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When Pat was in seventh grade, her older sister had a miscarriage due to a drug complication. To better understand what her sister was going through, Pat wanted to relate her Science Fair project that year to the traumatic experience, but the school tried to ban her project because they considered it taboo. However, her teacher Mr. McCullough told her to go for it, and she ended up winning the competition.
This gutsy leader has a passion for life-long learning and for helping to develop the same desire in others. When she was younger, her father worked two jobs to make sure she and her five siblings had access to educational opportunities. "Later I began to appreciate what a difference a thirst for knowledge makes in terms of how you approach your work," she says. "Now, I realize if I can help people learn, it could fix so many other bigger problems."
Her tenacity comes from her mother Maria who was set on buying a house for the family of eight. At the time they were living in the basement of a store in East Chicago, Indiana. Though Pat's father Genaro was convinced they could not afford it, Maria taught her daughters how to deposit money with a bank card, and they started saving loose change. Pat says, "A couple years later, my mom showed my dad the bank statements and we had enough for a down payment on a mortgage. My mother, who dropped out of school in 4th grade, proved my well-educated father wrong with her wisdom and determination."
Through her work with the Center for Women in Information Technology, Pat strives to achieve equal representation in the technology field. "Whatever gives people access to knowledge should be influenced across the board by men, women, and people from all walks of life," she says. "It should reflect the world it exists in."
Xerox, which is unique in its high number of female senior leaders, is committed to diversity. "It's not window dressing--it really is about positioning and leveraging all the talent in the company. It has created a very positive and energetic work environment. The expectation is that anything is possible."
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Pat's Strategies for Success
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Prepare ahead.
"Preparation doesn't have an end point. The world is ever changing, so there isn't a finish line. As prepared as you are today, a year from now you might need to change what you're doing. Get the right training to take on the various challenges that will come your way."
Set aside time to develop skills.
"Today you can go online and become an expert in a subject very quickly. I tell my employees to take five hours a week to work on developing themselves--to actively seek information, grow their competency in their current job, look for new opportunities, and think about how they can take their game to the next level. There is a direct correlation here between sales performance and the people who actively seek out information."
Don't get "played."
"I had a boss who built a team that reflected his style. It didn't look too different from a frat house--it was an unruly but high-performing group. A leader told me if I stayed I'd be promoted to my boss's position. Although my gut was telling me to say, 'No, thank you,' it was positioned like no one else could succeed at this job--I let him talk me into taking it. It took 150% of my time, energy, and focus, and almost cost me my marriage. Never again would I take on a responsibility that required more than I could give. My husband loves to say that's when I realized he was 'low maintenance, not no maintenance.' Fortunately, it made us stronger."
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Blank out to stay focused.
"It's hard to stay on task at work when you're worried about your child being picked up from school on time. Let go of the stress about things you have no control over. It makes you more effective, and everyone around you is appreciative to have your full attention."
Remain authentic as you rise through the ranks.
"On several occasions I've been a colleague one day and a boss the next. Too many people believe you have to change the essence of who you are when that happens. But, having been the colleague, you have great insight that you can apply. If something didn't make sense before, and you and your peers gave it lip service, it's up to you to turn it into a positive now that you have more pull. Also, as peers, you feel more comfortable debating disagreements. It's important to sustain that environment where everyone values each others' opinions when you become manager."
If you'd like to ask Pat a question, send it to Helene@womenworking.com, and we'll see if we can get you an answer.
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SPOTLIGHT ON PAT | |
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ON MOTHERHOOD
"My son has had a much different childhood than I did. We've tried to remind him that the world doesn't look like where he lives, so he's been donating part of his allowance to people in need since he was three. He's 13 now, and he's getting credit card applications because they must think he's an adult."
WISE ADVICE
"My mother always said to me, 'no one died, so we'll get past this.' She was one of thirteen children, and only four of them grew to be adults. She taught me how to keep problems in perspective."
ON BEING NAMED ONE OF 50 MOST IMPORTANT HISPANICS IN BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
"It meant a lot because I was able to share it with my father. It was also disappointing because I know what I've done, and it isn't enough. It's sad that there aren't 50 Hispanics ahead of me." | |
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