McLeod’s hats are many, but all seem to be a perfect fit. She not only negotiated the partnership that allows Evoca customers to add Sling TV plans to their subscriptions, but she played the role of technical assistant through the integration of the channels into Evoca’s UI. A former college athlete, she’s also built relationships with universities to push women’s athletics to more viewers.
“It never hurts to ask for what you want—the worst thing someone can say is no. This insight has taken me a long time to become comfortable with.”
Favorite Life Hack: To do lists. They are so simple, but they help me so much with prioritization, focus, and making an overwhelming day or week feel more manageable.
What unique challenges do women still face in the workplace? Unfortunately, there are still a lot of challenges facing women. Women are more heavily burdened by home and family life (child care, cooking, etc.). Women are still often underpaid relative to male peers, and this frequently comes back to women not being as aggressive in promoting themselves, asking for raises, etc. as men. There are fewer women than men in leadership positions in practically every industry. Many of these things build on each other – larger obligations outside the office may mean women aren’t able to stay late or work as much on weekends as men. Women often don’t apply for new jobs because they haven’t already mastered every prerequisite listed in the job posting, and this means they miss out on opportunities or at least limit their opportunities. Many of these challenges are deeply embedded in America’s workplace culture, and it takes very strong, conscientious leaders to overcome these inherent roadblocks to women’s success. Fortunately, I think we’re making progress on these issues but we still have a long way to go.
Advice on embracing change: First, set goals. I think it’s helpful to have some near-term goals (like 30, 60, 90 days) and some longer-term goals (1-3 years). Make sure your goals are measurable and set timelines to measure your success against them. Second, be transparent with your team/family/coworkers/bosses/etc. about what you do and don’t know. One certainty is that things aren’t going to go exactly as planned, and everyone will have to be flexible. Third, encourage feedback from everyone involved. If it’s a workplace change, set up regular meetings to discuss what’s going well and what isn’t. If it’s a family/life change, set aside time to talk with your family or partner so everyone is on the same page and knows how others are feeling.