International Women’s Day is more than a celebration – it’s a powerful reminder of the voices, achievements and experiences that shape our world. To honor the day, Cloudera’s Women Leaders in Technology (WLIT) hosted a panel discussion, moderated by Chief Marketing Officer Mary Wells, aimed at uncovering insights, career inspirations, and practical takeaways for driving inclusive innovation.
This year, the theme of International Women’s Day was ‘Accelerating Action’, and we were fortunate to be joined by two leaders who embody that sentiment—Cheryl Kiser, Founding Executive Director, The Institute for Social Innovation and Executive Fellow in Social Innovation at Babson College, and Sandi Peterson, Operating Partner at Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).
From skills and career learnings to overcoming common biases, our panelists covered the ins and outs of what it means to be a confident disrupter in the workplace and lead with authenticity. Here are a few of the highlights.
Building the Skills to Thrive in the Workplace
So, what does it take to chart a successful path as a woman in the workplace? What kind of skills should you focus on to grow and advance in your career?
Reflecting on her own journey, Cheryl noted that taking on roles that are challenging is an important way to grow, both as an individual and as a professional. Stepping into unfamiliar positions, she explained, often means taking on a set of responsibilities in an area you may know little about. That’s where, according to Cheryl, the most important skill comes in: relationship building. It’s essential to connect with and learn from those around you—people who can provide greater insight or understanding into the work in front of you.
For Sandi, there was also an emphasis on embracing challenges that may be outside of your known experiences. She shared three skills that are critical to finding success when navigating uncharted waters: listening intently, being decisive at the right moment, and having a willingness to take risks. As she put it, “There are always going to be people out there who know more than you do or who can do a certain job better than you can, but building relationships and trusted teams, and listening to those individuals, gives you a new opportunity to conquer challenges even quicker.”
Dealing With the Times Where Things Don’t Go as Planned
As much as we try to avoid it, failure is inevitable. Sandi shared that throughout her career, plenty of things didn’t go as planned. What matters most, she explained, is having a clear understanding of the need you’re trying to address—and then taking action. “Just do it – do it, learn from it, and iterate.”
Even when things go wrong, it’s important to remember: it’s okay for a project to fail. We all make mistakes. But getting lost in the ‘what-ifs’ or worrying about what could go wrong doesn’t help anyone move forward. Instead, learning from those experiences and iterating on them lays the foundation for future success.
Cheryl echoed this sentiment, adding how she reframes the idea of risk by thinking of it as an ‘affordable loss.’ Mistakes, she emphasized, are often the only real way to learn. Rather than focusing on the risk itself, she encourages asking, “What am I willing to lose to take that risk and move along?” As Cheryl put it, the key to success lies in falling in love with the problem, not the solution.
Building Credibility and Addressing Bias
We all want to step into a new role and hit the ground running. But building credibility among peers can be a daunting task, especially when you’re new to an organization or earlier in your career. Demonstrating competence—without coming across as overconfident or forceful—can be a delicate balance to strike.
Sandi’s advice: don’t feel like you need to have all the answers on day one, or deliver immediate results in your first week. Instead, focus on being engaged, curious, and genuinely interested in the work you’re doing. Taking the time to build relationships early on pays dividends as you take on new projects and collaborate with different teams.
Of course, building credibility doesn’t come without its challenges. Many people encounter workplace dynamics where it can be difficult to find the right tone—whether it’s the risk of seeming too agreeable or, conversely, too assertive in meetings and discussions. Both Cheryl and Sandi emphasize the importance of creating a culture of mutual support. When you’re in a room with others, take the opportunity to support and elevate your peers. Be authentic, and when you contribute ideas or offer feedback, focus on being inclusive and collaborative. Sometimes, it’s as simple as acknowledging another person’s point or giving credit where it’s due—small actions that go a long way in building trust and credibility.
A Day of Learning and Accelerating Action
This only scratches the surface of the experiences and learnings our panelists and attendees covered over the course of the event. International Women’s Day is a great touch point for us all to look at how we approach difficult challenges in the workplace, whether that’s tackling biases or overcoming fear of failure. The theme of International Women’s Day this year centers around ‘Accelerating Action’. The power of taking informed action, surrounded by trusted and diverse voices, is something our panelists emphasized throughout each story.
Follow and join Cloudera’s Women Leaders in Technology group, get involved, and make sure not to miss out on future events.
