admin “When tackling a difficult decision, a person’s skills and experience will only get them so far. That’s why the best leaders surround themselves with people who offer diverse opinions, complement their abilities, and aren’t afraid to suggest a different approach,” articulates Marillyn Hewson, one of the most powerful women in the world.
Ms. Marillyn A. Hewson is a Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer at Lockheed Martin Corp., an Associate at American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics, a Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer at Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co., a Member at The Business Council, a Member at The Economic Club of Washington, a Member at The International Institute for Strategic Studies, a Member-Steering Committee at Defense Industry Initiative and a President at Lockheed Martin Logistics Management, Inc.
She is on the Board of Directors at DuPont Safety Resources, Catalyst, Inc., Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, DowDuPont, Inc., Aerospace Industries Association, National Geographic Society Education Foundation, USO, Inc., Association of the United States Army and The Business Roundtable.
She previously held a variety of increasingly responsible executive positions with the Corporation, including President and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Systems business area.
She has also served in key corporate executive roles, including Senior Vice President of Corporate Shared Services; Vice President of Global Supply Chain Management; and Vice President of Corporate Internal Audit.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business Administration and her Master of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Alabama. She also attended the Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School executive development programs.
In 2019, TIME magazine identified Hewson as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” She was named the “2018 CEO of the Year” by Chief Executive Magazine. In 2018, she was also recognized as No. 1 on the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” list, a Top 10 “Businessperson of the Year” by FORTUNE magazine, and as one of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by Forbes.
Diversity is the key to innovation
Marillyn believesevery position comes with critical choices every single day. Here are three ways you can ensure you are always making smart decisions, whatever your role: Surround yourself with people who are different from you;Know what you don’t know by hiring smarter people than you; and say yes to people at every level who have the courage to honestly tell you what’s working and what’s not. And when they disagree with you, they can’t be afraid to say so.
Mother’s Resilience
Marillyn’s courage is her mother. Her mother taught her about leadership is the importance of determination. She lost her father at the age of 9 and it was a terrible shock to all of them, specially to her mother. Being a single parent of five children, she raised them with the determination that her children would be prepared for the future, so she challenged them with responsibilities beyond their years.
Marillyn mentions the resilience Mary Adams showed during her tough period showed her everything she needed to know about leadership and reflected the unwavering determination of a generation of women who, like her, stood tall in the face of extraordinary adversity.
Aspirations for Future Woman Leaders
As a CEO of Lockheed, Marillyn wants to ensure that women at Lockheed have the same opportunities to grow and succeed as she did. Here are some of the things that she believes leaders should do to create a workplace culture where women thrive:
Be there, Leaders set the tone — and actions speak louder than words. It makes a big difference for momentum and morale when top executives attend empowerment and networking events for women and other groups within their workforce.
Beware of hidden biases, subtler and subconscious forms of bias disadvantage women. So never put their names forward when such opportunities arise.
Reward results, Driving progress takes time, and you need to ensure that all the elements of your organization are aligned to support it for the long haul. Set high standards, measure progress, celebrate what’s working and fix what’s not.
Marillyn elaborates further supporting women in the workplace isn’t rocket science. However, it takes a real investment of time, attention, and resources. And, most of all, it takes leadership and commitment.
According to Marillyn, we must continue to drive culture change and continue to reach out to the next generation and make sure women feel empowered and equipped to pursue any job they are qualified for. That comes from showing young girls and women the power of what is possible.
Each of us today has the opportunity and the responsibility to create an environment where our current and future female leaders can achieve their aspirations. Ultimately we want girls and boys to know that women are capable of extraordinary things and that none of us should ever put limits on ourselves. Together it’s up to us all to help women reach their full business potential.
Leave the Comfort Zone and Learn Something New Every Day
While advising young professional Marillyn enunciates, Sometimes self-doubt became self-limiting and the only way to become a leader is by building up your own experiences. You can’t expect to know it all from day one or to succeed at whatever you do on the first try. Instead, you need to reach for opportunities to grow, because that’s when you learn and broaden yourself. And often, the adversities you face are what really forge your character and improve your confidence. It’s the problems you’ve worked through in the past that will position you for future success — along with the mastery and expertise that can only be developed by doing something.
Power of Innovation
Marillyn believes that all of us — businesses, governments, and individuals — have the opportunity and responsibility to contribute to a better future. By unlocking the power of innovation, we unleash the potential of the human mind to address the world’s most pressing challenges. And she is excited to see what we come up with next.
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