Working at Wizeline is not only a great step for my career in a global and professional  environment; it’s also a wonderful journey of learning and personal development, thanks to the Women in Leadership program. (To learn more about this program, check out a recent blog from my colleague Andrea Cuella.)

This initiative gives Wizeline’s community of women an opportunity to come together and be inspired, connect with other women in the industry, learn from each other, support each other’s professional growth, and take action. By joining this program, I learned four valuable lessons.

1. Overcoming my mental barrier as a woman 

Imposter syndrome stops us from doing things that can push us to a higher level. For example, we may believe that we are not experienced and qualified enough to apply for a promotion since we don’t meet all the requirements. But did you know that research shows men apply for a promotion when they think they meet 60% of requirements, whereas women apply for a promotion only when they think they meet 100% of requirements? 

Thanks to advice shared by women in the Wizeline community during the interesting workshops, I changed my way of thinking from “I am not ____ enough” to “#IamRemarkable.” This new mindset enhanced my confidence as a woman and resulted in a successful promotion in my role at Wizeline.  

2. Leading the way

I learned how to identify my inner voice by reflecting on the code of conduct and the values I was honoring in each meaningful moment, and then creating a plan to actualize these values. Core values are not only the needles for our actions in every situation; they’re also the perfect tools to help foster a strong team culture.

3. Finding my Ikigai 

I was anxious and excited to find my Ikigai, or my real purpose in life. This is something I constantly thought about when I was a university student, but later on, I got too caught up in my career and forgot about it. With the powerful tool guide provided in the Ikigai book, I discovered my reason for waking up every morning, which strongly motivates me to work and live with a sense of fulfillment. 

4. Recognizing capabilities

It’s essential not only to discover and develop our personal strengths as early on as possible, but also to help the people around us build on their natural talents. Here’s a meaningful finding shared by Tom Rath in his book, StrengthsFinder 2.0: “People who have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.” 

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to find my top strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths assessment. The results helped me understand myself better and pinpoint which areas I should focus on. I also learned how to better manage my weaknesses, as well as blind spots caused by my strengths. In addition, I’m now more aware of paying attention to others’ strengths to help them grow and develop their potential talents. After applying these principles for some time, the wonderful result is increased team satisfaction owing to each member having opportunities to work in their own personal areas of interest, talent, and expertise.

How to learn more 

The Women in Leadership program is just one of our Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. Learn about these initiatives and explore Wizeline’s values and commitment to fostering a supportive environment where all employees can thrive here.