On being a role model

December 03, 20141 minute read

At one of the AWESOME tracks at the 2014 CSCMP Global Conference, five leading women in supply chain shared their “Lessons from the Top.” Linda Wood, VP Operations Services, RJ Reynolds, said, “I like to think of being a leader from the first day I start my job. We are role models for someone, somewhere, at every point in our career and we need to take that seriously.”

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The same perspective was expressed recently by Susan Chambers, EVP, EVP, Global People Division, Wal-Mart Stores and one of Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women, in an interview with TIME Magazine. She said, “We are all role models for somebody. Every generation builds on what has gone before, and the next generation is poised for success. All around the world, not just in the U.S., there’s a momentum among women that is undeniable. But women have to remember — throughout their careers, not just at their peak — that they can always reach out and help others. You don’t arrive one day as a role model. You’re always a role model for someone.”