The
Palo Alto Lean In Circle had the pleasure of hosting Merline Saintil at our
August meeting. To many of us, she is a celebrity who is number 6 on the Business Insider's list of 22 most
powerful women engineers. However, there was nothing celebrity-like with her
interactions with the 50 people in that room. She was honest and generous with
her insights, and connected so well with the people in the room that it almost
felt like talking to a long-time friend.
In the Q&A session, Merline provided very valuable insights. I am still in awe of her, and also want to quote a few other members who attended -
“Merline was amazing. Such a gifted inspiring person. We were lucky to be able to meet her in such an intimate setting”
“I was so happy to attend and hear "HER STORY" she is so smart and I loved her humble viewpoints on the Silicon Valley bubble also”
“Great presentation by Merline Saintil and great questions by the circle participants!”
Merline not only provided us with her pearls of wisdom, but stayed for almost an hour after to talk to many of us, and even did what many members do after being asked to vacate the room - hang out in the parking lot and continue the conversation.
Merline, I cannot express in words how grateful we all for sharing your evening with us, and inspiring so many women! A special thank you for signing my notes!
I am sharing my notes from the evening with everyone, as wisdom like this is powerful, and will make each one of us happier "in our own skin".
Staying relevant and being authentic were weaved into many of Merline’s responses. She spoke candidly about happiness at work and career pivots, and emphasized the value of relationships and networking.
Some of Merline’s insights on women and careers:
She also asked women in the room to promote organizations that encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers - and of course, make sure that you are practicing this at home and with your own friends and family. The investment in coding programs for girls by major companies is a step in the right direction, but each one of us can do more.
My takeaways from the conversation:
In the Q&A session, Merline provided very valuable insights. I am still in awe of her, and also want to quote a few other members who attended -
“Merline was amazing. Such a gifted inspiring person. We were lucky to be able to meet her in such an intimate setting”
“I was so happy to attend and hear "HER STORY" she is so smart and I loved her humble viewpoints on the Silicon Valley bubble also”
“Great presentation by Merline Saintil and great questions by the circle participants!”
Merline not only provided us with her pearls of wisdom, but stayed for almost an hour after to talk to many of us, and even did what many members do after being asked to vacate the room - hang out in the parking lot and continue the conversation.
Merline, I cannot express in words how grateful we all for sharing your evening with us, and inspiring so many women! A special thank you for signing my notes!
I am sharing my notes from the evening with everyone, as wisdom like this is powerful, and will make each one of us happier "in our own skin".
Staying relevant and being authentic were weaved into many of Merline’s responses. She spoke candidly about happiness at work and career pivots, and emphasized the value of relationships and networking.
Some of Merline’s insights on women and careers:
·
Network, network, network
·
Happiness with your career comes from what you are good at
intersecting with what you are passionate about
·
Spend an hour every week on reflection
o Women juggle
so many responsibilities at work and home that they sometimes forget to spend
time on themselves
o Reflect on
what / where are the gaps, ask for coaching or help from friends
·
Stay relevant
o Even if you
are juggling roles at work, or are working in a generalized area, make sure you
are honing your skills with side projects
·
Balance is a myth
o Focus on an
equal partnership
o Women can
achieve more with sharing responsibilities at home than doing it all
·
Career pivots can be great opportunities to grow
o Be honest
with yourself, and be intentional about what you want from a certain experience
o Try
something new, and figure out how you can make an impact
o What are
your interests and how can you make a contribution
o Always look
at the risks and rewards of making a change
o Before
making a pivot, validate it is what you want by finding a way to experience it
·
The “wow” factor - once this wears off, start looking for a change
o Don’t stay
if you are not performing at your peak, or getting bored
·
Focus on your own definition of success
o Find a way
of measuring your own success
o What success
looks like to you is what will make you happy
o Be
comfortable in your own skin wherever you are
·
Be authentic
·
Careers are about relationships - build your network
·
Change is the only constant
·
Manage your own time and determine priorities
Merline
also had candid responses to the questions on lack of women in STEM and
leadership roles, and the recent diversity numbers released by Silicon Valley
companies. Fewer women in the pipeline is a big factor in the lack of women in
the STEM workforce. She encouraged women in STEM careers to stay in the
workforce, and find ways to make career pivots. As more women get into
leadership positions at major companies, the trend will also change for women
on boards. She also asked women in the room to promote organizations that encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers - and of course, make sure that you are practicing this at home and with your own friends and family. The investment in coding programs for girls by major companies is a step in the right direction, but each one of us can do more.
My takeaways from the conversation:
·
Stay relevant
·
Change is constant
·
Make an impact
·
Be authentic
·
Network, network, network
