Advice for women by women in AI & intelligent automation

Cindy Gallagher, CEO of Liberty Source, reveals her top tips for female executives who wish to follow in her footsteps

The AI & Intelligent Automation Network is keen on ensuring that we're a true resource for what matters in corporate enterprise AI & intelligent automation.

It's with this ethos I approached a recent conversation with friend and colleague Cindy Gallagher, formerly of Discovery and now CEO of Liberty Source. Gallagher candidly revealed she needed to acknowledge exceptions to take the position.

SEE ALSO: Top 5 lessons learned from intelligent automation: Cindy Gallagher

This of course is a common theme, particularly and specifically for female corporate enterprise executives. And so, on the spot, I asked her for questions and advice that she might have for her colleagues.

Image by TierneyMJ / Shutterstock

The following is what she shared with me on the fly. Moving forward, we'll fashion this Advice for women in AI & intelligent automation by women in AI & intelligent automation into a monthly column from select executives in the space.

Top advice from Cindy Gallagher

If you're a woman:

Don't leave it in the hands of fate. Challenge yourself, and push the status quo. Learn from the path others have forged before you, constantly striving toward your personal and professional goals, owning your legacy every step of the way.

If you're not a woman:

Mentor a woman right now or be mentored by a woman. We all have so much to learn from each other and so much to give back. Don't let the lessons you've learned be wasted,—pass them on to others.

Network more than you do:

No matter how much you're networking now, it's not enough. The world is constantly evolving, and unless you are out there in it, the world will change around you.

Ask yourself:

What is your story? What makes you uniquely you? Are you leveraging your talents to the fullest extent? What do you want others to remember?

Step into STEM programs:

Identify them, get involved, invest in them if you can. STEM will change the way we live, work and play. Become involved early on and invest in projects which add meaning to your life, personally and professionally.

Is your senior level management actually buying into the future of work?

Ensure forward looking programs are in place. If they aren't, question why. Discover the root cause for why your organization is slow or adverse to change. Your investment (time and money) will not bear the results you expect if senior leadership isn't buying in. Set goals for yourself and your organization which are easy for leadership to understand, with defined milestones and an executable plan.

Does your organization celebrate diversity of thought?

Are you recruiting unique thinkers to your organization or is your organization full of people who think the same? Through diversity of thought come the best ideas, the clearest paths forward and the highest end results. Diversity of thought ensures a project will be looked at from all angels—with all opportunities, challenges, weakness and benefits clearly understood. It may be difficult and may feel like a fight at times, but the end result will be better for it.

Build a successful support network:

So that you can actually do it all without having to do it all. We may like to feel like Super Woman at times, but it's not realistic nor is it necessary. Those around you want to help, they want to be part of the story and they all add value in different ways. Let people in, clearly delegate, and fully leverage the strengths of those around you.

Discover more insight from Cindy Gallagher on why automation is business evolution, in this insightful AIIA Network Podcast with host Seth Adler: