In the spirit of the International Women’s Day 2026 campaign, “Give To Gain,” I reached out to women leaders across industries with one simple question:
What’s one piece of career advice you generously share because it changed your trajectory?
Here’s what they said.
A lot of career advice focuses on how to present yourself in a way that fits a certain mold. But Dr. Tessa West, professor of psychology at NYU and author of Jerks at Work, says that advice can sometimes come at a cost.
“A lot of people will encourage you to frame yourself a certain way—to emphasize some things more than others—in an effort to give the world what it wants to see,” she said. “What I’ve found is that even if they are right, when doing this comes at the expense of me suppressing who I really am or forcing me to cosplay as someone else entirely, it is never worth it. You might get one step ahead, but the path you set up for yourself isn’t one you want to follow in the long run.”
In other words, short-term positioning may open a door, but long-term success comes from building a career that actually fits who you are.
In a world that often celebrates overnight success, Dorie Clark believes patience is one of the most underrated career strategies. Clark, a bestselling author who teaches executive education at Columbia Business School, often reminds professionals that meaningful progress rarely happens quickly.
“Be strategically patient,” she said. “That doesn't mean waiting around for things to happen or being passive. Instead, strategic patience is recognizing that important work takes time and often people quit too soon.”
Her advice is to set milestones and systems that keep you moving forward, whether that means accountability partners or measurable goals that help you stay focused over time.
For Soni Basi, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Incyte, some of the most important opportunities in her career came before she felt completely prepared.
“When someone offers you an opportunity, take it, even if you doubt yourself,” Basi said. “Often, other people see our potential before we do. And the person offering you the opportunity has a vested interest in ensuring you're successful.”
Even when nerves show up, she says it helps to remember something simple: you were invited into the room for a reason.
Kathleen Hogan, executive vice president at Microsoft, shared a piece of advice she received early in her career that completely shifted her perspective across both work and her personal life.
“The advice that changed my trajectory wasn’t about ambition — it was about time,” Hogan said. “Early in my career at McKinsey, a senior leader told me, ‘Your company won’t love you when you’re old.’”
At first glance, the comment sounded blunt. But Hogan says it was ultimately clarifying.
“It forced me to ask where I wanted to give my best energy each day, not someday later,” she said. “The things that matter most — family, relationships and a life beyond work — don’t thrive on leftovers.”
Being intentional about priorities didn’t shrink her career. If anything, it helped her move forward without regret.
Ami Gopalan, head of clinical and editorial services at Precision AQ, believes leadership is something you practice long before you ever receive the title.
“Leadership isn’t defined by a title,” Gopalan said. “It’s defined by what you do. Every day brings chances to step up, add value and influence others, no matter your role.”
Those small moments, she says, are where influence actually begins to build.
For Kimberly Storin, chief marketing officer at Zoom, one of the most valuable leadership lessons came from difficult feedback early in her operating career.
“You’re the smartest person in the room, but you make sure everyone knows it,” she was once told.
After years in consulting, where having the answer quickly was rewarded, that feedback forced her to rethink how she showed up with her team.
“So I gave myself a rule,” Storin said. “Be the second person to speak. Sometimes the last. Occasionally not at all.”
What felt uncomfortable at first eventually changed how her team operated. Instead of everyone deferring to her ideas, people began thinking more independently and contributing more fully.
“Your value is no longer measured by how quickly you provide the answer," Storin said. "Instead, it’s measured by how well you create the conditions for others to think.”
Ayumi Nakajima, senior director at Pinterest, encourages professionals to think about mentorship differently. Rather than relying on one mentor, she suggests building a small network of trusted advisors.
“Build your own personal board of directors,” Nakajima said. “Connect with people you respect and admire. They could be a leader, a peer or a partner who has something you aspire to have.”
Those relationships, she says, are the ones that often provide perspective and guidance over the long arc of a career.
Katie Carroll, director of global creator and community programs at LinkedIn, reminded me that you have valuable insights to share, no matter your level.
“Remember: you’re an expert in your own domain,” Carroll said. “Everyone in the room is speaking from their area of expertise, not yours. Your perspective is valuable, otherwise you wouldn’t be there.”
That mindset shift alone can change how someone participates in meetings, contributes ideas and advocates for their work.
Taken together, these leaders’ perspectives reflect the spirit of this year’s International Women’s Day campaign. Career growth isn’t just about what we gain. It’s also about what we share, what we pass on and how we support the next generation of leaders along the way.
So I’ll leave you with the same question I asked them.
What will you give to gain in 2026?
