There are two career ladders, one for men and one for women. The two are virtually identical in that they each have the same amount of rungs and start and end at the same places. The only difference is that the rungs on the career ladder for women are spaced further apart than those on the career ladder for men, especially between the first one, or the step up from individual contributor (IC) to manager.
McKinsey’s 2022 “Women in the Workplace” report lays bare the disparity: For every 100 men who are promoted from entry-level roles to manager roles, only 87 women are promoted and only 82 women of color are promoted. Because they climb different ladders, women spend more of their careers in lower-level roles, which gives them less time to work their way into more senior positions. At current rates, McKinsey estimates that “it will take more than 100 years for the upper reaches of U.S. corporations to achieve gender parity.”
When it comes to making the leap from IC to manager, women need to be more strategic in their thinking than men. They need to demonstrate leadership in conventional and unconditional ways, hone specific skills and be unafraid to make big leaps. At least that’s the advice nine senior women leaders in Los Angeles tech shared with us. Continue below to read what these directors, VPs and C-suite members believe are essential knowledge for ICs looking to make the leap to leadership.
GoodRx helps people save money on prescription drugs by making it easier to find pharmacy coupons. In addition to coupons, GoodRx also offers telehealth appointments to streamline the process of getting a prescription.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
The first step to being a good manager is to understand what makes a good individual contributor. Once you have figured that out, the next step is to understand the “why” of what you are doing. Being curious and having empathy for the end users of your product is extremely important, too. Also, working on having empathy for all your colleagues will help you be a better manager.
One last very important thing is clear communication with your peers as well as with people who don’t speak the same technical language as you. How do you explain something without going too much into the weeds but still getting the main idea across? It is harder than it looks and takes years of practice.
Without empathy you cannot be a good manager.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
One instance comes to mind from my previous employer, an instance that took place when I hadn’t even been at the company for a month. We had less than 24 hours to update some software on tablets associates used on the store floor. I could have taken that back to my team and gotten it done, but I asked how the tablets were used and if they were needed, and we ended up deciding that the best course of action was to deactivate them. Gathering the relevant information and making an educated decision with everyone’s buy-in made me stand out as a strong leader in my initial days at the company.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Empathy! Without empathy you cannot be a good manager. You need to genuinely care about people and understand their situations to best help them grow. Everyone has a different path in life and “growth” does not mean the same thing to everyone. What motivates one person might not motivate the other. Understanding everyone’s strengths and growth areas takes time and effort and the best way to get there is by being empathetic.
Restaurants use ChowNow’s technology to enable online ordering through their websites, social media accounts and Google pages. Along with ordering, the company also offers tools for marketing and launching customer loyalty programs.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Find opportunities to hone the skills you’ll need as a leader. For example, one of the most critical managerial skills is the ability to effectively prioritize work to ensure resources are focused on the most business-critical initiatives. As an IC, identify opportunities to flex this muscle. If you’re given too much work, instead of saying it’s too much, recommend priorities and solutions to your manager based on your understanding of company priorities and business needs.
Another important skill to possess is problem solving. Good managers can’t be complainers, because when identifying a problem it’s their job to find potential solutions. Solve problems on your own where you can and if you can’t or need help, recommend potential solutions. Being seen as a problem solver and helper will elevate your reputation in the organization.
Dependability and accountability are also very important. People who get promoted are those who can be trusted to deliver results. Honor commitments, overcome roadblocks and treat the needs of your peers as if they were your own. When you inevitably make mistakes, own them. Trust is critical to growth at an organization, and if you don’t own your mistakes you won’t gain that trust.
People who get promoted are those who can be trusted to deliver results.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
After exploring multiple potential career paths, I found my niche in marketing. Although I loved the field, I realized I didn’t love the industry I was in at the time. I wanted to work in entertainment, specifically at HBO. But each time I applied I was rejected for lack of entertainment experience. Instead of taking no for an answer, I decided to creatively address the problem.
I searched Craigslist for entertainment gigs and found an unpaid role as a production assistant for a documentary filmmaker. I quit my full-time job, took the unpaid one and then took on a second job as a restaurant hostess to pay the bills. It was a grind for months but I was able to add entertainment experience to my resume. The next time I applied to HBO, I got a call back and the role. The way I went about this got me the job and positioned me to my bosses as a go-getter, a hustler. Slowly and steadily I landed two promotions, which made future companies confident I was an emerging leader.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Communication. Effective communication is clear, concise, audience-appropriate and collaborative. It involves active listening and two-way communication. This applies to your manager, peers and eventually your direct reports who will require adequate context, guidance and partnership to do their jobs well. I give three big tips to people early in their careers.
First, communicate proactively. Looping in the appropriate stakeholders early on is often critical to a project’s success. Second, solicit feedback. In most cases, input from others makes projects more successful. Third, know your audience and tailor comms accordingly. Early in our career our comms are too often lengthy or in the weeds, resulting in emails or memos being ignored. Less is almost always more. Effective communication results in projects moving more quickly and efficiently, stronger working relationships and can increase your influence on a company exponentially.
Insurance companies leverage Sure’s SaaS infrastructure and APIs to launch and manage digital offerings. The company also operates an insurance marketplace for personal, business and travel policies.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Start with a few books or online courses. Take notes and mentally catalog differing perspectives and advice, some of which may even be conflicting. As one develops their repertoire of knowledge, they can begin to bookmark or take note of practices that feel most authentic.
Before even starting in a management role, begin to build and represent personal management practices that reflect your priorities and values. Considering successful management is so rooted in being a supportive presence, begin to implement these practices before even entering a management role. By the time the transition finally happens, many of these applications will be habits you could have already incorporated into your daily routine!
Being a dependable co-worker who honors their commitments can make the difference between being promoted or passed up.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
While there are moments that stand out as accomplishments or milestones, it is the culmination of these experiences that have resulted in opportunity. My personal philosophy on management is that it is done well through small and repeated moments of providing support and being dependable.
During my time as an engineer and manager, I have discovered that my memory is far less trusty than I often lead myself to believe. As a result, I have a to-do list that ebbs and flows constantly, most of which is added during meetings when I identify areas to provide support. A small comment from a team member in passing could result in a small win that I am able to deliver that day or even that hour.
These moments snowball into a result that contributes to a more successful team that feels heard and understood. Being a dependable co-worker who honors their commitments can make the difference between being promoted or passed up for an exciting opportunity. Consistency is key!
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Knowing how to build community within a team is an invaluable skill. As our workforce becomes more remote, management is faced with the incredible challenge of building camaraderie, increasing buy-in and inspiring excitement for day-to-day tasks. A team that is struggling with turnover, low output and general dissatisfaction can be completely changed by its leader. A manager who puts in the effort to provide a safe space for their team can be the difference between team members feeling comfortable participating in a meeting or the same individuals sitting in silence.
Team members who are able to effect change within their teams’ processes, workflows and projects introduce a sense of ownership and commitment, which in turn produces increased interest and better results. The crux of this difference is the need for a driving individual who creates this community and space within the team. While managers are often cited as the primary motivators of team experience, individual contributors are just as capable of being the change that reverberates throughout the entire team.
Miro is a collaboration company whose virtual whiteboard is used by distributed teams for brainstorming, journey mapping, building product roadmaps, and more. The company’s customers include Deloitte, Okta and Walmart.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Volunteer to lead projects within your team. Raise your hand and be proactive about letting leaders know that you want to help with team-driven projects. Start small and work your way up. That said, you have to get the basics first. An easy way to do this is to volunteer to lead projects in your community, which enables you to work with a group filled with different personalities who share a common goal. You’ll start learning skills on how to influence and align people to work together.
Leadership is not just being at the head of the table giving out orders or directives. It is making sure that the team you are managing is empowered to bring their very best skills to the forefront and are acknowledged for their contributions. Learn how to listen: Don’t be the loudest voice in the room or pretend to be the smartest person because no true leader or manager is. Leadership is not about driving your ego. It is about making sure you drive to successful outcomes by listening to other diverse voices who might, and are probably, smarter than you and then you determining the right path from that feedback based on your knowledge and instinct.
There is no magic solution to prepare you for a management role. But you have to put yourself on the path and commit to continuing to learn about what leadership is, and what it takes to be in a management role.
Don’t be the loudest voice in the room or pretend to be the smartest person because no true leader or manager is.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
I had been a senior manager for around four years, driving multimillion-dollar global programs and dealing with senior leadership directly. My boss left and leadership posted it externally. I kept quiet — which is a bad move because you have a voice and should use it — and they hired someone who I knew was either my equal or who I had more experience than.
We came down to a critical situation that required a big decision, and if we went in the wrong direction it would have cost the company money. I was able to step up in that moment and help make the right decision.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Don’t be a jerk. You are managing people and hold their careers and their money in your hands. You cannot take that lightly. People need someone who believes in and motivates them, and if you give yourself 100 percent to making sure they are provided the right training, support and learn the right skills, they will work for you beyond expectations.
One skill I will call out is “cultivating belief.” This is about belief in yourself, your goals and your drive, especially when the odds are against you. It’s also about belief in others and what they are capable of, both good or bad, along with the belief that you can be a good manager and a good person at the same time. You have to do the work to get there, and it is not easy.
AuditBoard’s risk management platform is designed to give auditors a single place for managing compliance, risk and environmental, social and governance. In addition to consolidation, the platform also features workflow automation for internal and external communications, evidence collecting and testing, risk scoring and more.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Network, network, network! Reach out to colleagues in other departments and learn how they contribute to your business’s success. Message professionals in the role you aspire to be in to learn what their key priorities are. Say yes to challenges, especially the ones that scare you the most. I’ve personally learned the most when I accepted a task that was outside of my comfort zone.
Being technically skilled in your profession may have gotten you where you are, but management is all about the people. How could you work best with a variety of people with different needs, motivations and ways they prefer to be partnered with?
Being technically skilled in your profession may have gotten you where you are, but management is all about the people.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
When I joined AuditBoard it was a tiny operation, and since we had fewer than 50 employees we were exempt from needing a lactation room. When I asked for options to pump, a supply closet or the women’s restroom was offered. I chose a nook at the corner of our office instead, and our facilities manager bought me a curtain. I hand wrote a “do not disturb” sign. It was my subtle way of bringing awareness to the needs of working moms. When planning the layout of our new HQ, I sat at the decision table and proudly represented our working moms!
The second moment was conquering a marquee Fortune 5 client project. The implementation was grueling due to the complexity, client demands of our product and their global team structure. I initially handled it all alone and fell behind, so I enlisted team members from sales, customer support and product. They enthusiastically supported me; I just needed to ask. I learned that winning together is still winning. I gained confidence in handling large, complex clients, and to this day I’m still brought onto pre-sales calls to share lessons we learned.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Refine your people skills through learning and experiences. Lead a volunteer organization, be a new hire buddy, raise your hand for team projects and even suggest some. You’ll learn different skills from each type of activity. Listen deeply to understand what people are trying to share, not for an opening to insert your advice. Strive to be interested rather than interesting. Empathize, don’t interject. Management is a team sport, not an individual pursuit. I only win if my team wins because their performance is a direct reflection of myself as a leader.
Banks, credit card companies and credit unions use Zest AI’s machine learning technology to expand access to credit. Its machine learning models are designed to provide a fuller picture of a borrower’s credit worthiness and risk, enabling financial institutions to offer loans to more people without opening themselves up to more risk.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Observe and talk to great managers and their teams to understand what makes them so effective. Ask them about the best boss they’ve ever had. The best managers I had and observed led with the principle of autonomy with accountability, which is one of the principles with which I guide my team. By setting clear goals for your team you give them autonomy to do what they do best while giving them accountability and ownership of deliverables. Also, don’t let your individual contributor role stop you from taking on leadership opportunities within your team or company.
Don’t let your IC role stop you from taking on leadership opportunities within your team or company.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
Very early in my career I came across a job opportunity requiring more than 10 years of experience. It was a medical device company that wanted a manager to lead a cross-functional team of more than 15 people to get a medical device through FDA approval. With two years of engineering experience under my belt, I went for the interview, landed the job and we got the device approved.
That taught me early on to get out of my own way, believe in myself and to take big shots. There have been lots of instances that have accelerated my career. Still, the most significant factor has been this positive self-talk and cultivating my inner voice that tells me never to back down from an opportunity. Take that shot. The worst that can happen is that you will learn from it. That’s a pretty good deal, right?
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Interpersonal skills, specifically communication, empathy and active listening. The biggest change as you move into management is dealing with people. Humans are complicated, but great managers take the time to understand and play to the individual strengths of their team members to help them achieve at the highest level. Clear communication is key, whether collaborative, supportive or directive.
Jaanuu is a medical apparel company that sells scrubs, scrub caps and face masks designed by doctors. While style is the selling point, the company also places a high emphasis on safety, with all of its clothing made with an antimicrobial finish.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Know yourself and trust yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses and always push yourself to learn and grow. Management requires navigating individuals as well as team dynamics, and the most successful way to lead is to be an exemplary team player and a trusted contributor. Strive to find opportunities to work within diverse teams. Gain experience in organizations of different scales or seek opportunities to work cross functionally to test how well you adapt to different environments and team dynamics.
Always bring your authentic self and don’t be afraid to share your opinion. Be open to feedback and encourage others to provide feedback for your personal growth. Seek mentorship from leaders and those in positions you aspire to be in one day. Something I read once that truly resonated with me is, “Always try to be the most inexperienced person in the room at something.” Put another way, ask questions.
The most successful way to lead is to be an exemplary team player and a trusted contributor.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
I feel grateful to have started my career within the innovation space of product design at a Fortune 500 company on a forward-thinking team. A very short time into the role I was entrusted with a large global performance product reset that required research into a new product type and physiological performance needs and leading design efforts from concept to commercialization.
Although it appeared daunting at the time, I accepted it as a challenge and fully dedicated my time to the work. Within the innovation-led environment, it was also necessary to present all product research and ideation to senior leadership teams even as a junior designer. I fully embraced this opportunity — although I often led with nothing but pure gumption — and ultimately saw more high-profile projects come my way. This enabled me to be seen as a trusted, entrepreneurial designer by organizational leaders.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Commitment. Be committed to the work you do and the team that surrounds you. Being passionate about what you do and committed to results inspires people. Being able to lead a successful team requires showing the team you are an equal contributor in reaching collective goals. Set the precedent for the quality of work needed and the commitment necessary to cultivate a successful and highly functioning, energized team. Show commitment toward your values and create a positive environment. Consistently show up with purpose and engage to make things happen.
Insurance, e-commerce, B2B brands, and more use Centerfield Media’s marketing and sales technology to connect with consumers at scale and drive sales. “Dugout,” the company’s automated customer acquisition platform, analyzes customer interactions to automate campaigns in real time.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Never stop taking the initiative to learn new things and how other teams work in relation to yours. A big part of good management is understanding interdependencies and how everyone can work together to get the best end product.
Good management is understanding interdependencies and how everyone can work together to get the best end product.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
Early in my career, I observed that one of our highest-performing categories was being given the least attention. I brought it up with my boss and he made me the lead editor for the category. It wasn’t about getting to the next level. I was just trying to make something better, and that often leads to growth.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Communication! Learning to communicate effectively across any medium will help you get what you need, get alignment and solve problems. Related to this is empathy. Knowing how people work will help you get the best out of your team.
Inspire automates the process of switching to 100-percent renewable energy, enabling homeowners and renters to change power suppliers entirely online using just their utility bill. The company was founded in 2014 and raised $38 million according to Crunchbase data before being acquired by Shell in 2021.
What should individual contributors be doing during their career to prepare for a management role?
Find mentors you would like to emulate and spend time with them. Probe your mentors on the most-effective training you can take and ask them to nominate you for opportunities within and outside of your organization.
Find mentors you would like to emulate and spend time with them.”
Was there a moment in which you did something that helped you stand out as a leader at your company?
I said yes, but only after saying no. Saying yes to expanded opportunities and responsibilities has always helped me to stand out. That said, my inclination is normally always to say no. I even need to remind myself to say yes.
What is the number one skill a person should cultivate if they’d like to move into management?
Practice listening. Good listeners are almost always the most compassionate and always the most persuasive.
