business well beyond their job title. You must be adding tangible value every day and it has to be visible. Women must think ‘What’s driving the business and how am I being additive to that?’ I recommend leading by example and building diverse teams that bring a myriad of ideas and perspectives. Coaching is required, too, in order to navigate a variety of personalities, deepen understanding and build comradery. I modeled for my team how to manage and how to bring people along in their ideas by sharing real experiences with them. To be successful, I had to be bold in calling things out in the moment and offering different solutions. At all times, I made sure my team felt that I had their back 100% and accepted the responsibility of having very hard conversations with people all across the organization.

In the law firm environment, partners can be very demanding and believe everyone is there to serve them, which was part of my department’s role, but not all of it. Often partners would make unrealistic demands on younger, less experienced colleagues and harassed them until they delivered whatever was demanded. Once a senior partner wanted pitch materials for a client opportunity coming up in a couple weeks. At the time, my colleague was executing on a large client event that was happening the following night. My colleague emailed the partner and said she would get to the pitch as soon as this large event was over. This partner was not satisfied with that answer because he felt he was the priority not anyone or anything else. He started emailing her every 15 minutes. When he didn’t get a response, he started calling every five minutes. Then, he resorted to having my colleague paged throughout the building as if there was an emergency. My colleague was so annoyed at his behavior that she ignored his emails and calls. The partner got so upset that he kept redialing and redialing. My colleague finally picked up the call to receive a screaming lunatic on the other end, threatening her. She burst into tears believing she had just lost her job. That’s when someone made me aware of the situation. I calmed my team member down, we revisited how she might have better handled this high-pressure situation and how important it is to de-escalate issues before they get out of hand. Next, I called the partner and asked for an explanation of what happened. He made a lot of excuses for his crazy behavior. I replied, “No matter how frustrated you might have been, your behavior was completely unacceptable. People are not paid to take your abuse and you are not the only partner that we work for. If you were having a problem, you should have called me directly.” He issued an on the spot apology and later apologized to the team member.

What do you think male-oriented organizations can do to enhance their recruiting efforts to attract more women?

Male dominated organizations must set very serious goals in recruiting a more diverse workforce; without that no one is held accountable. They have to ensure that there is a diverse slate when interviewing candidates and that still doesn’t happen consistently. I would encourage blind resumes. Further, male oriented organizations must demonstrate to candidates that they are an equal opportunity employer. Are there women or people of color in serious leadership positions? Is there a possibility for flexible hours or ability to work from home, something that is imperative for women who are often caregivers. Many companies shy away from hiring women during their childbearing years. This is extremely unfortunate because my experience has been that if you can demonstrate flexibility and compassion, women who come back from maternity leave are more focused, more loyal, extremely hard working, compassionate, and all-around higher performers. I have promoted many women before, during, and after maternity leaves and they have been some of the best decisions I ever made.

Ok thank you for all of that. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

Vision — To be a great leader you must be able to demonstrate you are a great changemaker. You cannot be a changemaker without vision. You must trust your instincts, do your homework, and be willing to innovate in ways others are not. Two visionary things I did was to create a partnership with the Financial Times, an elite brand that no one in our industry had collaborated with. It elevated our brand and helped position us as a global business partner to our clients. The second was I launched two new practice areas that responded to evolving market trends — impact investing and ESG. This allowed the firm to be on the cutting edge with our clients related to issues important to them and their Board. It also provided new revenue opportunities.

Courage — Understand your strengths and double down on them. Don’t shy away from things that make you uncomfortable. Surround yourself with talented people who push you. Believe in your own capabilities and skills even if others are in doubt. I always challenged the status quo in my organization so that we avoided group think. This is hard, but it usually paid off for me. I even incorporated — Challenging the Status Quo — as a value the firm rolled out as part of its strategic objectives. I often found myself saying regularly in meetings, “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t offer a different opinion or idea.” Or I would challenge my team members to consider alternatives and push one step farther than they were doing. I would ask, “what else could we achieve or what else should we consider?”

Resilience — Take care of yourself. Rest and find quiet time to think and reflect. Change up your routine in order to freshen your mind and spirit. Ensure you have a team of people supporting you in being healthy mentally and physically. Get outside and convene with nature as much as possible. Being a leader is a heavy responsibility and the stress and pressures are significant. I always do my best resting and imagining when I am traveling. It is quiet, uninterrupted moments where I am changing from one environment to another. Since COVID, I realized how restorative fresh air and a walk are for me. I even take calls walking because everything is moving in a new way. I also have a specific self-care regime that includes exercise, regular massages, and fun time with friends so I can blow off steam.

Willing to Take Risks — The more willing you are to try new ideas, learn about something new, and expand the way you think, the more you have to offer. Get out of the rut and meet new people and experience new things. Go for it. Take the leap and ask for forgiveness later. I make a point of meeting someone different once a week. My 50+ get-togethers a year inspire new ways of thinking and gave me courage to launch something new. Most of my risk taking was calculated. I knew the probability of the risk had a good chance of success. When it failed, I looked at it as a learning curve, made adjustments, and tried again. My firm hated the idea of launching a client satisfaction program no matter how much I described the potential benefits. Instead, I launched a client listening tour for senior leadership to meet over 50 top clients a year. Relabeling the program and launching it anyway was a game changer for my firm.

Great Communications — Being a great communicator is critical to being a great leader. You need to be able to express yourself clearly and concisely in all mediums. Be authentic, empathetic, and compassionate. Personal connections are always more powerful than hiding behind words, meaning more facetime and calls than emails. Get training in public speaking. It takes practice and almost no one is a natural. I received public speaking training from a group of actors early in my career and it continues to serve me today. Lead communications with what you think is going to capture and motivate your audience best, not whatever message you want to get across. That comes later once you have engaged the recipients of your communication. Less is always more in communication. I worked for a leader who was way too verbose and colorful in his communications. It made his messages a chore to read and words went around in circles. In the end, that style annoyed people so they tuned out. Be precise. Get to the point. Show humanity and be yourself.

If you had a close woman friend who came to you with a choice of entering a field that is male-dominated or female-dominated, what would you advise her? Would you advise a woman friend to start a career in a field or industry that’s traditionally been mostly men? Can you explain what you mean?

If a female friend was truly interested in pursuing a career in a male dominated industry, I would encourage them with a few caveats. In particular, I would caution them about how they enter an organization. This includes who you report to, how you are being paid, what’s the title, and what’s the career trajectory. Preparing one’s mindset and setting up an internal support system composed of allies who are both female and male is also critical to success. In my opinion, it’s absolutely imperative to have an external support system — people who remind you that you’re worth more than your job. This has to exist or women will not be able to bring their best selves to the situation at hand. Having an outside leadership coach is also extremely valuable to assist in navigating extreme politics and fraught situations.

Have you seen things change for women working in male-dominated industries, over the past ten years? How do you anticipate that it might improve in the future? Can you please explain what you mean?

In general, I have seen greater allyship from both men and women in support of female leaders. Male allies have made a point to sponsor high performing females and have worked at understanding how the world of work looks and feels for women. I have seen some organizations start holding themselves more accountable for more diverse leaders and workforces. Those that have made strides are reaping benefits, but unfortunately, there is still a long way to go.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

There are three women I admire tremendously — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Secretary of State Madeleine Allbright, and First Lady Michelle Obama. Lucky for me I had the opportunity to spend time with two out of the three. I met Justice Ginsburg later in her career while at the Aspen Institute where I am a First Movers Fellow. She was a speaker, and I had the opportunity to have lunch with her. She was an excellent listener. She asked great pointed questions. And she was a force of nature — very petite with a huge brain. I was inspired and motivated by her words but also by her career-long actions to create a more equal environment for women. She used her skill and knowledge of the law to change history.

Secretary of State Madeline Albright moderated a session I took with 20 international people about the role of democracy in today’s society. It was an exhilarating experience. Being an immigrant to the US, having navigated the politics of Washington, and then landing this huge role in US history as the first female Secretary of State, her work in international relations is inspiring and she never let being a female or being small in stature be underestimated. I admire her avid belief in democracy, having lived in a place that didn’t have democracy. She felt it was our job to preserve it and evolve it. I respect how much time and effort Secretary Albright spent on giving back in an intellectual capacity because that’s what she felt she had to offer — speaking and teaching to help people think about world issues and the society of today in new ways.

Michele Obama always impresses me with her authenticity. She is a highly educated, super smart woman and very thoughtful about how she spends her energy to have an impact. I admire the work she has done for military families and kids. I love that she wears on her sleeve that she’s a mom, family caretaker, and a million other things. She is an important advocate for people of color particularly and women. I appreciate her direct and compassionate communication style. She proves that you can be strong, demanding, and serious while at the same time being approachable and likable.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.