Rick Nelson

Delegate, network, and learn to say no
August 1, 2006

In an earlier post on last week's DAC Workshop for Women in Design Automation, I commented on keynoter Raynette Au's uncompromising pursuit of 100%--she is unwilling to settle for the 80%, or B minus, that proponents of the 80/20 rule might seem to recommend.

Whatever percentage you might want to settle for--or strive for--participants in a WWINDA panel following Au's keynote had some good advice on achieving work/life balance.

Soha Hassoun, associate professor of computer science at Tufts University, described her approach to the 80/20 rule as one of regular maintenance. One sign that she needed a tune-up, she said, was a complaint from her six-year-old son that she used the Arabic word meaning "come on, let's get going" (I won't try to render it phonetically here) much too often during the morning get-ready-for-school routine. The solution? Get up 15 minutes earlier.

Other suggestions included one from Kathy Papermaster, director of the Sony/Toshiba/IBM (STI) Design Center, to have the confidence to delegate. She acknowledged that delegating works only if you have someone to delegate to. If you don't, recommended Denise Brouillette, founder and president of the Innovative Edge, use the circular file: "Ask, 'is this really needed, and is it worth the time I would have to spend on it?'"

Hassoun provided related advice: "Learn to say no. Don't let things slide until you become overwhelmed." Sullivan added this suggestion: "Don't apologize for what you can't do," and Papermaster elaborated: "It's how you say no" that's important. "Don't whine, don't sound defensive, take the high road."

Of course, sometimes more drastic approaches are in order. Eileen Sullivan, client services group director at Cadence Design Systems, said that she, like Au, came to the realization that she needed to reorganize her life to cut down on travel. Her experiences prompted her to initiate a women's mentoring program at Cadence. Brouillette said she had to disengage from a business that, although financially successful, was unsatisfying in other ways.

All the panelists noted the importance of mentoring and networking. Hassoun commented on the particular difficulties facing women in an industry dominated by men: "It's very hard to find people on the same wavelength. It takes effort to find out who is there for you, but keep knocking on doors." To that end, she recommended setting networking goals: "If your goal is to meet five people at a conference, don't leave until you have five business cards in your pocket." (By the way, she said that effective networking does not involve hanging out with rowdy guys in bars.)

You needn't leave your home to network, said Brouillette, who said she has organized a "mastermind" group that meets regularly by phone. To organize such a group, she recommended that prospective members interview each other before establishing regular phone meetings. She also recommended establishing online networks.

As for mentoring, one audience member asked whether seeking a mentor could be perceived as a sign of weakness. Daya Nadamuni, who wasn't on the panel but who served as the 2006 WWINDA chairperson, suggested that acquiring a mentor at a high enough level would demonstrate a mentoring program's importance. And Sullivan, the initiator of the women's mentoring program at Cadence, emphasized that one can only get out of such a program what one puts into it.

In concluding remarks, Papermaster said, "Have confidence, and you can do anything." But, she cautioned, keep moving forward--"Don't look in the rearview mirror." To that end, Brouillette recommended "clearing out the clutter and chaos floating in your universe."

Panelist Sophie Maxwell, member of City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors, perhaps best summed up the panel's approach to the 80/20 rule: "You must prioritize and understand what's important to you. Otherwise, you won't be able to do anything."

Posted by Rick Nelson on August 1, 2006 | Comments (0)