Christine Lee is one of our guest speakers at the Women in Tech webinar! Christine is the Chief Strategy Officer at Texas Systems Group.
She is responsible for the daily operations and helping to achieve the long-term vision of the company. With over 9 years of experience in the industry, Christine discusses how she started out and how to succeed.
If that is your passion, do it! It is a fast-paced and ever-evolving field with so many opportunities for career growth for continual learners. A growth mindset is essential as the threat landscape and tech environment will look vastly different in 5 years than it does today. Women, in particular, can play a significant role as we bring a different voice and perspective to this industry which benefits both companies and the clients we serve.
What role can male team members play to best support their female peers in the business and tech world?
Start by recognizing that diversity and cultural barriers exist, allow the different perspectives from your team to speak equally, and be an active listener to all voices. Look at yourself in the mirror, or ask a close friend, to see if you bring bias into your interactions with women.
Provide opportunities with your women peers to speak with you about ways to improve your interactions and ask how you can help support them. Help encourage the ladies around you to learn, grow, and speak up. Women need to hear from both men and women to truly excel and become the best version of themselves.
Do not discount the strengths and perspectives that women can bring to the workplace and this industry. We all can bring something to the table.
How can women take action and ownership of their professional futures?
Look for additional resources to assist you on your journey. I found power in reading various professional books over the years that discussed how I could improve areas such as leadership skills, team structure and growth, accountability, customer service, etc. You never know what nuggets you will read in books that help you in your everyday journey. Finding a peer group was also a powerful resource for me to learn from. They have been a great way to bounce around questions, be forward-looking at where the industry is going, and also give/receive advice to get through tough situations.
What can businesses do to better support and empower their female workers and leaders now in the tech world?
In my experience, there are fewer women in the technical and leadership level. When outlining career paths, do not assume that a woman wants to stay in their current area of expertise. Help them to explore options if they want to move to technical or into leadership. Be there to provide them with the growth opportunities, education, and mentorship they may need to advance.
Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career? I do not feel that I had to work harder but I do feel that it took much longer for others to trust me and understand my capabilities. When I became part of the leadership team, the owners were both still wearing multiple hats and it just took time for them to let go. By the time others joined the leadership team, we had laid the groundwork of fostering trust which made their integration easier.
What is the best professional advice you’ve ever received?
What motivates you every day?
Do you have a question for Christine? Join us on March 31st for our Women in Tech webinar. Christine is a featured speaker and will be there to discuss her challenges and achievements and answer any questions you may have!
