What does it mean to be a female leader in the workplace?
Trust me, there is no one better to ask than Dr. Mary Ellen Caro. After 25 years of managing and leading global business units at AT&T as an Officer and Vice President, Dr. Caro knows a thing or two about how to succeed as a woman in the workplace. She now serves as the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Learner Services at Thomas Edison State University and was one of the initial members of the Women's Professional Network. She's established herself as a thoughtful and effective leader who knows how to adapt to unique situations by constantly staying open-minded and excited about learning.
Breaking into the Corporate World
Personally, when I hear about working in the corporate world, I think about women unable to climb the ladder and make it to higher-up positions because they're seen as "less-than". Dr. Caro, though, refused (and refuses!) to see it that way. She entered a leadership development program from the get-go at AT&T, which paved the way to her executive positions. This program put her in different job positions throughout the company, encouraging her to be flexible and adaptable. In her thirties, she was leading large scale organizations that, she adds, was not always easy. The key was continuing to develop her leadership skills and being open to continuous learning. Often, Dr. Caro was in situations where she didn't have a full knowledge of the content of that particular group; but she learned to be flexible and she knew how to lead, so she applied those skills to the situation.
Becoming a Leader
Some people are natural-born leaders. They know how to work a crowd and how to communicate without coming off as "bossy". But it's not always that easy. Really, that's a pretty rare situation. And while one might think that Dr. Caro has been managing groups since she could speak, she reminds us that her path has not always been so smooth.
"I've been very fortunate...I have to tell you that a lot of this comes with raising your hand and taking tough jobs and saying 'hey, I'd like to try that!'"
So Dr. Caro reminds us that it's important to try new things and take tough positions that push you out of your comfort zone, because it's in these moments that you build up your confidence and open your perspective.
"The most challenging and difficult experiences are the ones where I've learned the most."
The Women's Professional Network
Since she was an undergraduate student at the College of St. Elizabeth, Dr. Caro has been involved in organizations that support women and women's professional development. So, being active in the Women's Professional Network was a no-brainer. "The Women's Professional Network enables women to be able to connect and reach out to other women without having hierarchical paradigms in the way." She says that what's so great about this organization is that it gives women opportunities that otherwise may have gone to men or are traditionally seen as "male-roles". As many of you know, the WPN focuses on finding work-life balance, how to navigate your career, how to be authentic and take initiative, and how not to be afraid of failure. Mary Ellen is proud to be a long-time member of the network because she understands the importance and value of connecting with other women who will lift each other up and encourage each other to step out of their comfort zone in an environment that feels safe and empathetic.
ACE Women's Network Conference
On March 24, Dr. Caro attended the ACE Women's Network Conference and spoke on a panel with other powerful female leaders about "developing the skills to build your legacy", and one of the overarching themes that Dr. Caro found was the importance of being authentic. “One of the mistakes that I think women have made in the past in that they’ve assumed a particular style or model of management and mirrored it after another gender….when, to be authentic and themselves is to bring to bear what I see as great advantages that women may have in their leadership style." Throughout her impressive career, Dr. Caro has created an effective management style that is unique to her personality and stresses the value of being yourself rather than trying to be someone you think you're supposed to be.
Another takeaway? Stop trying to be perfect. “There are so many great things that I think women sometimes subordinate because they believe the model for leadership is very different.” As women, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves; but it's so important to allow yourself to ask for help (and let me tell you - Dr. Caro is a great person to go to!) because chances are, someone will be able to - and sometimes even eager to - lend you a hand.
“This institution has been very supportive of helping develop people, moving them into other areas...so that if you find an area that you’re interested in, we’re really supportive of those skills and help you move there.”
With it being the end of Women's History Month, it's important that we thank figures like Dr. Mary Ellen Caro for being such influential models and leaders; and for helping to establish the Women's Professional Network.
Dr. Mary Ellen Caro is the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Learner Services at Thomas Edison State University. She's a confident leader, a loving mother of two daughters and one son, and a lifelong learner. Dr. Caro can be reached at mcaro@tesu.edu.
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