Throughout the course of the last week we’ve introduced you to five forward-thinking female leaders at PricewaterhouseCoopers. And whether it was U.S. Tax Sectors Leader Barbra Bukovac sharing tips for how she negotiated work flexibility, or U.S. Tax Diversity Leader Margie Dhunjishah’s theory that to have work/life balance you need to lose the rigidity, each woman shares her valuable perspective on what it took her to get ahead in the business world. But, as different as each woman is, they individually share a collective belief in the power of mentorship.
Lessons of mentorship are strong threads in the story of Senior Associate Anna Kovalenko who cemented her passion for working at the firm when she attended an intern luncheon with Barbra and Partner Nathasha Granholm. Realizing she could work in a sought-after job at PwC and still carry on a healthy out-of-work life, was an a-ha moment brought upon Anna by the two women who led by example.
And of course, we hope you enjoyed our podcast with former Leading Lady, Martha Ruiz, a Tax Partner at the firm who also happens to be the Oscars Balloting Co-Leader. She shares what it takes to be a working mom, advice she hopes to leave with her daughter and the thrill of the Oscars.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this special theme week on the site and will walk away with a better understanding of what a tax professional looks like and a sense of what it takes to pursue and grow a healthy career at PwC. More importantly, we hope you realize what a true culture of female support the firm—which on average, has a new female hire percentage of 50%—has nurtured. As Chair Tim Ryan said in his Medium article on this year’s TED Women conference, “Men have a big role to play in creating a more inclusive workplace for women,” and “Talking the talk is only the beginning. Walking the walk is the next step.”
And, as we head into a week where it may feel like we all become a little more divided, remember that true leadership brings us all together. Do your best to stand out as an example of that leadership in your office. It’s our challenge to you this week.