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This book is bold. Lead by Example is fi lled with insights on lead- An Insiders Look ership development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds. At How To Successfully This book is necessary. Lead by Example mentors women who Lead in Corporate are navigating today’s complex global business world. America and Entrepreneurship This book is on the frontier. Lead by Example is a no- nonsense guide to stepping into your power, breaking down myths, and turning adversity into opportunity. Your guide is Dr. Sheila Robinson. She grew up in the South where possibili- ties were limited for women, for African-Americans, and for anyone who Lead wasn’t happy with the stereotypical roles handed down by the old boys’ net- work. Aft er climbing her way into her dream job at a Fortune 1000 company, by she rebuilt her life as an entrepreneur when she launched Diversity Woman Example Media. Along the way, she learned much more than how to succeed. Dr. Sheila also learned how to fi nd success and happiness by being herself and following her own vision. If you want the advice of a professional woman who’s been where you want to go, this book is for you. If you’re hoping to fi nd a mentor who hears your voice and who honors your dreams, goals, abilities and capabilities, Dr. Sheila will fi ll that role. If you’re ready to embrace your personality and the path it takes you down, you’re ready to Lead by Example. Check out the magazine at DiversityWoman.com Dr. Sheila Robinson is a visionary leader whose passion lies in supporting the professional development of women of all races, cultures and backgrounds. She is the founder and publisher of Diversity Woman, a magazine that provides women the tools necessary to excel and succeed in their careers and businesses. robinson She off ers over twenty years of experience in corporate America in roles ranging from project management to global marketing. As an entrepreneur, she off ers knowledge and wisdom to small business owners and startups to ease their path. ISBN 978-0-9916582-0-6 Her broad range of experience empowers, educates and enhances every step taken by women as diverse as recent college graduates to C-suite executives. For women who mean business, Dr. Sheila LeadbyExample leads the charge. $19.95 Business | Leadership Dr. Sheila A. robinson Praise for Lead by Example One of the cardinal principles of effective leadership is that you cannot lead where you will not go. In her instructive and inspiring book on leadership, Sheila Robinson shares her own story of going against the odds to achieve success in corporate America and the world of entrepreneurship. No easy task for an African American woman! In Lead by Example, Sheila Robinson convincingly demonstrates that if she could do it, so can women of diverse communities and cultures. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Ph.D. President Emerita of Spelman College and Bennett College for Women Sheila Robinson is the epitome of leading by example. As a success- ful mentor, entrepreneur, and consummate business professional, she shares life-changing strategies and tips that are relevant to women of all cultures, backgrounds, and levels. You are sure to be set up for success in your career and in life after you read Lead by Example. Shirley Davis Sheppard, Ph.D., SPHR Global Workforce and Talent Management Expert, and CEO of The Success Doctor, LLC Sheila Robinson doesn’t just teach you how to lead...she leads by example. This book provides invaluable advice from her experiences as well as those of women who are entrepreneurs, midlevel managers, and corporate executives from the nation’s leading companies. An in- valuable resource for modern women and our global business world. Dr. Frances Hesselbein President and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute and Presidential Medal of Honor Recipient Lead By Example demonstrates, through the power of practice and example, the innumerable benefits corporations gain when women are seated at the table of decision-making. Steve Pemberton Author and Divisional Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Walgreens An Insider’s Look At How To Successfully Lead in Corporate America and Entrepreneurship Diversity Woman Media, LLC USA An Insider’s Look At How To Successfully Lead in Corporate America and Entrepreneurship © Copyright 2014 Sheila A. Robinson All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including informa- tional storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the copyright holder, except for brief quotations in a review. Published by Diversity Woman Media, LLC 1183 University Drive Suite 105131 Burlington, NC 27215 http://diversitywoman.com (336) 543-0644 First Edition: January 2014; Second Printing: December 2016 Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-0-9916582-0-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2014935340 Cover design by Cathy Krizik Interior design and layout by Juanita Dix Table of Contents Introduction . .vii Chapter One Turning Adversity Into Opportunity .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..1 Chapter Two Women and Power . .19 Chapter Three Myth Busters . 33 Chapter Four Inclusion is Good Business . .55 Chapter Five Networking From the Startup to the C-Suite . .75 Chapter Six Mentoring as the Path to Success .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..91 Chapter Seven Tactics for Businesswomen . 105 Chapter Eight Attitude . 129 A Message From Dr. Sheila.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 145 About the Author . 151 I would like to acknowledge my family and all the wise and wonderful men and women who have sup- ported me throughout the decades of my professional and personal journey. Their unconditional love, ready support and heartfelt service helped make me who I am today. Introduction As far back as I can remember, I have always been an advocate for the career advancement of women of all races, cultures and backgrounds. Lead By Example is the latest milestone in my jour- ney, and I hope it will mark a new pathway for your own journey. In these pages I will share my experiences and the experiences of my fellow colleagues. My goal is not to give you checklists of must- haves and must-dos. I won’t try to micromanage or control every aspect of your career, and I would never try to tell you what to do or how to do it. Instead, my promise to you and every reader of this book is this: I will respect you. I will honor you. I will make suggestions and guide you based on my experi- ences and the insight I’ve gathered from dozens of women who hold leadership roles from start-ups to CEOs. I will encourage you to find your passion and live your dream. And I will be your first and most vocal supporter no matter where your journey takes you. If you find anything in this book that is useful or beneficial, it will give me joy. My mission is to support others in a way that prevents them from experiencing the negative pitfalls I encountered. ix x | Lead by Example I say I’m not an expert because I believe that every woman has the ability to take on the same kind of leadership role as I already have. Whether you’re an executive, an entrepreneur or just graduating from college, you have already led others. You might have never held a title that reflected your leadership duties, but you worked hard to get where you are in life. You also have the determi- nation and persistence to go further. You have already shown your coworkers, neighbors and friends how powerful you are. You have already led by example. We all have something to offer. What I’m offering you right now is insight into my own path. By the time I was forty-two, I had been laid off from three major corporations. During my parents’ lives, those companies had guaranteed their workers financial security during their employment and into retirement. My idea of a perfect life was to spend my days at a job I loved then come home to take care of my family. After fruitless job hunts, I took the leap of faith to explore my vision for a career magazine that would help others. Along the way I benefited by having access to other people’s experience. I learned how to avoid certain challenges and how best to deal with those that threatened my progress. I discovered how passion and attitude impact my financial and personal returns on investment. And when I shared my experiences in ways that helped others achieve their own success, I reaped the deep satisfaction that comes from lifting up my fellow women. Since I can’t personally appear everywhere women need to hear my message of empowerment, daring and hope, I needed to reach out in a new way. This book is an important step forward be- cause a book can reach people from Bangladesh to Bangor, Maine, and from London, England to Los Angeles, California. So I reached out to peers who hold leadership roles across the United States. The interviews I conducted with them, as well as articles and interviews culled from Diversity Woman magazine, provided my associates an Introduction | xi opportunity to give back. The book you’re holding in your hands today is the result. My deepest wish is that Lead by Example is also an important step forward for you. Within these pages you’ll see how women from every race, culture and background overcame adversity by turning each challenge into an opportunity. Every story is real, and is told by a real woman who is just like you.

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